Debates of June 4th, 2019

This is page numbers 5713 - 5790 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 women . View the webstream of the day's session.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister Absent from the House

National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Action Plan

Northwest Territories 911 Implementation Update

Introduction of the NWT Manufacturing Strategy

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Aklavik All-Season Road

Fire Ban Beyond Territorial Parks

Filipino Heritage Month

Final Report on National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Forest Fire Evacuation

Co-Development of Post-Devolution Legislation

Mackenzie Valley Highway in Transition Report to 19th Assembly

Recognition of Julian Sabourin, ENR Wildlife Officer

Aging In Place

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Bill 44: Forest Act

Committee Report 17-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly

Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report On Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Dissenting Opinion of Kevin O'Reilly, MLA Frame Lake, and Kieron Testart, MLA Kam Lake

Final Report on National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Wildfire Season Information

FireSmart for Wildfire Season

Aboriginal Sports Circle Funding

Aklavik All-Season Road

Aging in Place

Mackenzie Valley Highway Status in Transition Report

NWT Carbon Tax Large Emitters

NWT Carbon Tax Implementation Plan

Emergency Preparedness Plans

Third-Party Sexual Assault Reporting

Tabled Document 449-18(3): Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Tabled Document 450-18(3): Responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action: An Update on the Government of the Northwest Territories Responses, June 2019

Tabled Document 451-18(3): Mind and Spirit: Promoting Mental Health and Addictions Recovery in the Northwest Territories - Mental Wellness Addictions Recovery Action Plan Tabled Document 452-18(3): Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 716-18(3): Coerced and Forced Sterilization

Tabled Document 453-18(3): Northwest Territories Manufacturing Strategy 2019-2024

Tabled Document 454-18(3): Northwest Territories Surface Rights Board 2019-2020 Budget

Extended Adjournment of the House to August 12, 2019

Referral of 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework 2019-2023 Action Plan

Bill 57:

An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act

Bill 54: Standard Interest Rates Statutes Amendment Act

Bill 55:

An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 1

Bill 56:

An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Final Report - Plebiscite on Options to Increase Representation of Women

Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Final Report - Election Rebate for Candidates

Motion to Amend Committee Motion 142-18(3), Withdrawn

Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Final Report - Polytechnic University Leadership Program for Women

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Bill 30:

An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act

Recorded Vote

Bill 44: Forest Act, Withdrawn

Orders Of The Day

Members Present

Hon. Glen Abernethy , Mr. Beaulieu , Mr. Blake , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Ms. Green , Hon. Jackson Lafferty , 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

Page 5713

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Deputy Premier .

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Minister's Statement 197-18(3): Minister Absent from the House

Ministers' Statements

Page 5713

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Premier will be absent from the House today until Thursday, June 6, to attend the Commemoration of the 75 th Anniversary of D-Day in Juno Beach, Normandy, France. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 197-18(3): Minister Absent from the House

Ministers' Statements

Page 5713

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

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Minister's Statement 198-18(3): National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Ministers' Statements

Page 5713

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

The National Inquiry was tasked with exploring and reporting on the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls. They were required to examine the underlying social, economic, cultural, institutional, and historical causes that contribute to the ongoing violence against, and the particular vulnerabilities of, Indigenous women and girls in Canada. As well, they were mandated to look into and report on existing institutional policies and practices to address violence, including those shown effective in reducing violence and increasing safety.

The National Inquiry began holding hearings across Canada in 2016. The hearings, called "Truth Gathering Processes," heard from family members, survivors, community members, experts, elders, and Knowledge Keepers. In the interim report tabled in October 2017, the National Inquiry noted that they were being urged to include Indigenous women who identified as 2SLGBTQQIA, that is, Two-Spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, or asexual. The National Inquiry agreed to honour this request.

In March 2018, the National Inquiry held a public hearing in Yellowknife where family members and survivors shared their stories and experiences. The Government of the Northwest Territories was granted "party with standing" status and made presentations at separate expert hearings. The inquiry's work in the Northwest Territories was supported by the inquiry's National Family Advisory Circle, the GNWT, and the NWT Native Women's Association.

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous women and girls throughout Canada, along with their allies, have been waiting anxiously to see the final recommendations. On Monday, June 3 rd , I had the honour of attending the historic event releasing the National Inquiry's final report in Gatineau, Quebec.

This was, in many ways, a solemn occasion. Identifying the root causes of the disproportionate rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people requires us to look at hard truths. At the heart of the truth gathering process, and of the Inquiry itself, are the painful stories of families and survivors. Their stories shed light upon aspects of Canadian society that many are reluctant to accept. Doing so is a necessary step in finding our way forward.

