Debates of June 16th, 2016

This is page numbers 673-724 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 thanks .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 55-18(2): Development Of The NWT Agriculture Strategy And Food Production Plan

Minister’s Statement 56-18(2): Changes To The Income Assistance Program

Minister’s Statement 57-18(2): K’atlodeeche First Nation Implementation Of Public Housing

Minister’s Statement 58-18(2): Development Of The Revitalization Strategy For Commercial Fishing

Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Trout Lake Traditional Place Name Change

Acknowledgement Of Skills Canada Participant And Mackenzie Delta Page Gordon Papik

Condolences On The Passing Of Lucy Dillon

Public Legal Education And The Closure Of The Court Library

Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples

Progress On The Recommendations From The Truth And Reconciliation Commission Final Report

Economic Potential Of The Oil And Gas Industry

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Allain St-Cyr Graduation

Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Closure Of The Court Library

Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Dempster Highway Maintenance

Information On Fort Simpson Ferry Service

Public Reporting On Sole-Source Contracting

Contract Midwifery Services In Yellowknife

Written Question 6-18(2): Cost Of Visual Identity Program

Tabled Document 71-18(2): 2015 Annual Report – Office Of The Fire Marshall

Tabled Document 72-18(2): Correspondence From Yellowknife Chamber Of Commerce – Request To Reduce Corporate Tax Rates

Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 23, 2016

Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 23, 2016

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Members Present

Hon. Glen Abernethy , Mr. Beaulieu , Mr. Blake , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Ms. Julie Green , Hon. Jackson Lafferty , Hon. Bob McLeod , Hon. Robert McLeod , Mr. McNeely , Hon. Alfred Moses , Mr. Nadli , Mr. Nakimayak , Mr. O’Reilly, Hon. Wally Schumann , Hon. Louis Sebert , Mr. Simpson , Mr. Testart , Mr. Thompson , Mr. Vanthuyne

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Good afternoon colleagues. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment .

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Minister’s Statement 55-18(2): Development Of The NWT Agriculture Strategy And Food Production Plan

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to develop and implement an agriculture strategy to increase domestic food production, improve distribution networks for NWT-produced foods and to increase producer and supplier opportunities.

The price of food is a significant driver of the Northwest Territories' high cost of living in all of our communities, Mr. Speaker. Equally important in supporting and growing our vibrant communities is diversity in localized economies. Mr. Speaker, the need for an agricultural strategy to advance economic opportunities in the agriculture sector was first identified in the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy. An agriculture strategy will also assist in lowering the cost of living by improving food security by encouraging local food production.

Thanks to the investments and hard work of dedicated producers in all communities with the support of the federal government Growing Forward Two Agreement and departments across the Government of the Northwest Territories the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is now in a position to formalize an Agriculture and Food Production Strategy to address our commitments in these areas.

This strategy, Mr. Speaker, is built upon input received through community engagement events hosted during the summer of 2015. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment worked in partnership with the Territorial Farmers Association, Northern Farm Training Institute, and the NWT Association of Communities. These findings were collected and released in a What We Learned Report. The report identified five pillars that the strategy will be based on.

The first pillar is planning, which will encourage the proactive development of community-specific approaches to food production and government, both territorial and local, doing their part to ensure legislative and regulatory regimes are in place to support safe community food development.

Knowledge, the second pillar, focuses on training and food production, developing an online public agriculture info base supporting mentorship and getting youth involved through experiential training. Leadership will include localized community committees to identify and support individuals with a strong interest in and commitment to food growing and gathering across the territory.

Mr. Speaker, the marketing pillar will see the review and revision of policies surrounding food production in the Northwest Territories, investing opportunities to create incentives for local food production and consumption. Developing marketing channels and exploring opportunities to encourage greater value-added opportunities for food production in the Northwest Territories.

Our strategy's final pillar, enhancing access to resources, will include increasing the availability of soil, land, energy, heat and financial and food production infrastructure through strategic investments and incentives. We are preparing to share the draft strategy with Standing Committee, Mr. Speaker, with the recent groundswell of support for agriculture in the Northwest Territories, I look forward to discussing this plan with Members and to moving it forward so that we can begin delivering on these pillars for our citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I were not to recognize the organizations who have worked tirelessly building our agriculture capacity to where it is today. The Northern Farm Training Institute has provided opportunities for mentorship and education and farming and agriculture to Northwest Territories' residents for two successful years. We are confident their dedicated staff will continue to play an active role in the sector's future.

Our Northwest Territories Territorial Farmers Association has also worked in tandem with various organizations to deliver innovative programming to Northwest Territories' communities over the years. We thank them for their efforts and look forward to working with them in the future.

We are pleased to have partnered with CanNor to provide further funding for feasibility studies and for greenhouses in our communities. With the installation of greenhouses in communities on the Beaufort Sea we now have a food production sector stretching the length and breadth of our territory. To that end, the Inuvik Community Greenhouse also deserves recognition for supporting investments and initiatives to bring growing capacity to communities in the Beaufort Delta where there once was none.

Finally, we must recognize the great work done by our largest commercial success story in Polar Egg. The company has been providing fresh high-quality eggs to our Northern jurisdictions for many years. We salute these entrepreneurs who brought life to the Northwest Territories' first commercial agricultural venture. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 55-18(2): Development Of The NWT Agriculture Strategy And Food Production Plan

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment .

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Minister’s Statement 56-18(2): Changes To The Income Assistance Program

Ministers’ Statements

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment provides many critical programs and services for some of the territory’s most vulnerable residents through its Income Security programs. Through our ongoing efforts to continually improve these programs, I’d like to share with you today a significant change to the way we will be supporting families with children.

On March 22nd, the federal government announced a new Canada Child Benefit to come into effect in July 2016. This benefit combines a number of previous federal government benefits available to families with children. The new Canada Child Benefit will provide more money for low and modest income families with children.

These changes have implications for our Income Assistance Program. Under the current system the Income Assistance Program considers some of the previous federal children’s benefits as income. We are revising our program so that none of the new Canada Child Benefit is considered as income, to ensure our residents receive the full benefit.

This is extremely good news for our residents, and the steps we are taking will help our most vulnerable residents immensely. Mr. Speaker, in addition to not counting the Canada Child Benefit and the NWT Child Benefit as income, as of August we will also no longer be considering any child support a parent may receive when calculating income assistance payments.

