Debates of March 30th, 2023
This Hansard is the unedited transcript and will be replaced by the final copy soon (generally within 5 business days). In the meantime, direct quotes should not be used, when the final is published it will seamlessly replace this unedited copy and any existing links should still work.
This is from 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 347-19(2): Draft Homelessness Strategy
- Minister's Statement 348-19(2): Combined Mental Wellness and Addictions Fund
- Minister's Statement 349-19(2): Review of Land lease-Only Policy
- Minister's Statement 347-19(2): Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership
- Member's Statement 1500-19(2): Carbon Tax
- Member's Statement 1501-19(2): Lands
- Member's Statement 1502-19(2): Spring has Sprung
- Member's Statement 1503-19(2): Substance Abuse Rates in the Northwest Territories
- Member's Statement 1504-19(2): Announcement of Seeking Re-Election and Farewell Message to Clerk Mercer
- Member's Statement 1505-19(2): Bison Jamboree in Fort Providence
- Member's Statement 1506-19(2): Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #94
- Member's Statement 1507-19(2): Inuvik Muskrat jamboree and Farewell Message to Clerk Mercer
- Member's Statement 1508-19(2): Youth Voices of the Northwest Territories
- Member's Statement 1509-19(2): Order of the Northwest Territories Recipient Joanne Deneron
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
- Question 1494-19(2): Indigenous Harvesting Rights
- Question 1495-19(2): Carbon Tax
- Question 1496-19(2): Doctrine of Discovery
- Question 1497-19(2): Taltson Hydro Expansion
- Question 1498-19(2): Business Incentive Policy Process
- Question 1499-19(2): Carbon Tax Increase
- Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
- Question 1501-19(2): Request a New School for Behchoko
- Question 1502-19(2): Northwest Territories Infrastructure Support
- Question 1503-19(2): Hay River Harbour Remediation
- Question 1504-19(2): Request for New School for Dettah
- Question 1505-19(2): Hay River Area Flood Mitigation Measures
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
- Reply 3-19(2):
- Tabled Document 917-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2 Tabled Document 918-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 82: Legal Profession Act Tabled Document 919-19(2): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 1402-19(2): Cooperation Between Income Support and Child and Family Services
- Tabled Document 920-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 83: Liquor Act Tabled Document 921-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 84: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act Tabled Document 922-19(2): 2022 Socio-Economic Agreement: Social Data Report Tabled Document 923-19(2): Let's Talk Agriculture: Have Your Say Online Survey Result
- Tabled Document 924-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 85: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act Tabled Document 925-19(2): A Way Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Homelessness in the Northwest Territories
- Tabled Document 926-19(2): Member's Attendance Report
- Motion 78-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to May 23, 2023, Carried
- Motion 79-19(2): Expression of Gratitude to Clerk, Tim Mercer, for Dedicated and Exemplary Service, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Bill 80: Dental Hygienists Profession Statute Amendment Act, Carried
- Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, Carried
- Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
- Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
- Bill 84: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act, Carried
- Bill 85: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, Carried
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Bill 68: An Act to Amend the Child Day Care Act, Carried As Amended
- Recorded Vote
- Assent To Bills
- Orders Of The Day
Question 1499-19(2): Carbon Tax Increase
Oral Questions