Mr. Speaker, this occasion was also a celebration of the resilience of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. They have persevered in the face of violence that has clearly been happening for a long, long time. We must demonstrate our commitment to ending this violence by commemorating the lives and legacies of those that have been taken and ensure that they are not forgotten. We must also support healing, advance reconciliation, and raise public awareness. We must keep this issue at the forefront of people's minds and consistently convey another truth: that Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA individuals are valued, loved, and worthy of justice.

The release of the key findings and recommendations of the National Inquiry marks the end of their work and the beginning of ours. We have been given a catalyst for change and a path to achieve it. Together, through the combined efforts of individuals, communities, and all levels of government, we can end this violence. I look forward to reviewing the recommendations and working with my counterparts across Canada to address this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude my statement by acknowledging the courage and resilience of the family members and survivors who took the time to share their experiences and their stories. I am sure that it was painful, but we are all sincerely grateful for their contributions to the healing journey before us. Masi cho, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 198-18(3): National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Ministers' Statements

Page 5714

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Minister's Statement 199-18(3): Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Action Plan

Ministers' Statements

Page 5714

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many Northerners continue to be held back by mental health and addictions, which is why the 18 th Legislative Assembly made it a priority to focus on mental wellness and addictions recovery. Today I would like to update Members on a significant milestone that we have achieved towards making sure that NWT residents who need mental wellness and addictions services can get the help they need locally and through culturally appropriate methods.

In November 2016, the Department of Health and Social Services released Mind and Spirit: Promoting Mental Health and Addictions Recovery in the Northwest Territories Strategic Framework. This strategic framework has helped set the direction and focus all of our efforts in these areas since it was released. The first big deliverable to come out from the framework was the Child and Youth Mental Wellness Action Plan, which was tabled in September 2017. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling the final deliverable under the strategic framework, the Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Action Plan.

The Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Action Plan outlines the immediate steps to be taken to ensure that individuals and families are offered services and supports that foster hope, promote self-determination, and build partnerships that support mental wellness and addictions recovery, and respect the uniqueness of each person's journey.

To achieve this goal, we have identified four main objectives with corresponding actions that we will work to achieve over the next two years. The four objectives are:

Reduce stigma and increase awareness and prevention;

Increase supports and transform the culture of practice within the mental wellness and addictions recovery system to more fully reflect a Seamless Care Pathway Model;

Improve quality, coordination, and integration of services; and

Strengthen peer support, aftercare, and community-based options for people living with addictions.

Mr. Speaker, this is a two-year action plan containing concrete and measurable activities that, taken together, aim to make a positive difference in the lives of residents who are facing mental health and addictions challenges. Our action plan will also set the foundation for expanded services to our residents going forward.

A few examples of the types of activities that our government and partners will do to support our objectives include:

developing and implementing new approaches for providing NWT residents with information about mental wellness and addictions recovery services and supports;

enhancing access and expanding service options for clients by implementing e-mental health options for individuals and families and by introducing flexible scheduling options like walk-in and same-day appointments;

improving support for individuals working to overcome addiction by implementing territory-wide peer support options, including online approaches; and

We will listen to the voices of Northerners with lived experience by developing a Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Advisory Council. The feedback the advisory council will give us will be used to help implement a Seamless Care Pathway model and other initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, the actions included in our action plan were identified through research, interdepartmental collaboration, and consultation with NGOs, experts, and individuals with lived and living experience with mental wellness and addictions throughout the Northwest Territories. These are forward-thinking and responsive actions, based on the reality of what it means to be facing these challenges here in the Northwest Territories.

As a government, we have listened to our residents and their calls for better ways to support mental wellness and addictions recovery. We have worked passionately with our partners and stakeholders to create targeted plans to bring real improvements to the way that we deliver services. Together, we are better positioned to help our residents get the culturally informed, person-and-family-centered support that we know is at the heart of a healthy, strong Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 199-18(3): Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Action Plan

Ministers' Statements

Page 5715

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs .

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Minister's Statement 200-18(3): Northwest Territories 911 Implementation Update

Ministers' Statements

Page 5715

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is committed to improving access to emergency services and enhancing community wellness and safety through the rollout of the 911 service in all 33 communities.

The three-digit telephone number "911" is known as the number to call in emergencies throughout North America. The 911 service gives the public fast and easy access to our communities' emergency services in situations when someone's health, safety, or property is in jeopardy or when a crime is in progress.

There have been several emergency situations over the years and across the territory where having a 911 service would have improved response times and, in some cases, even saved lives.