While we continue to believe child support is an important component to ensure both parents contribute to the cost of raising a child, we are no longer requiring income assistance clients to pursue child support as part of the Income Assistance Program. I am also pleased to announce a joint initiative that is underway with our colleagues at the Department of Finance. The departments are working together to make enhancements to the NWT Child Benefit that will provide additional financial support to more low and modest income NWT residents with children, and not just those accessing Income Assistance.

As we need to work with the federal government and make changes to the NWT Income Tax Act, we plan to implement these changes to the NWT Child Benefit in 2017.

Mr. Speaker, this is significant. We believe that these improvements to the Income Assistance Program will help to raise children out of poverty and are an investment in the future of the North. For a family with two children that is receiving income assistance, these changes along with the new federal Canada Child Benefit could add up to $614 in increased monthly income. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work completed in support of NWT children and families. I look forward to updating Members as we continue to work to implement the changes across the Income Assistance Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 56-18(2): Changes To The Income Assistance Program

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of NWT Housing Corporation.

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Minister’s Statement 57-18(2): K’atlodeeche First Nation Implementation Of Public Housing

Ministers’ Statements

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment it its mandate to work in partnership with other orders of government to address affordable housing requirements and to support Aboriginal local governments in their housing aspirations and initiatives to address homelessness.

We are delivering on that commitment, and I am pleased to tell you today that a new partnership initiative between the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and K’atlodeeche First Nation that will let us deliver housing services and programs on reserve land.

As a result of this work, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has recently acquired 10 units on the land designated by the K’atlodeeche First Nation that will be rented to their residents under the Public Housing program. We are also working to acquire six more properties. These are significant actions to bolster and stabilize rental housing on the reserve, which totals less than 90 households.

Mr. Speaker, a collaboration of this kind with the K’atlodeeche First Nation, under such unique land and governance related circumstances, is an example of what we can accomplish when we come together to remove barriers and work on solutions across all levels of government to meet the needs of our community residents. We hope that the spirit of this partnership can act as a blueprint for future collaborations with other Aboriginal and local governments to overcome challenges they may be facing in meeting their housing aspirations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 57-18(2): K’atlodeeche First Nation Implementation Of Public Housing

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment .

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Minister’s Statement 58-18(2): Development Of The Revitalization Strategy For Commercial Fishing

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to finalize and implement the Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy. I would like to share with Members of this Assembly, the work the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is doing to revitalize the Northwest Territories’ commercial fishery and broaden the NWT’s economic horizons.

I look forward to sharing and discussing the Revitalization Strategy with Members in detail but would like, today, to provide a high-level outline of how our collaborative approach aims to jumpstart commercial fishing in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, this Strategy is built on four pillars: increasing lake production, building processing capacity, growing the Northwest Territories market, and accessing export markets. These will guide the tactics of industry and government stakeholders moving forward.

Increasing lake production will focus on support for re-establishing the winter fishery and incentives to increase participation in the fishery. There will be collaboration among stakeholders to assess and implement the price structures necessary to attract and retain talent in the fishery across all seasons in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, building processing capacity is also essential to success as local processors in Hay River and Yellowknife are already operating close to maximum-capacity and servicing only 15 per cent of the Northwest Territories' potential market. We will focus on collaborating with our federal partners to fund a processing plant in Hay River with the capacity to process large custom orders, hold product for up to six-weeks, and meet Inspection Act requirements to appeal to large retailers. There will be consistent work with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to develop appropriate supply-chain measures to support the viability of processing operations in the territory.

Growing our local market goes hand-in-hand with increasing processing and harvesting capacity. This Strategy identifies a target of 230,000 kilograms for the Northwest Territories' market; a target which current production capabilities cannot fulfill. The Strategy outlines options for industry and government to achieve our ambitions.

Mr. Speaker, accessing export markets will be essential to bringing our commercial fisheries to the next level. It will require all stakeholders to do their parts in optimizing and aligning processing and production cycles. Discussions between the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment to find the most feasible way forward in these pursuits have already begun. We will be working with fishing co-operatives already doing great work here to ensure their interests are well-represented in the process.

Mr. Speaker, with smart development, careful management, and strategic partnerships, our world-class fish stock has the potential to provide significant employment opportunities and revenues to entrepreneurs and individuals within our territory. We as a government have a duty to act on these kinds of opportunities. At a time where our constituents’ desire for a more diverse economy has seldom been stronger, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is pleased to be doing its

part in making growth in this renewable resource-based industry a reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 58-18(2): Development Of The Revitalization Strategy For Commercial Fishing

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, sole-source contracting is the buying of goods or services without competitive bidding. In February, the Finance Minister announced changes in the limits for granting of sole-source contracts. The sole-source contract limit for goods and non-professional services was increased from $5,000 to $25,000, for professional services from $25,000 to under $50,000, and for architectural and engineering professional services, to under $100,000.

Sole-source purchasing is governed by the procurement guidelines of the GNWT contract regulations. The procurement guidelines list a series of criteria, standards, and evaluation points which must be met. They allow purchases where delay would be "injurious to the public interest," or "only one party is available or capable of doing the work."

Sole-source purchasers must complete an authorization request explaining the circumstances which make sole sourcing necessary. The criteria would appear to make the practical exceptional. In reality, it is common place. The most recently published 2013-14 GNWT Report of Contracts over $5,000 shows that $41.6 million was spent on sole source. Sole source appears to be a mechanism allowing mid to senior managers to conveniently make purchases without the delays or administrative burdens of bid contracting or price negotiation.

Now, those levels of convenience are dramatically larger, raising large concerns. At the very least, routine use of sole source purchasing can lead managers to resort too frequently to non-competitive supply. Without reporting to the marketplace occasionally, purchasers may be unaware of product improvements, price shifts, and the availability of new sources of supply.

Competitive bids which accrue savings of as little as $1,000 per contract could accumulate major savings across the volume of small contract purchasing. It is a fact that $25,000 to $100,000 is no longer a small purchase. Raising the ceiling on sole source contracts will negatively impact many Northern small businesses. It is the smaller contracts that Northern businesses bid on because they are compatible with their capacity. While we may not like to speak of it, these higher levels raise the possibility of malfeasance and corruption in the spending of public funds. These elevated amounts increase the--

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Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Member for Yellowknife Centre , your time has expired for Members’ statements.

