This is page numbers 4325 - 4368 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

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, there are no reorganizations being expected within the term of this government. It was a campaign commitment that was made and so following through with that. It was in a mandate that was followed through. There was no other identified reorganizations that were necessary. However, never say never. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'm not sure where I'm getting with the Premier on this. But I'd hope that she would say that gee, sorry we missed you guys last time but we'll talk to you before we do any more reorganization.

I'd understood that the so-called "government renewal initiative" would be much further along by now, and that process would be a place where reorganizations and efficiencies would be driven. But that's not even referenced in the news release. It doesn't even mention the words "government renewal initiative."

So the can Premier tell us why the decision on the merger appears to have had nothing to do whatsoever with the government renewal initiative? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I think that they are kind of related in that the government's renewal initiative is looking at program evaluations, making sure that we're providing good programs for the money, bang for the buck. But the re-amalgamation of departments, reorganization of departments, was not based on the government's renewal initiative. It was actually, like I said, it was a mandate letter of Premier's commitments from the beginning of the Assembly, before we were even talking about government renewal.

What I do want to say as well that the first phase of the government renewal was to develop the inventories that were to be completed in 2021-2022; that two departments, both ENR and Lands, did complete their government renewal inventories. And that's why when we started to realize there was more similarity in those programs than there was in the other organizational departments.

So with the substantial intersection, it made sense that we would start to look at combining those departments for our organizational design. I do really want to repeat to the public, to the staff, this is not a cost saving exercise. This is not about saving money and taking away jobs. This is about providing a more efficient and a more effective department so that services that you provide will actually be better for the public, which is our ultimate goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Mr. Speaker, the department did a procurement review along with a large engagement with NWT businesses, and I'm wondering when the GNWT responses to the procurement review will be shared be the public, and does the GNWT intend to provide a draft response to standing committee for feedback first? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to have an opportunity to speak about this. Certainly, we're going into the fall session and getting ready on capital planning.

During the public review process, there was some Indigenous governments who had chose to not partake in that process and instead we've been engaging more directly with them in terms of the Modern Treaty Self-Government tables, Council of Leaders tables, in order to ensure that all Indigenous governments here within the Northwest Territories are properly involved in this process. So that process is now complete. There was some requests for additional time. But we have all of that information and comments back in now, all the feedback back in now, and so the next stage is, indeed, to prepare a final and formal response that can be shared with the public. And while I don't have the detailed work plan here in front of me, Mr. Speaker, it would usually be practice that we would be sharing things with the committee in advance, and I expect we'll do the same here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the review suggested incremental changes to GNWT procurement policy and processes. So I'm wondering while we don't have a work plan here today with a concrete date, I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to what changes have taken place with procurement in the NWT thus far? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, there have been some incremental changes, some interim changes already in place. One in particular I want to highlight the Vendor Performance Management Program. There's a few phases to this.

Essentially when we are going to be changing procurement, if we're not monitoring how vendors are doing and how those contracts are unfolding, it's going to be very difficult to ensure that we're either incentivizing or dealing with any lack or failure to deal with what was being said in the contracts. So we've ruled this out first phase last June for construction projects over $250,000, Mr. Speaker. We're now looking toward monitoring of compliance on those contracts. And currently coming up on one year, we'll be in a position now to analyze whether or not and to what extent contractors are, indeed, meeting their BIP obligations.

That's not all, Mr. Speaker. There's also some work happening in terms of one-stop shop for procurement information. So, again, one of the concerns that was raised that was raised in the report was about the fact that there's just too much different information about procurement and it lives in too many different houses within the Government of the Northwest Territories. But we do now have a one-stop shop dashboard that has GNWT procurement information, contact information, the contract dashboard etcetera. So starting to bring those things into a more unified fold. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before the procurement review of the 19th Assembly, the 18th Assembly did a review of the northern manufacturing policy and that strategy. And from within that strategy, there were a number of actions that were suggested to the GNWT and that were committed to. And within the procurement review that was done in this Assembly, they suggested simply implementing those action items from the northern manufacturing strategy review. And so I'm wondering will these actions will implemented in the 2022-2023 fiscal year as our businesses and our business owners have spent the time in order to provide the information on the review and do the engagement? So I can sense a frustration in not having that feedback implemented yet. Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to look back at the manufacturing strategy and also with looking at that in the context of the procurement panel's review. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that is being recommended in the panel, by the procurement panel was, of course, to have a more integrated and consolidated policy to which the northern manufacturing policy would also then be part of. So to the extent that we are right now at a critical point in that process, having done obviously the public review process, now also an Indigenous government engagement and consultation process, and now looking to put forward some -- a final response out in public, that would lead us, I believe, in the course of this government to have a more integrated policy and one that can speak to both manufacturing and the BIP and all other elements of procurement and purchasing. So I am looking forward to seeing some further changes in this regard but it'll be one that comes, again, as part of the whole-of-government procurement and not something that stands on its own necessarily. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it's worthwhile noting that there's definitely a sense of frustration in that a lot of us in this room came into this House with promises of pursuing procurement reform within the GNWT and a lot of changes that have -- whether they've come out of the review from this Assembly or a previous Assembly have not been implemented yet. So there's definite frustration out there. And I think if we fail to reform procurement for the GNWT, it's not going to be a success for any of us because I think that maintaining northern benefit is a common interest of all of us in this room.