The days of residents and visitors to the Northwest Territories not knowing how to contact community emergency services will finally come to an end. I am pleased to announce that, as of November 2019, our residents and visitors will be able to call 911 from every community in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is working diligently to complete all the tasks needed to get the systems and processes in place to ensure 911 works for all of our residents on the first day of operation.

This month, 911 staff will work with each community government to make sure local emergency referral information is correct. They will be able to answer any questions that communities may have about the standard call transfer processes of the 911 service.

The Emergency Communications Centre will be ready, and the Med-Response program and 911 management staff will move in. As Members will recall, the Med-Response program provides dedicated clinical staff who respond to calls 24 hours a day to help community health practitioners stabilize critical patients. They will assess patients and dispatch medevac flights quickly when needed. It makes sense to co-locate this service with the 911 service.

Recruitment will begin this month, as well, for the 911 bilingual emergency medical dispatcher positions. These positions are critical for systems operations.

The Northwest Territories 911 Act was passed and received assent in March. The act was a significant milestone in the implementation of the 911 program. Municipal and Community Affairs staff are now working on the regulations necessary for the collection and remittance of the cost recovery fees by telecommunication companies. We anticipate having these regulations completed by the end of June.

Mr. Speaker, over the summer months and into September, the final 911 system will be installed. Rigorous territorial-wide telecommunications testing will begin with NorthwesTel to ensure systems work as they should from every community. On September 3, 2019, the 911 dispatchers will begin their intensive training and support of systems testing, which will continue until the "go live" date.

Once 911 is live, there will be an awareness campaign in the media and direct mail to resident's homes, as well as signage for every Government of the Northwest Territories and municipal building in the Northwest Territories. Until then, members of the public should call the existing emergency numbers in their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy once again to confirm the NWT 911 service will be "going live" for every community in the Northwest Territories in November 2019. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 200-18(3): Northwest Territories 911 Implementation Update

Ministers' Statements

Page 5715

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

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

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Minister's Statement 201-18(3): Introduction of the NWT Manufacturing Strategy

Ministers' Statements

Page 5716

Wally Schumann

Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories made a mandate commitment to develop a northern manufacturing strategy in collaboration with industry and the NWT's Manufacturers Association.

I am pleased today to table the Northwest Territories Manufacturing Strategy for diversifying our economy. The strategy was developed with extensive input from the public, Chambers of Commerce, businesses, and, most importantly, the NWT Manufacturers Association.

In a thorough engagement campaign, stakeholders from every region of the NWT contributed feedback which our staff considered and included throughout this strategy. We took a very collaborative approach that included MLAs, and I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for sending two representatives, the Member for Yellowknife North and the Member for Hay River North , to participate in one of our key engagement sessions with the NWT Manufacturers Association this past November.

Mr. Speaker, the strategy defines a series of actions to enhance and grow this high potential sector of our economy.

These actions address four key objectives:

establishing a strong manufacturing association and sector;

improving manufacturer access to information, services, and capital;

renewing the Northern Manufactured Products Policy; and

growing the manufacturing sector.

Seventeen actions under these four objectives will be implemented over the next five years in partnership with the NWT Manufacturers Association.

The intent is to achieve some ambitious results as we put this strategy into action. We're aiming for an increase in manufacturing sales of 25 percent in the first three years. Within five years, we want to see a further 25 percent increase in sales and improve labour participation in the sector. Essential to the success of this strategy will be the continued partnership of our Manufacturers Association. To that end, we're bringing them into the implementation process on an ongoing basis. We've committed to reviewing this strategy annually with the stakeholders we aim to support, and adjusting our path as required to meet the evolving needs of this sector.

Mr. Speaker, this is just the latest follow-up to our Economic Opportunities Strategy, the document defining how we've approached economic diversification over the last five years. It joins our commercial fishing revitalization, agriculture, and film strategies in setting out sector-specific plans to address our economic priorities beyond the resource industries.

This strategy is just one way we've supported a stronger manufacturing sector throughout this Legislative Assembly. We're in the midst of building a fish processing plant to support a revitalized commercial fishing industry, and we finalized changes to our Diamond Policy Framework, opening the door for creative diamond manufacturing operations to grow our territory's economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 201-18(3): Introduction of the NWT Manufacturing Strategy

Ministers' Statements

Page 5716

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Ministers' statements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Minister's Statement 201-18(3): Introduction of the NWT Manufacturing Strategy

Ministers' Statements

Page 5716

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to seek unanimous consent to move item number 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery, as the next item of business. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5716

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5716

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'd like to recognize a Frame Lake constituent, Louise Elder. She is also the executive director of the NWT Status of Women, and thank her for the important work that she does. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5716

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

Page 5716

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the honour today to recognize my parents, Winston and Martha Moses, for coming here today. It's not very often I get family to come to a sitting, so I want to thank them.