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Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These elevated amounts increase the possibility of kickbacks and preferment. I'll be looking for a much more rigorous oversight in this process, and I'll have questions for the Minister. Thank you.

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Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh .

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Trout Lake Traditional Place Name Change

Members’ Statements

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand in front of you and our fellow colleagues to speak about one of the communities I represent.

Mr. Speaker, in 1796, the Northwest Company established a post on Trout River. However, it did not become an organized community until the late 1960s. Trout Lake is one of the most remote, beautiful, and traditional communities in the Northwest Territories. The residents are very proud of their culture and language. Approximately 70 per cent of the residents between the ages of 15 and 39, and 100 per cent of residents ages 40 and up speak their traditional language of Slavey.

Mr. Speaker, the community of Trout Lake is governed by Sambaa K'e Dene Band chief and council. As in the past, hunting, fishing, and trapping are still part of their daily lives. According to the 2015 NWT Bureau Stats, approximately 85 per cent of the community still hunts and fishes, approximately 48 per cent of the population traps, and approximately 47 per cent of the population produces arts and crafts. As you can see by these numbers, these percentages, you can guess that consumption of country food would be high, and you're right. Eighty-five per cent compared to NWT's average of 26 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 23 years that I've worked with the community, now representing them, September is a time for the community fall hunt. Mr. Speaker, it's amazing watching the community pack up and go out on the land for the number of weeks. It is about tradition, sharing knowledge, family, and community time.

What I find amazing is this community has continued to grow in population since moving to the region. I witness the population grow from 70 residents to 110. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say the community has done well, has done a good job increasing the territorial formula financing for the GNWT.

Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to inform this House the Executive Council has approved the change of the name of the geographical place and community known--named as Trout Lake. Mr. Speaker, the change in name from Trout Lake to Sambaa K’e will take effect on June 21st, 2016. Mr. Speaker, Sambaa K’e means Place of Trout in Slavey.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to congratulate the Sambaa K’e First Nation chief, council, and residents for doing all the hard work to request returning their traditional name to the community. As well, I'd like to thank the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment for his recommendation and Executive Council for approving this. Mr. Speaker, there is this first step of the community as they work to bring back our traditional names in the surrounding areas. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to give a big round of applause for the community soon to be named Sambaa K’e. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Trout Lake Traditional Place Name Change

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta .

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Acknowledgement Of Skills Canada Participant And Mackenzie Delta Page Gordon Papik

Members’ Statements

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The mandate for Skills Canada National Competition is to encourage and support a coordinated Canadian approach to promoting skilled trades and technologies to youth.

Mr. Speaker, this is the only national multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country. Every year, more than 500 young people from all regions of Canada come together at nationals to participate in over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions. Students must compete at our local, regional, and territorial events to gain their place, to represent the Northwest Territories at the Skills Canada National Competition.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate one of my constituents, Gord Papik, who in fact is already in the House working as a page representing the Mackenzie Delta. Gord competed and placed in regionals and territorials. He moved on to nationals in Moncton, New Brunswick where he demonstrated workplace safety.

Mr. Speaker, upon returning home to Aklavik, Gord had one night's sleep after which he boated to Inuvik to get on a plane to travel here to Yellowknife to work as a page. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Gord.

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Acknowledgement Of Skills Canada Participant And Mackenzie Delta Page Gordon Papik

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. That's what you call dedication. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput .

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Condolences On The Passing Of Lucy Dillon

Members’ Statements

Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

Quyananinni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I just wanted to pay respects to one of the Elders in Tuktoyaktuk. Lucy Dillon was born in 1951 in Kittigazuit in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region to Kelly and Rosie Ovayuak. Lucy was the fifth oldest of 11 children. She attended the Anglican school in Aklavik, Stringer Hall in lnuvik, and Akaitcho Hall in Yellowknife.

After moving back home to Tuktoyaktuk, she began a career working as an administrator. She worked at that for years before she embarked on a new direction in her career. She worked as a secretary for Mangilaluk School for several years. From there, she moved to the wellness side of community service, where she spent many years with the GNWT, Mr. Speaker. She eventually worked for the Regional Wellness Division of IRC at the community level.

Lucy was common-law to Eddie Dillon and they eventually married in 1972. They had five beautiful girls together and adopted a son. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and went through the treatments. She had a tumor removed after complications from cancer treatment. On June 14that 1:00 a.m., Lucy peacefully passed away at home with family by her side. All five girls and her 16 grandchildren and four great grandchildren gathered in Tuk. Rest in Peace Lucy, as you are in a better place now. Quyananinni, Mr. Speaker.

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Condolences On The Passing Of Lucy Dillon

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Our condolences and prayers go out to the family as well. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake .

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Public Legal Education And The Closure Of The Court Library

Members’ Statements

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in almost every province and territory, organizations have been set up to provide essential legal information to the public at large. These non-profit and non-governmental groups believe that citizens cannot fully understand, much less exercise their legal rights unless they are informed and understand the laws that affect them. These groups differ from a lawyer's office or a legal aid clinic by providing general information on the law rather than legal advice for specific problems.

Mr. Speaker, I was curious about public legal information in the NWT, and through the Canadian Bar Association, I was directed to a defunct page of the Department of Justice here in the Northwest Territories. I would like to advise the Minister, if I may, that the department ought to address this before it's more than just a curious MLA trying to find information.

Luckily, Mr. Speaker, Google exists, and it directed me to the Northwest Territories Legal Services Board. Although it has no website, when I called their number, I was redirected to Legal Aid, which is by no means responsible or expected to provide public legal education. I wasn't giving up so easily though, Mr. Speaker, and Google, rather than the information provided by the Department of Justice for the public, came through again.

The Law Society of the Northwest Territories is the governing body for all lawyers in the Northwest Territories, and thankfully, also provides some resources for public legal education. All these dead ends shows that this territory lacks the public legal education provided in almost every other jurisdiction, but at least we have the law library, or not.

Recently, the Department of Justice announced plans to close the territory's only law library by the end of this fiscal year, and I quote from the Minister, "it is just not economically responsible to keep it open."

