Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Debates of March 4th, 2025
This is page numbers 1 - 42 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.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. What benefit is the reasoning behind that change? I assume managing by finance is a more administratively streamline, but I'd love for a further explanation. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that is correct, it's just administratively more streamlined. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Kate Reid Great Slave
Thank you. And just one last question on this. The budget reallocation of approximately $34,000, what does that fund cover? Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that covers the UNW increase. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I just want to continue on my now annual plug for the old Northwest Territories environmental audit. I note in the business plans that there's going to be a 2025 audit. I think the update, it says that they've commenced work on it. And I note that the target in the business plan -- and if they're looking for a page number, it's page 79 of the document, page 35. I'm not sure which of those pages is actually the relevant page. There's two page numbers on the document. So -- but anyways, the point being that the business plan target is that 2025 audit recommendations are addressed.
Just noting that the department did not manage to implement all of the recommendations from the previous audit as of the initiation of the 2025 audit, I'd just like to ask if the department is interested in establishing a target date for when those 2025 audit recommendations are going to be addressed. And, again, I'm going to ask if the department is adequately resourced. It's going to be a bit harder to answer this question because I don't know if we have the audit yet, but if the department is adequately resourced to carry out the recommendations of the audit in a timely manner. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the Member for the question. At this time, it would be difficult to get a -- give a firm commitment on all of the items. Some of them are ongoing in nature, but we are certainly happy to come back to the Member individually and provide an update on each item and the recommendations. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Julian Morse Frame Lake
Okay, thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just going to gently push back a little bit. I mean, I do note that -- you know, I'm going to go -- every single department is going to get the targets and measurable outcome speech, and I don't want to spare ECC from this speech.
Without measurable outcomes and without targets, it's hard for us to know when we're achieving something. So it's also hard to know how much of a priority it is for the department. So I want to state for myself implementation of the audit recommendations are important, and I think they are critical to the mandate commitment that this government has made to streamline regulatory. So I think we've been struggling to articulate what exactly we even mean by streamlining, and I think that the audit gives us a great place to start. The recommendations that come from that audit are recommendations that come from talking to various people involved in the system and an expert analysis of things that may need to change in the system, and that's where we can get that information. So if we don't make implementation of the audit a priority, I don't think that we can achieve the priority that we've set. So I would like to see the department come back in a reasonable amount of time -- it's going to take some assessment of the audit and the recommendations in it, but come back to the House and let us know, you know, when they intend to -- or give us a timeline for each audit recommendation as to when the department thinks they can reasonably implement the recommendation. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to the Member for the points here. I will certainly come back and respond to each of the recommendations when the 2025 audit is released, if the Member would like to ask for them again then. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. I can certainly make that commitment, and we'll continue to keep the pressure on the department as I think -- yeah, I -- I've made my point. But if we're talking about streamlining; we're talking about, you know, a high functioning regulatory system that we can be proud of, the audit is the key and so I'll keep the pressure on on that matter. I think that's all I wanted to say about the business plans. I do want to keep a focus on that for now. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, do you want to respond to that?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Thank you. Seeing no further questions. Please turn to page 84, Environment and Climate Change, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $14,530,000. Does the committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 9

The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Thank you. Moving on to environment management, monitoring and climate change, beginning on page 87 with information items on page 91. Are there any questions? Member for Yellowknife North.