Question.
Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2025
This is page numbers 2861 - 2936 of the Hansard for 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 know.
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Some Hon. Members
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Okay, thank you. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Consideration of Department of Infrastructure, 2026-2027 Capital Estimates is deferred.
---Carried
Thank you, committee. And thank you to the Minister. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the chambers.
Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 385-20(1), 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, Department of Environment and Climate Change. Does the Minister of Environment and Climate Change wish to bring witnesses into the chambers?
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
Page 2896
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
Page 2896
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the chambers. Would the Minister introduce your witnesses.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my left, I have deputy minister Robert Jenkins. And to my right, I have Jessica St. Arnaud, director of finance. Thank you.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to detail contained in the table documents; does the committee agree?
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
Page 2896
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you, committee. The Department of Environment and Climate Change page is on 25. We'll defer the department totals and review the estimates by activity summary beginning on page 26 with environmental management, monitoring, and climate change, with information items on page 27.
Are there any questions?
Department of Environment and Climate Change, environmental management, monitoring and Climate Change, infrastructure investments, $602,000. Does the committee agree?
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Next, we have on the wildlife forest management on page 29 with information items on page 30 and 31. Are there any questions? I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, can the Minister please speak to substantiation of the weather network upgrades, please? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. So the territorial forest management division has a territorial weather network that comprises of stations that are located in locations all across the Northwest Territories. It used to be primarily focused on fire. A number of years ago, there was a decision to expand the network to have a more climate focus, and these are additional investments to expand the network toward a bigger plan to meet overall -- to have around 100 stations totally to expand the synoptic coverage across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So is it my understanding, then, that it's more for the forest management, wildfire folks to understand and predict, like, something like lightning strikes, or is it used for more widely within the department? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the network originally was designed primarily around forest fire detection and formulated around that. Over the last number of years, it has expanded to include other departments. There's some detection units with infrastructure that monitors highway conditions. There's some with ITI. And as I said, it's more of an overall climate focus. So we've actually developed an algorithm that is used to pick the best location for the next site to enhance the coverage across the whole Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That sounds really cool. I will be sure to ask the Minister more questions about that at a later date.
Mr. Chair, can the Minister please provide a substantiation and a reasoning as to why we are constructing a new Gordon Lake patrol facility? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Gordon Lake facility that currently exists is in very, very poor state of repair and not inhabitable at this point. This has been on the project capital plan for quite a number of years, and it is a key location for caribou monitoring and patrols up the winter road. So this is to replace that existing facility. In the meantime, we're looking to either use one of our other existing facilities from the fire program or to rent something for this upcoming season of the winter road. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I assume that the current solution, while you are working on the construction of this new one, it will be modular and brought up? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 83-20(1): Deferral Motion - Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Department of Infrastructure - Deferral of Estimates, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 23rd
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