Mr. Speaker, no library was ever opened to be economically advantageous. They exist as a resource for the public to expand its knowledge and awareness through having free and easily accessible sources of information. Libraries are important, a law library even more so, and if the government goes through with this policy, the NWT will be the only province or territory without a physical law library. Mr. Speaker, I want to ensure accessible, free, and public legal education and information is available to Northerners, and I will have questions later for the Minister of Justice . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Public Legal Education And The Closure Of The Court Library

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu .

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Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Members’ Statements

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, my statement is directed to the Minister of Lands in regards to the remedial cleanup opportunities along the shores of Bear Lake. As the public would know, there is a number of old mine sites that have taken a long time for their remedial cleanup, and as a part of devolution, I think these need to be concentrated on. The flip side or the other opposite side of the remedial cleanup opportunities is the economic wealth that it would generate.

During the slow economic, idle times now, what better way than to review the environmental land management system and do an audit. If so, if maybe there is one underway that could be utilized and expedite this a little bit faster. Later on, I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the need for the government to support our small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories. We have spoken at length in this Assembly about the need to diversify the economy, to support Northern entrepreneurs, and to make sure our government's spending supports our growing private sector.

To that end, we have business incentive programs to support Northern businesses which face higher costs, and we have policies and regulations that make sure that our businesses and entrepreneurs can compete fairly for government jobs and contracts.

Similar to my colleague, I am concerned with some recent changes in the government's policy on sole-source. Mr. Speaker, in the interests of timing and efficiency, some contracts are allowed to be offered without tender or negotiation processes, in other words, sole-sourced. In the interests of fairness to all potential bidders, those contracts are limited and conditions are applied.

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Administration Manual sets conditions under which sole-source contracts can be awarded. They are allowed only if delay in purchasing would be harmful to the public interest, or if only one supplier is available. Recently, Mr. Speaker, the Minister changed the conditions and brought in major increases in the allowable amounts for sole source contracts. The maximum value of sole-sourced contracts for goods and nonprofessional services was increased from $5,000 to $25,000, the limit for professional services was increased from $25,000 to $50,000, and the limit for architectural and engineering professional services was increased from $25,000 to $100,000.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I received an email from a small business constituent who seems to have been directly affected by this change in policy. The company was awarded a contract with a value of $10,000 in 2012. This year, a similar contract was sole-sourced to another agency, which was not even a business. This change in sole-source practice without consultation does not fit our commitment to transparency, Mr. Speaker.

The awarding of such a contract does not fit with our support of the small business sector, and the sole source of a contract for which there is more than one local supplier does not seemingly meet with the conditions of the sole-source policy. Mr. Speaker, it may already be time for change of the sole-source policy. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I'll have questions for the Minister of MACA . Thank you.

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Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples

Members’ Statements

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. On May 10th, Canada finally removed its objector status to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and announced its unqualified support for the declaration. In ratifying its acceptance of the 46 Articles of the Declaration, Canada takes on responsibility to uphold and implement the wide variety of goals and actions itemized in the Declaration.

Canada's action follows more than eight years after GNWT unanimously endorsed the Declaration by resolution of this Assembly on February 19th, 2008. The federal announcement marks the beginning of a long process of harmonizing Canada's laws with the standards set in the Declaration, and improving the country's relationship with Indigenous peoples.

The federal government has announced its priority commitment to a renewed process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. I'd like to draw Members' attention to one of the Declaration Articles in particular,

Article 19, which says: "States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with Indigenous peoples concerning through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior, and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them."

A recent Dene Nation media release says, "the challenge is to find a mechanism to include Indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories and their governments to work jointly with GNWT to determine priorities for spending." Very true.

Mr. Speaker, last week, our Premier co-chaired the inaugural Federal-Provincial-Territorial Indigenous Forum in Ottawa and was Chair of its Aboriginal Affairs Working Group. Media reports indicate that the declaration was a major agenda item. I will have questions for the Premier on the substance and outcomes of those meetings. The declaration in its extraordinary new requirements for investigation and action creates obligations for our own government. GNWT was a leader in 2008 in embracing the Declaration. We have a leadership seat at the national forum dedicated to achieving the aspirations of the Declaration.

This government is also turning its attention to things such as new post-devolution legislation and regulation for managing our natural resources. In developing new resource management systems, it is not clear how we will meet our own obligations under the Declaration. I will have questions for the Premier later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Deh Cho .

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Progress On The Recommendations From The Truth And Reconciliation Commission Final Report

Members’ Statements

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this November will mark the 20thanniversary of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People, or RCAP. After five years, public hearing and community visits, the commission issued 440 recommendations, including 66 directly to the federal government. If that process sounds familiar, Mr. Speaker, remember this month, we marked the anniversary of another commission, one with a very specific focus. It has been one year since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada or the TRC released its report on the devastating and intergenerational impacts of the Canadian Indian residential school system.

Mr. Speaker, both my parents attended residential school. My father was not allowed to speak his language when he attended residential school and he only spoke French when he left. Mr. Speaker, these effects are still unfolding and being felt today. The work of the RCAP and the TRC took place against a backdrop of continuing impacts of abuse experienced in residential schools across the country, as well as the social and political legacies of access from the Oka crisis to Idle No More.

Like the RCAP, the TRC made recommendations. Ninety-four calls to action addressing a wide range of subjects including child welfare, language and culture, health and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, or UNDRIP.

Mr. Speaker, all of us must read and understand the words of the TRC that our words must be backed up with actions and our actions must be funded. As Grand Chief, Matthew Coon Come of the Cree Nation says, “First Nations should not be the administration of their own poverty.” Statements of reconciliation and actions and plans have been made, but initiatives for individual, families, communities are needed to address the effects of residential school impacts. There is a need for healing and wellness at the community level.

Twenty years from now, our successors must have cause to stand in this House, reflecting on the fair level of Canada’s governments and people be heed the TRC’s calls to recommendation. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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Progress On The Recommendations From The Truth And Reconciliation Commission Final Report

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member Statement. Member for Hay River North .

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Economic Potential Of The Oil And Gas Industry

Members’ Statements

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 1919, eight men made the six-week journey from Edmonton to Norman Wells in search of oil. They travelled by railway, riverboat and foot, bringing with them a drilling rig and an ox named Tommy to power it. Tommy and the crew worked tirelessly that summer, drilling a hundred feet into the permafrost before the cold of winter forced them to halt operations. During the winter, Tommy the Ox continued to serve the men, was served to the men in stews and as steaks.

