Debates of March 7th, 2023

This is page numbers 5695 - 5762 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

Celebrating Engineers and Geoscientists in the Northwest Territories

Homelessness Programs Offered by Housing NWT

Celebrating National Social Work Month

Minister Absent from the House

Child and Youth Care Counsellors

Future of Local Housing Organizations

Fort Simpson Diesel Plant Upgrade

Renovation Delay Effects on School in Tuktoyaktuk

Crack Cocaine Addictions in Tlicho Communities

Surety Bond Review

Homelessness

Hay River South Constituency Office Services

Budget Shortfalls for Regional and Social Services Authority

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

Portables for Magalanik School

Evaluation of Child and Youth Care Counselling Program

Fort Simpson Diesel Plant

Surety Bond Review

Health and Social Services Deficit

Homelessness

Local Housing Organization Funding

Child and Youth Care Counsellors Staff Integration

Back-Up Generators during an Outage

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

Maximum Allowable Rent Increase for Private Rental Units

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

Bill 73: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 4

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 813-19(2): 2023-2024 Main Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Deferral of Department (Page 5)

Tabled Document 813-19(2): 2023-2024 Main Estimates - Environment and Climate Change - Deferral of Department (Page 73)

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 371-19(2): Tabled Document 813-19(2): 2023-2024 Main Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Deferral of Department (Page 5), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 8th

Page 5725

Dr. Kelly

Thank you, Madam Chair. So we have a base budget for fighting fire in the NWT, and then we need -- if we have to go over that budget, we have to get supplementary funding for it. So depending on the fire year, the cost for things like aircraft or for fire crews -- and last year, for example, extending the fire season, you'll see that those numbers fluctuate. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 8th

Page 5725

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 8th

Page 5725

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering if -- I understand the piece about coming back for a sup, but I'm wondering what is -- is this kind of the standard base because it is different from the main estimates from last year even, and if we know that we are having more fires and a longer season why that wouldn't be maintained? Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 8th

Page 5725

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

March 8th

Page 5725

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

March 8th

Page 5725

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy minister.

March 8th

Page 5725

Dr. Kelly

Thank you, Madam Chair. There was a forced growth submission that provides additional funding to the base budget for the main estimates which is why it looks a little bit different. But the actuals and the revised estimates are showing those changes due to sups or additional fire expenses. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 8th

Page 5725

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 8th

Page 5725

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering if the Minister can inform the House where the $2 million in chargebacks is coming from further down the page. Thank you.

March 8th

Page 5725

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

March 8th

Page 5725

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

So thank you. It's a mutual -- I guess it's called MARS, and it's a mutual agreement that we have. It's with other jurisdictions across Canada.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 8th

Page 5726

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my next question is in regards to both fees and payments for materials and supplies. There's a significant amount of fluctuation in both of those line items, and I'm wondering if there is a theme in either that speaks to what causes this fluctuation and if there's something -- if there's a reason for that? Thank you.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

March 8th

Page 5726

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy minister, Dr. Kelly.

March 8th

Page 5726

Dr. Kelly

Thank you, Madam Chair. So for fees and payments, there's increased testing of samples, GIS wildlife tracking, and fire management, membership fees. There's also an increase due to some of the federal funding that we receive from barren-ground caribou.

For the materials and supplies, this is due to a change in accounting treatment and so is the $2 million that we just talked about with MARS. So previously these things used to be in fund three, and they've been moved to fund one. And that's why you're seeing some of these wonky changes over time for the years. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 8th

Page 5726

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So would it be since they've been changed to fund three, is that something that we would expect to see stabilize over years to come, or are we still expecting to see quite a bit of fluctuation and movement in those line items? Thank you.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

March 8th

Page 5726

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

It should stabilize. Thank you.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Are there any further questions under wildlife and forest management? Member for Frame Lake.

March 8th

Page 5726

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. So there's some changes to the number of positions found on 102 between last year and -- or the current year and what's proposed for next year. Can I just get a quick summary of what those changes are? Thanks, Madam Chair.

March 8th

Page 5726

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

March 8th

Page 5726

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Debates of March 7th, 2023

Topics

Help us improve OpenNWT