Debates of June 3rd, 2022
This is page numbers 4497 - 4544 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
- Minister's Statement 258-19(2): Distinctions-Based Funding Announcement
- Minister's Statement 259-19(2): Update on Health System Human Resources
- Minister's Statement 260-19(2): Update on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- Minister's Statement 261-19(2): Acknowledging Education Hall of Fame Inductees and 2022 Grade 12 Graduates
- Member's Statement 1140-19(2): Congratulations to Graduates
- Member's Statement 1141-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Assistance
- Member's Statement 1142-19(2): Financial Transparency for Infrastructure Spending
- Member's Statement 1143-19(2): Warm Wishes for Summer 2022
- Member's Statement 1144-19(2): 2022 Skills Canada National Competition
- Member's Statement 1145-19(2): 2023-2024 Government of the Northwest Territories Budget Preparation
- Member's Statement 1146-19(2): National Indigenous History Month
- Member's Statement 1147-19(2): Housing Northwest Territories Community Residency Policy
- Member's Statement 1148-19(2): Congratulations and Well-Wishes to Constituents
- Member's Statement 1149-19(2): Reflections on Consensus Government
- Member's Statement 1150-19(2): Cyber-Bullying
- Member's Statement 1151-19(2): Recognizing 2022 Youth Parliament Participant Aubrey Sluggett
- Oral Question 1143-19(2): Infrastructure Issues at Ecole Boreale
- Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
- Oral Question 1145-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Assistance Policy
- Oral Question 1146-19(2): Housing Northwest Territories Community Residency Policy
- Oral Question 1147-19(2): 2023-2024 Government of the Northwest Territories Budget Preparation
- Oral Question 1148-19(2): Functions of Local Housing Authorities
- Oral Question 1149-19(2): Reconciliation and Completion of Rights Agreements
- Oral Question 1150-19(2): Administration of Lands and Financial Securities
- Oral Question 1151-19(2): Fort Good Hope Seniors' Facility
- Oral Question 1152-19(2): Apology from Pope Francis to Indigenous People
- Oral Question 1153-19(2): Fort Good Hope Seniors' Facility
- Oral Question 1154-19(2): Lessons Learned and Mitigation of Future Flooding in Hay River
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery (reversion)
- Written Question 44-19(2): Contracts for Work Related to the Slave Geological Corridor
- Written Question 46-19(2): Contracts for Work Related to the Taltson Hydro Expansion
- Written Question 46-19(2): Post-Devolution Mining Revenues to the Government of the Northwest Territories
- Written Question 47-19(2): Status of Housing Renovations in the Tlicho Region
- Tabled Document 673-19(2): NWT State of Environment Report 2022
- Tabled Document 674-19(2): 2022-23 Consolidated Budget Tabled Document 675-19(2): Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022) Tabled Document 676-19(2): Socio-Economic Analysis of Parsons' Procurement at the Giant Mine Site - Summary, May 11, 2022
- Tabled Document 677-19(2): The Cost of Addressing Core Housing Need in the Northwest Territories
- Tabled Document 678-19(2): Child and Family Services Quality Improvement Plan and the Strategic Approach to System Reform 2019-2021, April 2022 Tabled Document 679-19(2): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services System Human Resources Plan 2021-2024
- Tabled Document 680-19(2): Summary of Members' Absences for the Period February 21 to May 25, 2022
- Motion 58-19(2): A Strategy to Match Canada's Population Growth, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Motion 59-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to October 13, 2022, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Bill 54: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023
- Bill 55: Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023
- Bill 54: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Bill 55: Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Committee Report 31-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act
- Committee Motion 245-19(2): Committee Report 31-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act - Standards of Practice for Physicians Practicing in the Northwest Territories, Carried
- Committee Motion 246-19(2): Committee Report 31-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act - Consultation on Proposed Standards for Physicians in the Northwest Territories, Carried
- Committee Motion 247-19(2): Committee Report 31-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act - Consultation on with Territorial Physician Executive, Carried
- Committee Motion 248-19(2): Committee Report 31-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act - Government Response to Recommendations, Carried
- Committee Report 30-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Committee Motion 249-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Employee Training on Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
- Committee Motion 250-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Policies for Public Service Use of Handheld Mobile Devices, Carried
- Committee Motion 251-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Faxing in Health and Social Services System, Carried
- Committee Motion 252-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Compliance with Section 72(2) of the ATIPPA, Carried
- Committee Motion 253-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Government Response to Recommendations, Carried
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act, Carried
- Bill 54: Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023, Carried
- Bill 55: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023, Carried
- Assent To Bills
- Orders Of The Day
Oral Question 1143-19(2): Infrastructure Issues at Ecole Boreale
Oral Questions
Page 4509
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4509