---laughter

The next summer, the crew hit oil and the rest is history. I share this story to show people that even with our infrastructure challenges and our harsh environment, we can attract investment in the oil and gas sector. Six months ago, I might not have been saying that, but we hit the bottom of the commodity cycle and we are on our way back up. Oil is hovering at around $50 a barrel, up from its 13-year low in January.

While there’s still uncertainty in the market, there’s a considerable amount of optimism as well. The potential is enormous. The NWT contains over a third of Canada’s marketable light crude and natural gas resources. Earlier this year it was confirmed that the Liard basin contains 77 trillion cubic feet of marketable gas in the NWT. In the Bluefish and Canol fields alone, there’s a 190 billion barrels of oil. Industry proponents have said that oil needs to be at $75 to make these fields viable. But the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension could reduce exploration and development costs by up to 40 per cent.

Suddenly, the Territory is looking much more attractive to investors. Mining has been an economic driver in this territory for 75 years, but we can’t forget the benefits the petroleum industry has delivered and has the potential to deliver. Just think about Tuk in the 70s and 80s or look at the fact that the only community that rivals Yellowknife in terms of average income is Norman Wells.

The opportunity to capitalize on our resources should be extended to all regions and that means investment in infrastructure, the settling of land claims and the development of an oil and gas strategy. Our failure to provide adequate social programs often dominates talk in this house. The simple fact is that the government needs more revenue to provide those programs. We can only do so much with what we have.

We are blessed with world-class resource deposits and we have a duty to ensure that all citizens benefit from them. Not just those in Norman Wells, or Yellowknife or Tuk in the 70s. This Assembly inherited a government that for decades has failed to deliver the pipelines, highways and regulatory environment that we need to support our people. It is time we start delivering. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Economic Potential Of The Oil And Gas Industry

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members’ statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize my two pages from the Mackenzie Delta, Taylor Mcleod and Gordon Papik. Also in the gallery, I see we have Mr. Reid and Mr. Saturnino. Welcome to the House. Mahsi.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize a couple of constituents of Inuvik Twin Lakes. Dave Reid, who’s a long-time educator in the Beaufort Delta and knows a lot of people about Sonny’s age and --

---laughter

-- and Mr. Nick Saturnino who coached the junior girls curling team the last number of years and they’ve done very well in the national scene. So appreciate the work they do and welcome to the gallery.

---applause

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Mr. Nick Saturnino for his commitment and his service in the public service area for the GNWT as well as his dedication and hard work to the junior girls curling team and all his success he had as their coach. Also to Mr. David Reid. I’d like to thank him for his contributions to the education system. He just retired. Wish him the best in his future endeavours and he’s also been a contributor to at least three MLAs that are sitting in the House today. So Mahsi Cho. Thank you.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Hay River South .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Wally Schumann

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize two pages today. Kaitlyn Ring and JD from Hay River. I’d also like to thank all the pages for their hard work this week, especially with extended hours. Also Myrtle Graham, my CA for assisting with the pages there this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Nanakput.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Miss Annie Goose from Ulukhaktok, who’s doing translating service and all the other translators who are providing services for us this week, I really appreciate it, especially during the long hours. Also to Mr. Reid, I know Mr. Moses mentioned that three of us here I think, Sonny and I kind of gave him more of a hard time in school than --

---laughter

-- offers all the good boys. So thanks, Mr. Reid for putting up with us. Welcome.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize your interpreter for the last couple of weeks from Tu Nedhe, Mary Rose Sundberg. Thank you.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. I’d just like to welcome everyone in the gallery as well. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Acknowledgement 10-18(2): Allain St-Cyr Graduation

Acknowledgements

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to congratulate Camille Rourke, Josée Martin, and Nadia Wood on their graduation from École Allain St-Cyr. I wish them all the best with their future studies and encourage them to be ambassadors for the Francophone language and culture of the Northwest Territories. Masi.

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Acknowledgement 10-18(2): Allain St-Cyr Graduation

Acknowledgements

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput .

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I made a eulogy, but today I have questions for the Minister responsible for Homelessness . In many cases, NWT residents lose their homes to fires, mould and in my region, soil-line erosion, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Minister of Homelessness is: the Homelessness Assistance Fund provides only one-time funding, which means that once you’ve used it, you can’t use it again. What other options are available for residents experiencing housing crises? Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister responsible for Homelessness .

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Homelessness is a serious issue that we don’t take lightly. So the HAF program, the Housing Assistance Fund is meant to provide one-time assistance so that people that are at risk or in homelessness situations can get the assistance needed to provide them with support so they can get into secure housing. However, within that, we recognize that there are some issues, so we really try to do counselling for people because often when people get to the point where they have lost their houses, there’s underlying issues. It could be poverty, it could be addictions, it could be a multitude of issues.

We provide counselling for people as well that are in those situations so that we can address underlying causes that so to ensure that they won’t be in that situation again. People are really encouraged to seek assistance from your community social workers to deal with any kind of mental health, trauma, addictions or any kind of concerns that they may feel are that are not able to maintain them in housing, as well as the counselling support that the LHOs within each community will provide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

I appreciate the response from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, my second question is what is the status of planned work to enhance the women’s shelter, women and emergency shelter care in Tuktoyuktuk for 2016 and 2017?

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

The Corporation realizes that the shelters and the foster care shelter is really important and vital to our communities as it provides a safe place for our children in this case and for women that are experiencing family violence. So in order to do that, we try to maintain them as best as possible. The NWT Housing Corporation did receive federal funding for renovations for family violence shelters and we’ve met with the, we’ve got together with the five shelters and we’ve put all the money on the table and we’ve asked them to kind of prioritize what they see as the needs.

On top of that, the Housing Corporation has gone into each of the family shelters and done an assessment of what they think the needs are and what we see that what we can look at fixing for them. Within the shelter that we’re talking about, however, there is, both of them are really likely to require replacement. The renovations in that shelter would be substantial. So we’re just trying to review what the best course of action would be to provide another alternative for that shelter.

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my final question is: what is the status of planned work for the Nunakput communities, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok, to help these communities to access homelessness funds?