Also just very quickly, Mr. Speaker, the jacket that I'm wearing belongs to my father, and this is the first time I've ever worn it in this House over the two terms that I've sat here, so I'm very honoured to wear it. Wearing it, I can feel the strength that it brings, and now I know why he's won so many jigging contests wearing it. I just wanted to say thank you for being here today, and I'd like to ask all Members to recognize my parents for being here today. Mahsi cho. Thank you.

---Applause

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5717

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Range Lake .

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5717

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a couple of constituents I want to recognize. First, Ms. Genge, the grade six St. Joe's teacher, and then Dexter Edjericon is also in the House. Then I want to recognize a couple of our Pages from our Range Lake constituency, Holly Nguyen, Spence Miller, and Breanna Willis. Welcome to our Legislative Assembly as our Pages, and welcome to all Pages in the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5717

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery, thanks for being here with us today. It's always good to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta .

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Aklavik All-Season Road

Members' Statements

Page 5717

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. The flood of tourists has arrived, already in high numbers of vehicles. The Abraham Francis ferry on the Peel opened on Sunday, with a line of up traffic waiting to see the beautiful landscape, the welcoming people of the Delta, bringing with them economic growth to our region.

Mr. Speaker, without a doubt, the Dempster Highway has always been a place to travel, everyone's bucket list, and now the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway will be even busier this summer.

Comments from previous years' tourists show that the tourists traveling to the North want to see our country. They want to experience the highways, meet our people, and engage in community activities that are planned throughout the season. Let's start talking about exposing them to more of our land, our people, and our cultures. How about bringing them to Aklavik?

Mr. Speaker, there is a possibility of getting a road. This government can look at options on how we can get construction under way to build this highway to Aklavik. There is nothing short of a positive outcome from this idea. Think of the reduction in food, home heating fuel, and gasoline costs.

Like all our communities in the Northwest Territories, Aklavik has much to offer. The list goes on, Mr. Speaker. This government should take this very seriously and start lobbying the federal government for funding. We need a road to Aklavik; let's make this a priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Aklavik All-Season Road

Members' Statements

Page 5717

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Fire Ban Beyond Territorial Parks

Members' Statements

Page 5717

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The weather of the past few days might not make you think so, but the Northwest Territories is entering the high-risk fire season once again. I know the department is on the case. It's gratifying to see regular fire updates and know that our best folks are on the job, monitoring the situation and ready to take action when required. In fact, some of our fire teams are helping our Alberta neighbours as we speak.

Mr. Speaker, when conditions become dangerous, our system allows authorities to call a fire ban, but it's been brought to my attention by concerned constituents from the Ingraham Trail that there's a loophole in that system. Currently, a fire ban provides authority to ban any open fires inside the boundaries of a territorial park, but not everybody is in the parks, Mr. Speaker. So if there's a fire ban, campers outside a territorial park do not have to abide. My constituents report that frequently, if fires are banned at the Reid Lake campsite, for example, campers just go down the highway along the banks of Cameron River and light a fire there.

Mr. Speaker, the Forest Act was due to be updated during this Assembly, and this loophole may have been addressed, but for good reason that legislation is being delayed until the 19th Assembly. That said, in Alberta, a fire ban means no fires, anywhere. In the Yukon, same thing. So why not here?

Clearly, Mr. Speaker, there must be something we can do before something disastrous happens. Some mechanism is needed to enforce a fire ban on all public lands, not just those within park boundaries. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

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Fire Ban Beyond Territorial Parks

Members' Statements

Page 5718

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake .

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Filipino Heritage Month

Members' Statements

Page 5718

Kieron Testart

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the Northwest Territories. On October 30, 2018, the House of Commons unanimously passed Motion 155 recognising June as Filipino Heritage Month in Canada. This declaration expresses Canada's recognition of the contribution of Canadians of Filipino heritage from coast to coast to coast. "Filipino Canadians have and continue to make Canada a better place with their recognized hard work, solid family ties, and strong religious grounding."

The Philippines declared their independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, and today recognises 19 official languages. Filipinos are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Canada. Prominent Philipino Canadians include singers like Canadian Idol finalist Elena Juatco and athletes like soccer star Jonathan de Guzman. Canada's first Filipino Canadian Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister Rey Pagtakhan, the late Senator Tobias Enverga, and Yellowknife's own city councillor Rommel Silverio are champions of the Filipino-Canadian community, and I want to thank them for all that they have contributed to the Canadian experience.

