Debates of June 7th, 2024

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 20th Assembly, 1st 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 community.

Topics

Barge Cancellation Impacts to Businesses

Members' Statement 262-20(1): Economic Development in Communities

Recreational Land Leasing

Elders' Homes

Waste Reduction

Long Shadow Music Festival

Culture Sites at Taltson

Indigenous Child Welfare Settlement

Impacts of Day Shelter

Village of Fort Simpson - Canadian Biomass Community Project of the Year Award Recipient

1995 Fort Norman Wildfires

Cannabis Producers

Waste Diversion

Recreational Land Leasing

Day Shelter Impacts

Elders' Home Inspections

Economic Development in Communities

Burial Sites in Taltson River Area

Barge Cancellations Impacts to Businesses

Indigenous Child Welfare Settlement

Waste Resource Management Strategy

Non-Governmental Organizations and the 2024-2025 Budget

Tabled Document 113-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 187-20(1): Costs to Access Land Titles and Red-Tape Reduction Tabled Document 114-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 203-20(1): RCMP Response to Addictions Related Calls

Increasing RCMP Response in Hay River

Recorded Vote

Bill 7: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2024

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Deferral of Legislative Assembly

Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Environment and Climate Change - Deferral of Department of Environment and Climate Change

Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Municipal and Community Affairs - Deferral of Department of Municipal and Community Affairs

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Bill 2: Missing Persons Act

Recorded Vote

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 27-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Deferral of Legislative Assembly, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, one moment, please.

The variance of $1.081 million between 2022-2023 Actuals and the 2023-2024 Main Estimates is due to carryovers of funding from 2022-2023 for cost sharing agreements related to the nature fund, Deh Cho conservation, and protected areas of Inuvialuit-owned lands, and therefore increased spending. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go back to the Member from Great Slave.

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for that answer. Noting that I might actually be a reduction on this line item, could the Minister please speak to the reduction in the policy legislation evaluation and communications from last year's expenditures. Thank you. And it's actually quite significant as compared to 2022-2023. I expect this might be in part due to efficiencies from the merger but just curious. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the decrease of $862,000 between 2023-2024 Revised Main Estimates and the 2024-2025 Main Estimates is due to reduction of five positions - director of policy, manager of policy, manager of legislation, manager of communications, and an administrative assistant, and a reduction in annual printing costs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I'm assuming, yes, that's a yes, it's due to the merger and also the reduction of printing costs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. To the Minister to the question.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that's a yes. My apologies.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave. No further questions?

Next on my list I have the Member from Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is I see quite a reduction to the nature fund protected areas. You got three candidates there. Three candidates there, and they took quite a drastic cut.

Can the Minister explain the rationale behind these cuts? I'm curious to see if there is a contribution agreement or a conservation agreement that might be jeopardized in this reduction. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the reduction of this line item was due to the sunsetting of an agreement with the federal government and related to associated funding. The ongoing and continued work will be addressed through the potential project finance for permanence initiative with the Government of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from the Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is there any discussions going on to reactivate that sunset? Can the Minister explain. Thank you.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as I indicated there is an initiative, the project finance for permanence, which is an initiative between Indigenous governments and the federal government. Related to that in relation to the Department of Environment and Climate Change, there is a bilateral nature agreement that is in the discussion phase right now that would support that work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go back to the Member from the Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks to the Minister for that information on potential renewals.

My next question is related, further on down the line, to the traditional knowledge. Traditional knowledge is a local science, which I think everybody respects and have gained with practical experience living on the land. In recognition of that talent or that experience, is there any movement or initiatives by this department in that area to look at a knowledge economy in recognition of the traditional knowledge that we have out there in our territory? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. To the Minister to the question.

June 7th, 2024

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'll pass that to Dr. Kelly for a reply, please. Thank you.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the deputy minister.

Dr. Erin Kelly

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Traditional knowledge is factored into initiatives across the department, not just in this particular line item. So all of the different activities in the main estimates have aspects of traditional knowledge. For like a specific piece, in this work we do in the sustainable livelihoods, there's lots of work on traditional knowledge. And we have a traditional knowledge action plan that has been developed from input with Indigenous governments that's under development at this time too. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from the Sahtu.

Debates of June 7th, 2024

Topics

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