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Working with the communities and getting the communities to actually prioritize their own needs is something that the Housing Corporation is working towards and will be a big focus within our community surveys that are coming out lately. Within these regions actually, we did get their priorities.

Currently, we have two multi-year agreements to support the homeless priorities of the Nunakput communities, Sachs Harbour Community Corporation. We have funding in the 2016-17 budget for food programs, community homeless planning, community kitchens and food banks. The community itself identified that their specific focus is on a food bank for the homeless and the less fortunate. So we’re working towards that.

The Hamlet of Paulatuk for our 2016-17 monies, the funding will go for teaching people who experience homelessness and who are at risk of homelessness, learning how to cook healthy food, working with Nutrition North and so far, it’s been really successful in that community. We’re looking at community-driven solutions and working from where they want us to go.

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Question 235-18(2): Community Access To Homelessness Funding

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Masi, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance , Mr. Speaker. Anyone reading the government’s Report on Contracts over $5,000 will see that sole source purchasing is sometimes for very large amounts of money. In a 2013-14 Department of Executive awarded a contract for $457,000 for organization design services and another $187,000 was awarded sole-source for hiring an Ottawa lobbying firm.

So it would be interesting to know why the delay in these, in two service needs would have not have been known so far in advance that they would, that they could have planned ahead for a competitive process. So my question for the Minister is to ask him what kind of oversight, audit and challenge is applied to ensuring the requirements of urgency and unique source are met before the contract is awarded. Is there any oversight applied before the contract is awarded? Thank you.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Minister of Finance .

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all, in the Members’ statement, she makes some very strong comments and used very strong language. I think it’s unfair to those within the government system that administer a lot of these contracts to hear such language. I can assure the Member and all Members that there is oversight and in this day and age, with all the checks and balances in place, that type of, if any of that type of activity went on, it would be detected quite early and it would be unacceptable. There is oversight.

The sole-source negotiated contract was the change in the numbers was one that was well received by the business community and we had their support. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, my question again for the Minister of Finance is: what kind of oversight is provided in this area to ensure that these sole-sourced contracts meet the requirements of urgency and unique source of supply before they’re awarded?

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, when they’re going out for a sole-source contract, the policy states that if it was something that we had to do right away, then we would go to a sole-source contract. In the smaller communities, this is one that’s well-received because the price for goods in a lot of smaller communities is $5,000 and once it was raised to $25,000, that gave them an opportunity to be able to land some of this work and not have to go to a public process or a tendering process, which for $5,000 is a lot of work and a lot of administration. I can assure the Member that a lot of due diligence goes into these contracts before they’re awarded.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I’d like the Minister to tell us, what oversight is applied to ensuring the requirements of urgency and unique source of supply are applied to sole-source contracts before they are awarded.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I would like to repeat the same answer I gave before that significant oversight goes into these contracts. It’s just not one that they woke up this morning and decided they’re going to award a sole-source contract today. There are requirements that need to be met. If they meet the criteria, then sole-source contract could possibly be awarded.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister answered my question I would stop asking it. But at this point, I have no detail on what kind of oversight is provided on sole-source contracts so that we know they meet the needs of urgency and unique source of supply. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 236-18(2): Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

I didn’t really hear a question there. I take that as a comment. Oral Questions. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Question 237-18(2): Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I want to apologize. At the end of my Members’ statement, I indicated that my questions would be for the Minister of MACA and in fact, it’s for the Minister of Finance . I just wanted to correct myself there. I thank my colleague, who went before me and asked some questions around this same subject matter. So, quite frankly, a few of my questions have been answered.

I will put this one forward to the Minister. It seems as though we are having some, these changes to the sole-sourcing limits are having some degree of impact on small business and local business and to some degree and being fair, negative impact. Will the Minister commit to developing some way in which to monitor and evaluate these impacts over a certain period of time and then be able to report back to the Members of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 237-18(2): Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Minister of Finance .

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Question 237-18(2): Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a change that has just been made recently and I will commit to the Member and all Members that we’ll monitor the usage of these sole-source contracts. Again, as I answered to the Member previous, this was an initiative that was fully supported by a lot of the small business community and a lot of business and we were actually encouraged to consider because there hasn’t been a change, I believe, since 1993. I will make the commitment to monitor and we do have to file a Contract Report $5,000 and under.

I think the Minister of ITI tables that, so we’ll monitor and I’ll keep the Members updated as to the usage of these sole source contracts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 237-18(2): Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Mahsi.

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Question 237-18(2): Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Nahendeh .

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in our last sitting, the Minister of Housing said that there was a 30 per cent cost savings from modular versus stick-built. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please provide the House of a breakdown of how this calculation was derived? Thank you.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Minister of NWT Housing Corporation.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The average percentage was based on the stick-built price the Housing Corporation received as part of the public tender process, compared against the design build process, received for module homes that were awarded.

The NWT Housing Corporation is not permitted, under the Tendering and Contracting Rules to provide specific detailed information on each proposal, but we can say, that on average, the prices received for stick-built, was more than 30 per cent higher than the module prices. In some case, the per cent was actually much higher. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

I thank the Minister for her answer. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister worked with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to see if this decision has an impact on income security in the communities where modular units are being built or being brought in, instead of the stick-built process.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

I can’t specifically talk about programs that are offered by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , but I can say as participants in the capital planning process with other government departments, the government considers distribution of projects so that we don’t overtax individual communities with excess projects in one year. The NWT Housing Corporation relies on the BIP, Business Incentive Policy when contracting projects and this process includes adjustments for local involvement. The Business Incentive Policy evaluation process was designed to support local contractors in bidding on projects.

As well, all of the social envelope deputy ministers are working together to breakdown program and policy barriers that may impact our residents of the NWT. Another partnership I’d like to mention is the Apprenticeship Program that the Housing Corporation is involved with. It’s one example where we’re trying to train our local residents so that they can succeed in the trades and we can get more proponents within the communities. Currently, we have up to 15 apprentices annually.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

I thank the Minister for her answer. It seems like there’s some work there. I would hope that the two departments, Education, Culture and Employment and Housing would start working together to see what the impact of modular homes are versus stick-built because of the income support issues. Mr. Speaker, in the last sitting, the Minister answered a question from Mr. Blake , the quote from the Minister of Housing Corp. “though in all honesty are still using our community members to do the repairs, so you’re not forgetting about them.”