As far back as the 1930s, the first wave of Filipinos came to Canada and worked as nurses, garment workers, teachers, and in the health sector. Their stories are often those of enormous sacrifice, leaving their families behind in the Philippines to build a better life for them here in Canada, and hoping one day to be reunited with their families.

Mr. Speaker, building a diverse and inclusive society through promoting and encouraging awareness, understanding, and respect for our many different cultures must remain a paramount priority. The Filipino community is another example of how diversity is our strength. Filipino Heritage Month is a way of showing our country's appreciation of the Filipino community for their important contribution throughout Canadian history and for helping to make our country diverse and vibrant. Filipino Heritage Month will help celebrate these important contributions, and many more, that have enriched Canadian society.

Mr. Speaker I hope that the Members of this House will join me in celebrating and honouring Filipino Heritage Month. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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Filipino Heritage Month

Members' Statements

Page 5718

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to visitors in the gallery here with us. I am pleased to draw your attention to the presence of Ms. Lucia Piazza, Consul-General of the United States to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories.

Ms. Piazza joined the State Department in 2001. She has worked extensively in Africa and on Middle East issues, serving in Uganda, Togo, Nigeria, and Tunisia. She has also had multiple tours in Washington.

Members, please join me in welcoming Consul-General Ms. Piazza to our proceedings and to our beautiful Legislative Assembly building. Welcome to the North; and, of course, our very own Carmen Moore, chief of protocol. Thanks for doing an excellent job. Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Final Report on National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Members' Statements

Page 5718

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I watched the closing ceremony for the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls. From the lighting of the quilliq to the families' tearful stories to the Commissioners' grim determination, it took me back to the three days of commission hearings in Yellowknife in January of last year.

In my statement to this House then, I spoke of priority issues I heard from northern women's testimony. Yesterday afternoon I reviewed the 120-page executive

summary of the report to see what the recommendations said about those issues in particular. One was the difficulty of accessing counselling in small communities. The Commissioners acknowledged the lack of health and wellness services forcing people to relocate to access care. They recommended government services be accessible where people live, offered in partnership with Indigenous people, and within the context of cultural safety.

Another issue that concerned me was the importance of helping children who had witnessed violence in their families, and once again, the lack of services outside Yellowknife. The Commissioners' general recommendation is to provide continual and accessible support for children.

There is so much more in the report about better housing, the preservation of language and culture as underpinnings of identity, third-party police oversight, and establishing a Child and Youth Advocate, to name a few. These are the specifics, but make no mistake: the report recommends sweeping changes across society to come to terms with the legacy of endemic violence against Indigenous women and girls and to chart a path forward in which women are safe and valued. As the chief commissioner said to families yesterday, "your truth cannot be unheard."

The issue front and center for me is that, given the prevalence of violence against women, governments must put more money into prevention and eradication. The report released yesterday notes that there has been little movement to implement recommendations from previous reports, and most efforts have been reactive, not preventative. This is a significant barrier to addressing the root causes of violence. The report goes on to say, "Insufficient political will continues to be a roadblock across all initiatives. Solutions must be prioritized and resourced in partnership with Indigenous people and support self-determination."

I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women about how this government plans to respond to this milestone report. Mahsi.

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Final Report on National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Members' Statements

Page 5719

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho .

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Forest Fire Evacuation

Members' Statements

Page 5719

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Some evacuees from High Level and surrounding communities were accommodated on the Hay River Reserve, and they were just allowed to go home yesterday, but they have been told that they must be ready to evacuate again at a moment's notice.

Mr. Speaker, here in the NWT, we have 33 communities, and most of them are surrounded by thick forests. We have to ask ourselves: are we prepared to address a potential situation of an out-of-control wildland forest fire threatening our communities?

The recent wet weather has been helpful, and according to ENR, there is only one active fire in the NWT at the moment, but we all know how quickly things can change. Now is the time to prepare and make sure that our communities are as safe as they can be from forest fires.

Mr. Speaker, the 2014 forest fire season was the biggest forest fire season on record in the NWT. The community of Kakisa was evacuated and fortunately no injury or damage was done. Following that fire season, some fire guards around some communities were established. Some communities only have one road going into the community, and others are only accessible by air. A fast-moving fire could cause a catastrophe.

The GNWT has initiatives such as the FireSmart programs that clear low laying combustibles and forest thinning to lessen the spread of wildfire around communities. It is essential for our isolated communities especially to make themselves as safe as possible from wildfires. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time on what is being done to prepare our communities should they be threatened by forest fires. Mahsi Mr. Speaker.