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement I talked about transparency in infrastructure budgeting, and I want to use the Whati Transmission Line as an example.
The Whati Transmission Line has been debated for years in this House. It's clear that millions of dollars have been approved because it appears in the main estimates debates year after year. It's clear that millions of dollars have been spent because there's talk of geotechnical and reporting and a feasibility assessments being done. Some Members have oft-repeated that it would be cheaper to introduce three hydro projects as opposed to one transmission line, which is a statement you can't evaluate because there's no public figure telling you how much the transmission line actually costs.
So my question is, after years of talking publicly about this line and the different costs and weighing the benefits, can we finally have an estimated cost of the Whati Transmission Line? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4509

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4509

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Whati Transmission Line is a key initiative, and I'm going to keep saying this, under our 2030 Energy Strategy. This proposed project will occur 100 percent on Tlicho lands, and the GNWT and the Tlicho governments are committed to advancing this important project together.
The Department of Infrastructure and the Tlicho government recently began working together to be able to determine an acceptable routing corridor for the transmission line between the Snare Forks hydroelectricity facility and Whati. The tentative date for the completion of this part of the work is in fall of 2022. Once this routing corridor for the project is known, infrastructure and Tlicho will collaborate on preliminary engineering and design. This work will include internal preliminary capital costs estimates that reflects the design work and the routing corridor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4509

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, a "no" would have sufficed. I actually don't have any idea how much this project costs, and what we're talking about.
Can the Minister tell me how much money we've spent to date on this project and how much money this Assembly has approved? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4509

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will go back to the department and see how much of that was spent. We're so early in the stages of this project, we're still working with Tlicho. We haven't decided on a route. There's so many different factors that are involved. Without us knowing that, we don't know how much it's going to cost. Thank you.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I get that, you know, there's different classes of cost estimates and they have different specificity. You know, we know that the Fort Providence Transmission Line costs $60 million. The GNWT doesn't have that publicly anywhere but the federal government told us that when they gave us the money. So I'm just assuming we're in about the $60 million range of public money here. That's the assumption I operate on. But I would like to understand the reason when we pass money in this House for infrastructure projects we are not told the total cost publicly is that it would affect the tendering. And in this case, I want to know for a transmission line that is going to cost 10s of millions of dollars, and I think might even be a P3, whether there is in any actual real concern that the public figure of the total cost will affect tendering of this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, releasing internal construction costs estimates publicly before procurement has a strong potential to influence that process and could result in higher costs to the government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to point out that every single municipal project ever has the total public amount released before tendering because it's approved by council. I want to note that every time the federal government announces money, we have the total amount because they announced it. Did we get mad at the federal government when they told us how much the Fort Providence Transmission Line was going to cost, which has not yet been tendered?
Mr. Speaker, additionally, we don't give public estimates and we don't give business cases. I don't know if there's actually a business case for this transmission line. And so my question is, is there a business case and is that something that could be shared publicly before we spend or approve millions more of public money? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Whati project is not being developed using a traditional business case. This project is part of an initiative under our 2030 Energy Strategy, to use federal dollars earmarked to displace diesel in our remote communities.
Fortunately, typical maintenance costs for a 60-kilometre transmission line are significantly less than the annual diesel fuel savings. That will result from converting the community of Whati from diesel to hydro power for the next 50 years.
As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, in my response to the first question, this is an important investment that will reduce GHG emissions in the community and help stabilize the costs of energy going forward to the community of Whati. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1144-19(2): Cost of the Whati Transmission Line
Oral Questions
Page 4510
Oral Question 1145-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Assistance Policy
Oral Questions
June 3rd, 2022
Page 4510

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of the Department of ENR.
Has the Minister's department completed the Hunters and Trappers Disasters Compensation Policy and when can we expect this policy publicly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral Question 1145-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Assistance Policy
Oral Questions
Page 4510

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Oral Question 1145-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Assistance Policy
Oral Questions
Page 4510

Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I answer that, I'd like to thank both the MLAs from Yellowknife and the Speaker for keeping constant contact to me as we watched the river break up there. I mean, it was devastating. And my condolences to the residents that have been impacted.
Mr. Speaker, ENR is currently conducting review of the current Hunters and Trappers Disasters Compensation Policy, including program criteria, eligibility, and scope of operational guidelines. This review will build on past experiences, including recent flooding events in a number of communities across the Northwest Territories. The review is currently underway and will be shared publicly once updated. And I can guarantee the Regular Members will be getting that information as soon as it's ready to go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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