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please clarify what she meant? Does she mean the repairs on these modular homes or the stick-built homes?

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Repairs, renovations and minor capital projects need to be completed annually on both public housing and home ownership programs. The NWT Housing Corporation has a significant capital plan for 2016-17, $47 million, which includes repair and renovation budget of $18 million. $10.5 million is for repairs and renovations for NWT Housing Corp assets $6.5 million is for home ownership repairs and renovations. $1.1 million is for minor capital repairs.

Renovation and repair work for the Housing Corporation assets and home ownership units has been consistent and predictable and represents a huge opportunity for local contractors. It provides economic opportunity for contractors that they can sustain their operations and employees year after year. In some communities, it’s been a challenge for our Housing Corporation to find contractors to do the repair work that we offer every year. Sometimes we put tenders out up to three times and not receive responses.

New construction is really irregular and difficult for businesses and contractors to organize their businesses around. The repair and renovation is always there and is sustainable. Like I say, we’re really putting a focus into apprenticeships to build up the capacity in each community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Nahendeh .

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I thank the Minister for the well-thought-out and answered question. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House if the department is looking at moving away from modular homes to a more community-based solution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

The NWT Housing Corporation is always open to cost-effective solutions to provide needed housing within our communities. Should opportunities within the communities arise, then we’re certainly open to exploring them.

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Question 238-18(2): Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Sahtu .

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned earlier, my address would be circulated around the contaminated sites along the shores of Bear Lake which I think raise a huge opportunity during these times of low economic employment in the smaller communities such as the neighbouring community to the sites in Deline. My question to the Minister is through federal funding access through a Brazilian stimulus approach, is there ongoing negotiations for those sites along the shores of Bear Lake? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources . Finance? Oh, sorry. Minister of Lands .

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

Now that we’ve identified there’s seven potential sites here, I don’t know the scope of work or the budget involved and the remedial costs of these sites here. But would the Minister respond by giving us some information on whether these have potential federal funding approvals to clean up these sites?

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure exactly what stage they’re at. Through the committee that I had spoken of earlier, they do provide some advice and recommendation to Canada on their clean-up activities.

So what I can commit to the Member is that I will have some discussion with this particular committee and see where they are with their discussions with Canada and see if there’s been any kind of a price tag attached to the potential clean-up of the sites around Great Bear Lake.

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

I thank the Minister for that positive reply which I’m sure the general public in Deline or the other opportunities that created with other communities will be happy to hear that. Knowing the flexibility of the territorial government’s procurement process compared to the federal process, I ask the Minister if it’s all possible or is there negotiations underway to solicit through a transfer agreement with the remedial funds going to this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what the process is right now. If Canada has committed any money to the clean-up of these sites, if there is opportunities for, say the regional government to enter into some type of an arrangement with for the remediation of these sites, I would suggest that they would have to speak to Canada directly and through this, the committee here, the regional government in the Sahtu are represented on this committee, so they would have a general idea of where these sites are at and many of these sites are very old.

Again, I will do what I can from my end to see if there has been any money that has been earmarked for remediation of these sites and I will share the information that I receive with Members across.

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Sahtu .

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

Thank you to the Minister for the additional positive comments here. I look forward to receiving that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 239-18(2): Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. I'll take that as a comment from Member. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about the Department of Justice closing the law library and sources of public legal information in the Northwest Territories. I'd like to ask the Minister of Justice what kind of consultations were undertaken with the users of the library? Were lawyers, the Law Society and legal advocates consulted in this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Justice .

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, at the time the budget was rolled, if I could put it that way, a letter was sent to the Law Society asking for their concerns or input. I can say that informally over the years I have consulted with my fellow practitioners and I took what they told me to Cabinet when we did discuss this very matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, the department indicates that it will be replacing the library with a new research centre. Can the Minister give us more detail about what this research centre is going to be all about? Are we talking about a few surplus computers in a dimly-lit room or is this something more substantial? Thank you.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the department is very focused on issues of access to justice and we're looking at the feasibility of establishing a resource centre in the courthouse which would allow counsel, legal counsel, and the general public to access electronic materials and a limited number of hard-copy books.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Those are scant details but I'll take the Minister for his word. Perhaps he can commit to giving a tour of this new research centre to MLAs. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister elaborate on what this inter-library loan program will entail? Has the department spoken to a law library in Alberta? I'm somewhat troubled when I see the assistant deputy minister in the media saying "a law library somewhere in Alberta." Does the Minister know which law library that is?

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I'm not certain which law library was spoken to or are they are planning to speak to. I know that there's two law schools in Alberta at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the University of Calgary obviously in Calgary. I know little more than that. There will be communications with one or both of those libraries.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake .

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, it would appear the Minister doesn't have a lot of these details readily available for Members of this House and for members of the public. I would strongly encourage that we resolve this with a real plan for what this research centre is going to look like and communicate this new resource to the public. In fact, when we're looking for efficiencies perhaps we could find them, but how much money is this going to save in the end, Mr. Speaker? It seems like there's still a lot of details, but how much money will closing the library save? Thank you.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, we're anticipating this change will actually save a great deal of money. Last year, just to give the House some statistics, we spent $467,000 to operate the library. There were only 984 visitors to the library, so that works out to about $500 for each person, each visitor, to the library. Only 385 books were signed out, which would work out to about $1200 for each book signed out. Additionally, our statistics indicate that most of the users of the current library are the legal profession and only about one per cent of the users are the general public, but I'm glad to see the Member opposite is concerned about the one per cent.

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Question 240-18(2): Closure Of The Court Library

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure I can top that one. I have questions for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations regarding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. As I said in my statement, Minister McLeod co-chaired the inaugural Federal-Provincial-Territorial Indigenous Forum in Ottawa; he was chair of its Aboriginal Affairs working group. Can the Minister give us a report on the substance and outcome of that meeting and what future actions are planned towards compliance with the UN Declaration? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations .

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The June 10thmeeting of Ministers and leaders in Ottawa marked the first under the new Federal-Provincial-Territorial Indigenous Forum aimed at improving outcomes for indigenous people throughout Canada and to advance the vital work of reconciliation. This new forum replaces the former Aboriginal Affairs Working Group and includes the federal government now as a full partner in working with provincial and territorial governments and the national indigenous organizations. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the scope of the new forum and to identify priorities, including the collaborative means for moving these priorities forward.

