This is page numbers 5151 - 5186 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.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish I could say that we would never go to court again, but I think every jurisdiction in Canada is engaged in ongoing court cases with their respective French first language education bodies. I made attempts with the regulations. I admitted the students that were at the centre of the last court case. And I will say that we actually did win that on appeal. But it's a difficult subject. I understand where the school board is coming from. They want to protect their rights. They want to advocate for their students. And there's French first language school boards across the country that want to do the same, and I believe they all work together and support each other. So sometimes I feel as though perhaps the issue is more of what's happening nationally than in the territory that causes us to go to court but regardless, I believe we are in a good place. We have good relationships with the French first language school board and no matter what happens in terms of court cases, I want to ensure that we do our best to maintain those good relationships. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the ENR Minister. There are no clauses in the wildlife business regulations citing confidentiality requirements for outfitter licenses.

Can the Minister explain this rationale and identify where the department is bound by confidentiality on this matter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have told the Member in the email, it's a privacy issue. We reached out to Justice and we got the information that way. So we can't be sharing that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, has the Department of ENR ever suspended an outfitting license because of inactivity? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For that detail, I'll have to get back to the Member. Thank you.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what ENR's rationale is with issuing an outfitters license to a local harvesting committee but not issue the license directly to an Indigenous NWT resident? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's seven licenses and then there's ten. So there's seven licenses we give out, then the local harvesting committee there's ten. So they can reach out to the local harvesting committee and get the license -- or apply through it that way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit that ENR will examine the wildlife business regulations and provide more clarity around the areas I've identified today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No. Mr. Speaker, we've been looking at this. We look at it all the time. So are we going to spend a lot of time going through the regulations that we've already developed and looked at? No. We have other issues that we got to deal with right now. But thanks to the Member bringing it toward. We have been looking at this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Question 1339-19(2): Frank Channel Bridge
Oral Questions

February 9th, 2023

Page 5160

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, if there are plans around costs and construction, why haven't they been provided to the Regular MLAs, and can the Minister commit to sharing them with us? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department originally applied for the Frank Channel Bridge, I want to say about $40 million, and now we've gone back to the feds asking for additional 15. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, can we have the cost and detail. Can we have the detail as to the cost of the construction instead of just telling us so then we have a better understanding of what's delaying this Frank Channel Bridge. It's affecting everybody in my region so that's why I just want to have the detail.

But another question that I have, Mr. Speaker, thank you -- I hope she will answer that too as well. Can the Minister describe the structure, the integrity of the Frank Channel Bridge? Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this Frank Channel Bridge is a critical piece of the national highway system, which is maintaining the north/south trade to ensure we have safe, reliable transportation between the communities.

Mr. Speaker, the details on the funding have yet to be determined. I don't know if we, as a government, share all the details on all our costs. It defeats the purpose of having some of the procurement progress on these projects so I don't believe we can share all the details. I can find out and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

I did ask the Minister for an update previously, and I didn't get the answer yet but it would be nice.

Will the Minister commit to provide me with an update on the condition of the Frank Channel Bridge and the financial aspect too? Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our bridge, we review them annually. You know, in terms of the condition of it, if we're able to share it absolutely. This is information that the Member should know as it pertains to her riding. So if we're able to share some of the details on the review of the bridge, absolutely. And I forget her other question. But that's -- I'll answer that one for now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The next time the Minister comes to inspect the bridge with their engineer, can they invite the Regular MLAs -- some of the Regular MLAs and the local leaders as well? Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that's a great idea. I mean, we're looking at replacing the bridge and to be able to see the conditions of the existing bridge. I'm not sure when the annual inspections for the bridge are. I want to say in the summer. We go out and inspect the bridges across the Territories to ensure that they're safe. And I think the Frank Channel Bridge, if Members and leaders want to come and inspect with the department, then we can see what we can do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've asked this as a written question before and didn't get an answer, but I think the Minister's going to answer it this time.

My question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Everyone has acknowledged that there is a municipal infrastructure gap; however, the most recent numbers that are publicly available on the size of that gap are from 2014. My question is, can the Minister provide an updated analysis of the municipal infrastructure gap, and the year in which it was completed, as follows:

  1. What is the current gap by community;
  2. What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it relates to operations and maintenance funding;
  3. What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it applies to water and sewer funding, or as it is now called, environmental funding; and.
  4. What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it applies to capital funding, or as it is now called, CPI and Gas Tax.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.