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We'll certainly be carrying the message of the North forward as we do, as all my colleagues as Ministers do. We want to see the North prosper. We want to see businesses prosper. We want to have residents to have -- be able to put food on their tables. In the context of the carbon tax, Mr. Speaker, I realize it creates a burden and it's creating a burden at a time where times are already tight, inflation is high, interests rates are high. We're all seeing it in the North. And we want ministers to come from Ottawa and actually see it themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I'm going to be, along with my colleagues, extending invitations out to the ministers who have their hands on, whether it's carbon tax dollars, environment dollars, energy dollars, we want to bring them here, have them in these communities so they can actually see the realities of a large proportion of Canada's -- 40 percent of Canada's land mass in fact, here in the North across three territories. Let's bring them to the North, and I'm going to make that commitment. We're going to make those offers and try to get them here so that they can see it themselves and we can then all work together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1499-19(2): Carbon Tax Increase
Oral Questions
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. I raised this numerous times in the House on the Dempster Highway and I want to know where is this Minister at with discussions with the Yukon about improving the Dempster Highway. This is the vital link to our region. We need to ensure that this goat trail is corrected, and we don't have the money on this side so it's on the Yukon side. So where is the Minister in this discussions on getting this money? Thank you.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, maybe perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned that the Minister Vandal is here because now everyone's hands are going up.
Mr. Speaker, the Member from Inuvik -- and, you know, I'm a Member from Inuvik Boot Lake and we both have an interest. So do yourself, Mr. Speaker. The Dempster Highway is a critical -- I won't call it goat path, but it's a -- goat trail. I won't call it that. But other than to say that we have invested money on the NWT side. I made a commitment to the Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes that I would meet with the Minister, Minister Nils Clarke, which I did. We had discussions on perhaps partnering to look at joint proposals going forward to work on perhaps some of the things on the Yukon side. So we had that discussion, and we will further that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Well, I'm glad to hear that. And I'm just wondering if there's -- is there any plans on a joint submission because there's not just the road that needs to be repaired. There's two bridges. There's the wooden bridge, there's the small bridge that's -- like, you can't get wide loads up that highway. We have a housing crisis, we can't get anything wider than 14 foot 5 inches up that highway because of that wooden bridge in the Yukon. Those are all in the Yukon. And I need this Minister to advocate so that we can get more in our region. Thank you.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been having this discussions with the Yukon. You know, we did talk about having -- continue to make the case with the federal government for the Dempster Highway. It is important to a number of things. Canadian security, sovereignty. We need to invest in this on a national basis. Mr. Speaker, my mandate right now is the Mackenzie Valley Highway. I'm trying to do both, but there's only so much that we can do. I'm all about the Dempster Highway as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad that the Member had brought up the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Like, I'm sitting here and I'm asking the Member over and over again about dollars to fix a road that, you know, we have a plan to go down the Northwest Territories. So is the reason because we want this money in the Northwest Territories for the Mackenzie Valley versus the Yukon? So is that the reason why we're not getting any agreements? Can the Minister explain. Thank you.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's both discussions going on. I am meeting with the Yukon government and having discussions on some of the work for the Dempster Highway as well as, you know, we're expecting that this mandate of the 19th Assembly is to advance the Mackenzie Valley Highway. It's not going to happen overnight. Perhaps it's not going to happen in five years. It's going to take time. But for now if we can have this discussion with the Yukon to be able to look at some of the things we can do on the Dempster Highway.
I also want to mention that I had an opportunity to speak with parliamentary committee just a couple weeks ago. I brought that up to the committee. The Yukon has -- you know, that was one of my discussions with the parliamentary committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I know in the same discussion that we were having with the Dempster Highway and the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Minister committed that we would be having an assessment for how much it was going to cost to get the road from Inuvik down into the Sahtu. And is that work being done and if there's money, have you requested for that work to be done? Thank you.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity in February, during our break, to drive the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Fort Simpson to Norman Wells. And, you know, it was great to see a lot of work happening on the Norman Wells side with the Prohibition Creek Access -- Prohibition Creek Road. So I mean, there were a lot of people, businesses. There were workers from the Sahtu, small communities. It was really great to see some that work being done. It is being advanced. We're also having discussions with some of the Indigenous group that are along the alignment, such as the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation as well as, you know, Tulita. So we are furthering that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
Oral Questions
Question 1501-19(2): Request a New School for Behchoko
Oral Questions
March 30th, 2023

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the Frank Channel Bridge moving forward, which is an important piece of infrastructure for the NWT. We all know that that infrastructure is over 50 years old and liability is great. Our young people from Behchoko and Edzo travel on that bridge every day to attend Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Edzo, which is over 50 years old as well, and our day care in Behchoko. Therefore, will the Minister of education commit to ask the federal minister of infrastructure commit to billion a new school in Behchoko as soon as possible, maybe within the next fiscal year. Thank you.
Question 1501-19(2): Request a New School for Behchoko
Oral Questions

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
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