Our discussions covered a number of important issues, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, youth engagement, and child and family services. These areas were discussed as priorities that the new forum can and should provide leadership on. Mr.

Speaker, in addition, there was agreement to a number of areas for collaboration, including continuing to support the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls; moving forward with efforts started within the Aboriginal Affairs working group to develop a socio-economic action plan for Indigenous women and girls; and sharing best practices that have led to measurable results.

What is very clear from the discussions is that ministers and leaders are committed to working in partnership to address the issues that are important to Indigenous peoples in Canada.

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

It's great to get the report in the House on the meeting that the Premier attended last week. Earlier today, though, I pointed out this

Article 19 in the declaration and it reads as follows:

"Consult and cooperate in good faith with indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them."

The single

article creates immense new responsibilities. I'd like to ask the Premier how GNWT intends to comply with

Article 19 of the declaration.

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Canada has stated that it will engage with Indigenous groups on how to implement the principles of the declaration and that this work will include the provinces and territories. It is expected that the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada, along with other jurisdictions, will engage in a clearer understanding of the meaning and implications of Canada's recent full endorsement of United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and this will require further dollars as it stands now. However, Canada appears to be saying that they fully endorse the U.N.

Declaration, but applied in Canada our constitutional framework already allows for the implementation of the principle of free, prior and informed consent. Unlike the previous government they have left unstated that this also means that our constitutional framework does not guarantee a veto. Consequently, much more work will be required with the federal government so that we understand fully the legal background that they use for making their statements at the United Nations.

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

I appreciate the response from the Premier , but my question was really not so much how we're going to work with the federal and provincial governments but what are we going to do as a government. I'll just give one example here. So can the Premier tell this House how GNWT will obtain free, prior and informed consent from indigenous governments in developing and implementing new resource management legislation?

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

I appreciate the Premier 's response on how we're going to work together with the federal and provincial governments, but he still hasn't answered my question about what this government is going to do to help implement this declaration. We're one of the first sub-national governments that actually endorsed this back in 2008, so what is our government going to do to help implement this legislation, and can he commit to report back to the House, and this side of the House, how we intend to do that?

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

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Question 241-18(2): Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North .

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement today, I have some questions for the Minister of ITI . In 2013 the government released the Economic Opportunity Strategy. It recommended the development of an oil and gas strategy. That was three years ago. Where are we with this? When can we expect this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment .

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Much work has been done on the oil and gas strategy in the latter stage of the 17thLegislative Assembly, including the release of the public engagement report "Pathways to Petroleum Development." The strategy was recently identified as a mandate priority for the 18thLegislative Assembly. The resource sector is the single-largest contributor to the Northwest Territories' economy. Our territory has world-class oil and natural gas reserves and has had an active petroleum industry for a century. The draft strategy is being reviewed and edited by a Government of Northwest Territories interdepartmental working group.

Following this, the draft strategy will be released for input from Aboriginal governments, regulators, industry, and online for public comment. Changes will be made based on comments received to finalize the strategy which is planned to be publicly released in 2017.

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

So 2017, we're still a year away. A lot of analysts believe oil is rebounding at a much quicker rate than expected. I know some good policy people with a lot of experience in Hay River who might be able to help the department get this done a little bit quicker. Earlier I also mentioned some of the challenges we're facing attracting investment. What does the Minister see as our biggest challenge and what's the department doing about it?

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

In my opinion the lack of infrastructure is the biggest constraint on attracting investment in the Northwest Territories as well as the low commodity prices and the very high cost of operating in the Northwest Territories. Construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway would reduce exploration and developments costs along the corridor by as much as 40 per cent. The 2015 Review Report of the Canada Transportation Act estimated a leverage factor of 80 for the Mackenzie Valley Highway, which means that for every $1 of federal and Northwest Territories' investment in the Mackenzie Valley Highway the economic benefits related to increased resource development will be $80.

Transportation and infrastructure is not only needed for equipment, people, supplies, food and energy but also for data to facilitate communication research. The Mackenzie Valley fibre optic line is also being constructed up to Inuvik and will enable expansion of the Inuvik satellite station facility as well as provide high-speed Internet and telecommunication services to the Beaufort Delta.

We have opportunity to responsibly develop, produce and export our petroleum resources to global markets to create high-paying jobs, lucrative contracts for our businesses and tax and royalty revenues for the Northwest Territories, Aboriginal and federal governments. I too am encouraged by the fact that the price of oil is increasing.

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you for that answer. I also understand that the regulations pursuant to the Oil and Gas Operations Act and the Petroleum Resources Act are being reviewed. How is this process being undertaken? Who is being consulted in this?

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

We cannot deny that we sit in the down cycle of the commodity markets right now. This is something we have seen before. Commodity markets rise, they fall, they recover. It's a natural flow of the markets.

As we sit in this downturn, our government is hard at work ensuring our jurisdiction will be ready to capitalize on the next peak in commodities. ITI has started work reviewing the Oil and Gas Operations Act and the Petroleum Resources Act, regulations pursuant to those Acts, and associated policies. Policy intent discussion papers are being developed which will introduce potential changes.

These papers will be shared with Aboriginal governments, regulators, industry and the public to provide an opportunity for input on the potential changes the Government of the Northwest Territories is considering, as well as petroleum-related policy issues that stakeholders and Aboriginal governments might wish to raise. Legislative and regulatory drafting will be done by the Department of Justice and follow the legislative and gazetting process.

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North .

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we discussed infrastructure, regulation. Research is another big component of this. We need the research so we know the areas to focus on and help industry out. Is the government doing anything on the research front? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 242-18(2): Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, research is a key component of a strong future for any resource economy. ITI's new NWT geological survey division helps to fill this need and provides publicly available geoscience information that is used to stimulate mineral and petroleum exploration and investment, understand environmental change, assess mineral and petroleum resource potential, and assist in infrastructure projects and use decisions.

Current projects focus on topics such as diamond exploration in the Slave Geological Province, mineral potential of the Mackenzie Mountains, permafrost melting and associated landscape and water quality change. They also administer the Mining Incentive Program. The NWT Geological Survey Division a