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Forest Fire Evacuation

Members' Statements

Page 5719

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Co-Development of Post-Devolution Legislation

Members' Statements

Page 5719

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. In April and May, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment travelled extensively on bills related to our post-devolution environmental and resource management regime. I have been mulling over the co-development process of such legislation which was part of the promise of devolution, the co-called made-in-the-North approach. While working with Indigenous governments and relevant co-management authorities might prove a challenge, it is the right way to develop our post-devolution management regime. What is not at all clear is how standing committee fits into the process.

Here are a few observations on what we heard about co-development or co-drafting. The process can be a time-consuming, as we saw with the Wildlife Act. Co-development worked better on some bills than others, with some departments better than others, with large variations even within departments. It takes time and requires more resources. Extraordinary negotiation skills and an understanding of our complicated history of Indigenous governance and land rights arrangements are required.

Paramountcy of lands rights agreements is a given. The trick is to find ways to recognize and incorporate the authority and jurisdiction of co-management authorities into bills governing such diverse and cross-cutting subjects as environmental rights, protected areas, and non-renewable resources. The expertise and experience of co-management authorities also brings added value to their involvement. We also heard that is important that legislative drafters be in the room when discussions take place.

Turning to standing committee and Regular MLAs, I want to acknowledge a very thoughtful submission by the Northwest Territory Metis Nation that offered observations and advice on co-development. Committee can play a significant role in ensuring that legislation is developed in accordance with the principles of the Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management. There should be no impediments to committee getting briefed as the legislative initiatives develop and important policy matters emerge.

Committee should have a role defining GNWT's positions during the co-development process. That is how consensus government is supposed to work, but did not work well in the case of some of these bills. The NWT Metis Nation also observed that MLAs can lack discipline in voting to maintain critical positions on issues such as legislative initiatives.

Lots to reflect on and learn from the co-development process to date, and I look forward to being part of that process. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Co-Development of Post-Devolution Legislation

Members' Statements

Page 5720

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu .

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Mackenzie Valley Highway in Transition Report to 19th Assembly

Members' Statements

Page 5720

Daniel McNeely

Sahtu

Last week, Mr. Speaker, the main supply line, Highway no. 1, was in jeopardy and experienced a temporary closure due to the northern Alberta wildfires. Here in the capital, experiences of this closure were seen by the empty store shelves. Essential products were among the first to go.

Mr. Speaker, this main supply corridor covers the whole Northwest Territories in one way or another and is consistent with the southern NWT communities, industry, and vendors to those clients. As you can see, infrastructure is an important connection to the sustainability and growth of the Northwest Territories.

As we transition from the 18 th Assembly, reports of progress and in-progress mandate items are fundamental to the completion of our government's goals and aspirations. I address the Mackenzie Valley Highway Mandate 1.1.1 as a remaining priority in transition, which must be included in Cabinet's transitional report to the 19 th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, the North is unique and resourceful. With a balanced approach on collaborative engagements, partnerships, responsible development, TPR or tax payers' return on capital investments, principles that the Sahtu region only knows very well, Mr. Speaker, we can broaden our horizons through the expanding of our infrastructure network, while creating meaningful benefits. Mr. Speaker, later I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure . Mahsi.

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Mackenzie Valley Highway in Transition Report to 19th Assembly

Members' Statements

Page 5720

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh .

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Recognition of Julian Sabourin, ENR Wildlife Officer

Members' Statements

Page 5720

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is of utmost importance that the youth of our northern communities have a successful school experience and set goals for themselves. One person is Julian Sabourin of Fort Simpson.

Julian has always considered Fort Simpson home, with close family residing in the community, and where his passion for the outdoors could truly be acknowledged.

At the age of seven, Julian moved to Yellowknife, but made an effort to visit family in Fort Simpson often, fulfilling a desire to stay in contact with the beautiful environment he calls home. Julian first took interest in working outdoors when an ENR Wildlife Officer presented to his fifth grade class. As a 10-year-old, Julian thought this job was very exciting and decided this is what he wanted to do in the future.

As Julian grew up in Yellowknife, there were many other interesting career paths he could take, but maintained focus towards his original end goal of becoming an ENR Wildlife Officer. In 2014, Julian was given a job opportunity at Parks Canada in Fort Simpson. Although the process took longer than expected, Julian was looking at a bright future. Eventually, Julian got a call to start work at the Parks, along with being accepted to a post-secondary school. Julian took a natural resource program at Lethbridge College. Beyond being from a small northern community, Julian successfully attended school while working at Parks Canada in Fort Simpson during the summer months.

Julian now works as an ENR Wildlife Officer in Fort Simpson. Julian is pleased to say these experiences and opportunities have shaped what he wanted to do in his life.