Mr. Speaker, my last question is the review called for greater transparency and how NWT businesses can get involved in GNWT procurement and greater reporting mechanisms. So does the GNWT intend to address procurement process reporting transparency immediately before we have to wait for more of this review to be put in to place? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, contract reporting is already being improved. The dashboard that I mentioned just a couple of responses ago has just gone live this month so I can appreciate that stakeholders, businesses, may not necessarily be familiar with it yet. Certainly, you know, I encourage them to go and look at that as a resource. It's an opportunity to get more information out and to get it out in one place. But, Mr. Speaker, the real core of what I'm hearing in the last question around frustration, you know, I think everyone understands, and can probably share some of the frustration, these things do take time and they take time to do well. I was certainly, you know, taken aback initially at looking at the work plans, seeing just how much time things would take. But also, Mr. Speaker, I felt also quite a bit a sense of relief.

I had the opportunity, anticipating that this may well be a session where I get questions on the procurement review, to sit down with the team. And at that team, there are members from ITI; there are members from EIA; there are members from Infrastructure; there are members from Finance - all across government - coming to together on this. It's a huge project. There's seniors members of the government all sitting at that table and now all working together so that all the disparate bits and pieces of procurement are finding themselves a home and are finding one place in a working group that's working well and it's working towards the coordinated goal of having changes in place this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Oral Question 1108-19(2): Status of the Monarchy
Oral Questions

May 30th, 2022

Page 4344

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, admittedly, I just must be out of touch because when I first heard that His Royal Highness was coming here, I just kind of expected that people would not be all that excited and that there was a pretty normal opinion to not support monarchy, and I was quite surprised. I guess I've been living under a bit of a rock when it comes to the royal family, Mr. Speaker.

But I guess my first question is I know that these royal visits usually cost Canada a few hundred thousand dollars, at least. But my question is was there any cost to the GNWT; did we have to chip in for this visit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Madam Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The final tally of the royal visit is not yet complete. The last royal tour came in approximately $180,000, and we expect that the cost of this one will be similarly the same. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I guess it's my political opinion that I would rather spend $180,000 on almost anything else. So my question is I was also somewhat surprised that during this tour no one -- none of our leaders anywhere seemed to suggest that we should stop having power passed down through family lineage, which seemed odd to me. So I guess my question for the Premier is will we stop hosting the future royal family, and maybe we could save some money there, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to start by saying that the royal family has a really special relationship with Indigenous people in the NWT. And if we talk about reconciliation and United Nations declaration, then we have to respect that relationship as well. A part of reconciliation is being able to have the royal family come and listen to the Indigenous governments and to the people and to hear their concerns as well.

So, you know, I have to say that the Royal Highness did come and he did meet with the Council of Leaders, and there was not one that said that they didn't want him there. In fact, they were all eager to speak to him and share their problems and share what they thought reconciliation was and some of the experiences that they had.

I also believe, Mr. Speaker, that it's really important that we as a Legislative Assembly show respect when the royal family comes and continue to be welcoming when their visits are requested.

On the other hand, besides the relationship with Indigenous governments, it helps promote tourism. It got international news. We had people here -- flying here and more people hopefully will come because of that.

And it's another one that's really key to myself is climate change. Mr. Speaker, we're in a place in this world now that climate change is real. We're being affected more than any other jurisdiction in Canada. We're trying to get that out there. We're also -- the issues that are facing the globe, such as Russia and Ukraine right now and the opening of our seas and stuff, we can't just sit back anymore, Mr. Speaker, and not get international news. So I have spent the last few months every since the invasion of Ukraine trying to get national coverage as much as possible, trying to get international coverage. So I see this is as one more step in bringing awareness to -- global awareness to the issues of the NWT and the issues that the Arctic is facing. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Mr. Speaker, I guess, you know, I recognize it's largely a symbolic position but from where I sit, one of the parts that kind of rubbed me wrong is the mandatory nature of swearing an oath of allegiance. You know, perhaps you're an Irish member and there's been some blood shed on both sides of that. Perhaps you're of Scottish descent and you got a grandpa who's a strong independence movement, Mr. Speaker. You know, there's no shortage of countries that have fought very hard to be free of our sweet Queen's rule.

But my question is, does our Premier support amending the rules of this House so that, you know, if there is a Member who is a Republican, they do not have to swear allegiance to the Queen and can take their seat in this House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I should start by saying that as Premier, I don't run the Legislative Assembly. That is the role of the Speaker. So it's not mine to address. But I do want to say as well that as long as we're elected into a system that's part of the constitutional monarchy with the Queen as the head of state for Canada, we appreciate that swearing an oath to bear alliance to Her Majesty is an oath to work diligently within the democratic system in place. It's no different than the oath that lawyers swear as part of their admittance to the legal profession of which the MLA is a part of that profession.

By swearing alliance to the head of the state, we as parliamentarians commit to faithfully serve our system of government. Until that system of government is changed nationally, I don't think it's necessary to change our oath. That's my personal opinion. But it's really your responsibility, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Before we begin, I'd just like to caution the Member, please use respectful language and refrain from making accusations against the Minister. Thank you.

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member's statement I made earlier today, my constituents, and most people in the NWT, know that our health system is in a crisis. Yet our leadership appears more interested in doing some damage control in the media than looking inwards to make policy changes to improve patient outcomes.

Mr. Speaker, my first question is health care in small communities require policies to take into account the unique circumstances for primary Indigenous population that have needs defined by race, geographically, and culture.

Will the Minister of Health and Social Services commit to a full policy review to improve patient outcomes and health care protocols in communities health centres and small -- and for small community medical travel within 120 days and report back to the House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.