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. Moving on to wildlife and forest management, beginning on page 104 with information items on page 108. Are there any questions? I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So under forest management, there is a section for forest resources. I believe they are helping in terms of the supporting the forest industry as outlined in the business plan, but maybe the Minister could confirm. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is correct.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

I'll go to the Member from from Great Slave.

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister. I wasn't entirely sure.

So under the business plan, one of the actions to support economic activities includes supporting a forest industry development, and I note that over time -- sorry, had it here a moment ago.

Yes, I do. Okay, so in 2022-2023, it was $75,000. 2023-2024 it was $50,000. And now it's reduced again to $25,000. So I guess my question to the Minister is, you know, how are we going to support a forest industry with a diminishing budget line? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

I'm going to go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, despite the reduced budget line item here, there are other programs that are available to fund this work, and there are also potential partnerships that the department is exploring. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, yeah, I know it's not necessarily always the budget line item here that would make all the difference, but I guess could the Minister speak more to what they're exploring to support the forest industry. I know there's interest on the Regular MLAs' side to see that industry flourish. 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, currently, there are forestry management agreements in place with many Indigenous governments that have just recently been completed over the last several years. But we are also primarily exploring a federal funding option to support the industry. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister for that.

Switching gears ever so slightly and moving into wildlife, I notice that the contributions on page 106, caribou monitoring, remote sensing, monitoring and range planning, all of these line items are reducing. Could the Minister please speak to whether, you know, that's sort of just a cyclical nature of range planning and monitoring herds or if there's more funding that needs to be found in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. To the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is the result of a reallocation of some of the contracts and some small sunsets on some of the funding that was funding these programs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Kate Reid Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Only really one more question. I understand that the reason the line item in forest management is so high in the actuals from last year is due to the unprecedented season. I can respect that. I know we fund that with supps. Whether I think that's the best way to go about things or not really doesn't matter to me, I'll leave that up to the Minister and his department. But why is compliance and officer services gone down over the last two years? 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 2023-2024 Main Estimates were $713,000, which are the same as the 2024-2025 Main Estimates for compliance and officer services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

I take it that was the last question, or you had more questions? Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.

Kate Reid Great Slave

Sorry, Mr. Chair. And thank you, yes -- I'm sorry, I'm reading the 2022-2023 Actuals as being slightly higher than that. I was just curious. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Deh Cho.

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my question is about the fire damage compensation grants are available to hunters and trappers to replace equipment lost as a result of a wildfire -- forest fires. What is considered equipment? Thank you.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Debates of June 7th, 2024

Topics

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