Mr. Speaker, I speak for myself and for our region when I say we are very fortunate to have young members advocating education be taken as not only sitting at a desk, but experiences that could possibly develop into a life goal being accomplished, and I would like to thank Julian for his commitment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Recognition of Julian Sabourin, ENR Wildlife Officer

Members' Statements

Page 5721

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .

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Aging In Place

Members' Statements

Page 5721

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I believe this will be my last Member's statement on "Aging in Place." Over a number of years, I have been talking about the huge benefits of allowing seniors to age in place in their own communities and in their own homes.

Mr. Speaker, this government has decided to build long-term care facilities in Hay River and Inuvik, both with 48 beds. However, there aren't many seniors who actually look forward to moving into these facilities. In Inuvik, the majority of the elders going into long-term care are from surrounding communities, and most, if not all, have no desire to be uprooted and institutionalized in another community. In fact, that is the opposite of what people want. No seniors have ever called me to say that they were looking forward to moving into a long-term care facility. Yet here we are, planning to build and fill up new facilities with seniors at a rate of over $140,000 per senior, per year.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we need to approach this issue with a different strategy because, while I do recognize the need for more long-term care spaces in the future, I believe we must also consider ideas from other jurisdictions that have potential to help improve our existing homecare policy in the NWT.

For example, in British Columbia, there are several options people can choose prior to entering into long-term care facilities, all of which are a variation of homecare delivery, which includes community nursing, community rehabilitation, home support, choice of supports for independent living, caregiver relief, end-of-care services, assisted living, and short-term residential care facilities.

Another example to consider, Mr. Speaker, is the homecare policy of Ontario, called "Home First," which is a philosophy that aims to keeping frail patients out of the hospital and back into their homes as soon as possible. The Home First model includes three components: the Wait at Home Program for daily living, errand and social support; the Enhanced Wait at Home Program, which includes up to 56 hours per week of personal support for seniors in need of more help; and the Stay at Home program, which helps seniors delay or eliminate the need for LTC placement. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Aging In Place

Members' Statements

Page 5721

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

This approach, among other things, provides seniors and their loved ones more time to decide whether or not they wish to move into long-term and also allows seniors to wait at home, rather than in hospital, until a long-term care spot is necessary.

I could go on Mr. Speaker, but, ultimately, the best solution for this situation is to allow seniors to age in place by providing them with supplemental programs that will help them to maintain safe and independent living in their own homes as long as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Aging In Place

Members' Statements

Page 5721

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Aging In Place

Members' Statements

Page 5721

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to move to item 13 on the orders of the day, reports of committees on the review of bills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5721

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment has reviewed Bill 38, Protected Areas Act , and wishes to report that Bill 38 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5721

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5721

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(5) and to have Bill 38, Protected Areas Act , moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5721

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(5) and have Bill 38, Protected Areas Act , moved into Committee of the Whole.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Bill 38, Protected Areas Act , is now moved to Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment has reviewed Bill 44, Forest Act. Mr. Speaker, after extensive consultation, serious consideration, and ongoing dialogue with the sponsoring Minister, the committee wishes to report that Bill 44 is not ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole and recommends that the bill be not further proceeded with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Reports of committee on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(3) and to have Bill 44, Forest Act , moved to third reading of bills later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(3) and to have Bill 44, Forest Act , moved to a third reading of bills for later today.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Bill 44 is now moved for third reading later on today. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Bill 44: Forest Act

Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5722

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Committee Report 17-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly

Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 5722

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Your Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly is pleased to provide its Final Report on Increasing the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly and commends it to this House.

INTRODUCTION

The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly ("committee") was tasked to gather information and public input into options on how to support the goal of increasing women's representation in the Legislative Assembly to 20 percent by 2023 and 30 percent by 2027. The committee is pleased to present this final report, which was developed in accordance with committee's mandate as determined by the terms of reference.

This report includes consideration of the discussion paper "Temporary Special Measures to Increase the Representation of Women in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly" ("discussion paper") presented by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in May 2018.

Committee heard overwhelming support for encouraging more women to run for elected seats and increasing the number of women in the legislature. Committee heard the need for more public discussion on how to reach these goals.

During public hearings and stakeholder meetings, committee discussed guaranteed seats, a solution proposed to increase women's representation. Feedback on the discussion paper included discussion of alternative and complementary measures that participants suggested may be considered or may work well in their communities and the Northwest Territories.

In this report, we respond to the discussion paper and briefly discuss gender quotas and guaranteed seats in legislatures in other countries. We report views residents shared with us, including suggestions for other legislative changes; changes to any current rules of the Legislative Assembly; current and related legislation; and policies of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly.

The committee makes three recommendations intended to improve conditions for women's engagement in territorial politics.

