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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. Moving on to the environmental management, monitoring and climate change, beginning on page 87 with information items on 91. Are there any questions? No further questions, please turn to page -- oh I'm sorry, my apologies. I'll go to the Member for Yellowknife North.

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So on page 89, under the item water research and monitoring (aquatic quality and hydrology), it looks like the budget has gone from, in 2022-2023, from $483,000 and then last year's budget $370,000, and now we're down to $346,000.

Can the department explain why the amount of money for water research and monitoring has been going down over the last two fiscal years? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister to the question.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The decrease was a result of a one-time supp. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister give further clarity or information as to how these budgets are developed? I mean, it looks like contributions supporting academic research and monitoring. So do we just sort of wait until we hear from an academic institution as to what kind of research and monitoring they plan to do and then our budgets shift accordingly, or do we have a role in how these things are planned or making sure that we have priority projects that are being researched each year? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. They are planned activities, and they are worked around engagement of different academics that show areas of interest. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Okay. Can the Minister give any examples of what kinds of water research and monitoring work is being done this year versus things that were being done last year?

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. To the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For that level of detail, I'll pass to deputy minister Kelly. Thank you.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Dr. Erin Kelly

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the way the money is spent is dependent on what the activities are in a work plan, and we engage with experts depending on what the needs are for that particular work plan. That's why the budget fluctuates. So an example would be sometimes we've done work on groundwater, for example, or if there's an element of a knowledge agenda that we're looking into, we would engage with the appropriate folks. Another example from the water perspective would be some of the expertise we needed to review the reports that were being created by Alberta with respect to regulation of oil sands. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's fine for now.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. Any further questions? I'm going to go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in the transboundary waters, there looks like there's a significant -- like, almost half of a decrease. Can the Minister explain why the -- from 480 to 285, what is the decrease? Thank you.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Jay MacDonald Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, again, the decrease is the result of a one-time supp for a carryover from 2023-2024. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

No further questions, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm looking at page 89, the Mackenzie River Basin Board. I see there's continued allowance there of $40,000 for this activity. Could the Minister explain the roles and responsibilities or activities for this basin board. Thank you.

Debates of June 7th, 2024

Topics

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