Debates of March 7th, 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 329-19(2): Celebrating Engineers and Geoscientists in the Northwest Territories
- Minister's Statement 330-19(2): Homelessness Programs Offered by Housing NWT
- Minister's Statement 331-19(2): Celebrating National Social Work Month
- Minister's Statement 332-19(2): Minister Absent from the House
- Member's Statement 1436-19(2): Child and Youth Care Counsellors
- Member's Statement 1437-19(2): Future of Local Housing Organizations
- Member's Statement 1438-19(2): Fort Simpson Diesel Plant Upgrade
- Member's Statement 1439-19(2): Renovation Delays Effects on School
- Member's Statement 1440-19(2): Crack Cocaine Addictions in Tlicho Communities
- Member's Statement 1441-19(2): Surety Bond Review
- Member's Statement 1442-19(2): Homelessness
- Member's Statement 1443-19(2): Open for Business - Hay River South Office
- Member's Statement 1444-19(2): Streamline Services and Share Resources: health Authority
- Member's Statement 1445-19(2): Eulogy for Jessie May Snider
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
- Committee Report 47-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents
- Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
- Question 1440-19(2): Evaluation of Programs at Child and Youth Care Counsellors
- Question 1441-19(2): Fort Simpson Diesel Plant
- Question 1442-19(2): Surety Bond Review
- Question 1443-19(2): Health and Social Services Deficit
- Question 1444-19(2): Homelessness
- Question 1445-19(2): Local Housing Organization Funding
- Question 1446-19(2): Child and Youth Care Counsellors Staff Integration
- Question 1447-19(2): Back-Up Generators during an Outage
- Question 1448-19(2): Child and Youth Care Counsellor Equivalencies
- Return to Written Question 58-19(2): Frank Channel Bridge Replacement
- Tabled Document 876-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Bridge Inspection Form - Frank Channel Bridge, July 2021 Tabled Document 877-19(2): Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2021 Frank Channel Bridge Inspection Report dated February 12, 2022
- Tabled Document 878-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 72: Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act
- Tabled Document 879-19(2): What We Heard: A Forest Act for the NWT, February 2023
- Tabled Document 880-19(2): Letter dated December 26, 2022 from Alternatives North regarding Comments on Forest Act Summary of Policy Intentions
- Motion 75-19(2): Maximum Allowable Rent Increase for Private Rental Units
- Motion 76-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to march 27, 2023
- Bill 76: An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act
- Bill 72: Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act, Carried
- Bill 73: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 4, Carried
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Committee Motion 371-19(2): Tabled Document 813-19(2): 2023-2024 Main Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Deferral of Department (Page 5), Carried
- Committee Motion 372-19(2): Tabled Document 813-19(2): 2023-2024 Main Estimates - Environment and Climate Change - Deferral of Department (Page 73), Carried
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Orders Of The Day
Committee Report 47-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Committee Report 47-19(2), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents, be received by the Assembly and referred to Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Committee Report 47-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion?
Committee Report 47-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Report 47-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents
Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Committee Report 47-19(2) has been received and will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration
---Carried
Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions
March 7th, 2023

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I was talking about Magalanik School and the retrofits that's happening in the community. For the last two years, I guess we've been waiting for an update from the contractor, and we've been still waiting for that timeline to get some completion or a notice of what's happening.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Infrastructure commit to working with me and the contractor, who the contractor is a holder is an Inuvialuit development corporation, are willing to work with me to work with the contractor to get four portables into the community instead of trying to use our local community buildings and stuff like that being taken away from the community during the day and the evening. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is working with the Beaufort Delta District Education Council, the BDEC, to look at space for the community to use as temporary classrooms until the Magalanik School expansion and renovation is complete. I hear the Member wanting to work together, look at space, so, I mean, we can have that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, you know, four portables being brought into the community, I think that could be utilized as a -- when they're done with them, they could be put into the housing stock, something we all need, more houses.
Mr. Speaker, what support can the Minister of Infrastructure provide to the students of Tuk on temporary houses to students that construction is underway to make sure that we're trying to work with IRC and IDC to get these -- it should be the contractor's responsibility to get these portables, and I'm calling them out today. And I want to work with the Minister to make sure that happens, to bring in four portables, because this is supposed to be a good news story but now, Mr. Speaker, it's nothing but headaches from my mayor. I hear it from my mayor; I hear it from TCC. What's the plan; what's happening? We're already utilizing stuff that's -- we're wearing down our own stuff, like the community hall, the church, you know, everything. We need to bring in something new. If we could do it for down in Yellowknife, we could do it for up in Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has worked with the contractor to get a new project schedule moving -- for moving the temporary classrooms outside of the gymnasium so that we can allow the gym to be open at start of the school year, which is in September. I do want to say that we don't have any portables that could be deployed to Tuk. And as well, Mr. Speaker, we don't really have the budget to be able to accommodate and purchase the additional portables. So I just want to be upfront with the Member that, you know, we are trying to get the school opened in September but the project does continue, and we are working with the contractor to be able to get an updated schedule so that we can share with the community. And, you know, I've heard from the community leaders as well. The mayor has reached out and just wanted updates, so we are working to be able to provide those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, with the four portables that we're asking for, would it be able to ask the contractor to bring them in and sublease them back to BDEC, I guess. I've seen a tender that went out to the community yesterday asking for rental space in the community. Why is it so hard to get four portable units into the community for no more than 16 students, and there's four classes that has to be brought in. So how hard can that be to work with the contractor. They got $35 million. They must have been saving. And everybody wants to blame COVID yet in regards to the price cost. So why can't this happen, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned we are working with BDEC, the GNWT, Department of Infrastructure as well as Education, Culture and Employment, to look at some solutions on how we can accommodate the students. The timeline to procure, construct, and deliver portables to Tuk doesn't really align with the timelines to be able to get the gym opened for school year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, like I said before, you know, we could get those portables brought up. You know, they're already pre-made in the south if need be. But the thing is the biggest thing it has a rippling effect on my students and the community. There's no gym. Mental health issues. It's ripples right across for the community as a whole having no gym. And I really wish that the Minister -- I know she will work with me to get it done but, you know, having a joint meeting with the Inuvialuit Development Corporation and the contractor, with myself and my leadership from Tuk, to go over the plan and what's happening and a timeline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Member is very frustrated about the timeline and getting the school in Tuktoyaktuk open. You know, we have been -- we've reached out to the contractor to be able to provide the Department of Infrastructure, as well as the community, with updated plans on what we're doing to ensure that we get this school open for the kids in September, Mr. Speaker. We will work with the Member and be able to come up with timelines and perhaps, you know, if we need to have meetings with the Member and the leadership, that's something we can do. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
Question 1439-19(2): Four Portables Brought into the Community
Oral Questions
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