Finally, the committee urges the Members of the 19 th Assembly to continue the work that has begun under this special committee and continue efforts to increase gender equity in the Legislative Assembly.

The committee members thank the communities for their warm welcome and participants for their time and effort in attending the meetings and openly sharing their opinions. Committee is appreciative of all the submissions received, as they informed the committee's discussions and recommendations.

Background

The committee began work on November 28, 2018, and consulted with the public in 10 community hearings throughout the Northwest Territories, as listed in Appendix A of this report. Approximately 120 individuals attended the public meetings, 90 percent being women. Most public hearings were televised and remain accessible on Facebook and Twitter, except where technical challenges prevented the live recording. The committee received 11 written submissions, as listed in Appendix B, and additional requests for meetings with interest groups who had also been invited to provide written submission.

Tasked with identifying barriers that prevent women from running, and recommending incentives that mitigate these barriers, the committee tabled an interim report on March 12, 2019. In accordance with the overall goal of helping increase the representation of women in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, the Committee made seven recommendations which were adopted unanimously by the Members of this House. The interim report is included as Appendix C and is available on the committee's web page.

Four of seven recommendations proposed measures to support work-life balance for parents, introducing childcare-friendly provisions to the Legislative Assembly, and requiring a review of the family-friendliness of this building. The remaining three recommendations provide solutions to removing barriers preventing women from participating successfully in politics: making information on consensus government more accessible; information about the specifics of an MLA's role; and increasing campaign training for women in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, now turn the reading of this report over to the honourable Member from Thebacha .

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Committee Report 17-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly

Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 5723

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member for Thebacha .

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Committee Report 17-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly

Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 5723

Louis Sebert

Thebacha

Thank you.

RESPONSE TO SPEAKER'S DISCUSSION PAPER

An important goal of the discussion paper was to spark public discussion on increasing the representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly and the provision of guaranteed seats as a temporary measure to help make this happen.

The discussion prompted by the creation of this committee has only begun, and committee strongly believes it is an important dialogue that needs to continue.

One prominent theme committee heard during public meetings was that conversations on how to increase representation of women are needed in communities and the Northwest Territories, and opportunities should be created for this discussion to continue:

"While we do face barriers, conversations like these start the knowledge sharing that can help to reduce some of the strains and barriers that may deter women from running for any position." (Natasha Kulikowski, Written Submission, 11 April 2019)

Discussing Gender Quotas

There are three main gender quota models in use in other jurisdictions. Two of these, electoral candidate quotas and political party quotas, are reliant upon a party-based political system. The third involves the provision of guaranteed seats. Each of these models intervenes at a different point in the electoral process.

Electoral candidate quotas are a mechanism by which political parties are required to bring a predetermined proportion of female-to-male candidates forward for elections. This model is found to be most effective if it mandates a minimum threshold of 30 percent of women candidates per list. Electoral candidate quotas are often accompanied by sanctions against parties for non-compliance. (Rosen 2017)

Gender quotas are a mechanism to regulate that a percentage of those elected must be women. A quota can also apply to both sexes. In Slovenia, for example, 40 percent of either sex candidates must be included in any list of candidates. Prior to this legal gender quota, women's representation at the national level varied between 14 to 25 percent. (Gaber 2019)

In Canada, the federal Standing Committee on the Status of Women encouraged registered parties to "set voluntary quotas for the percentage of female candidates they field in federal elections and to publicly report on their efforts to meet these quotas after every federal general election." (April 2019 Report).

This model cannot be implemented under the current territorial political system, where candidates run as independents and there are no political parties. Without political parties, there are no party candidate lists, and it is unclear who would bring sanctions and to whom they would be applied if not enough women candidates come forward.

"Absent political parties or proportional representation, the NWT Legislative Assembly has limited structural means to influence the number of women candidates who run in a given election." (Office of the Speaker of the NWT Legislative Assembly, 2018).

A study comparing quota models in 160 countries concluded gender quota legislation is a practical point of departure for those looking to increase women's political representation, but implementation shows significant differences across countries, in quota design and outcomes.

The complexity that exists in the interplay between electoral systems, socioeconomic development status, and the presence of conflict in a country, makes it difficult to predict results for any country based on specific quota models alone (Rosen 2017).

Recent research compared women's combined legislative representation in countries without gender quotas to those with quotas. We find that the representation of women in legislatures with gender quotas is approximately ten percent higher than in countries without quotas (Hughes and Paxton 2019).

Through its research, committee found that quotas have the potential to substantially increase women's representation in national legislatures. In the studies consulted, researchers also agree that quotas, including guaranteed seats, can be a "fast track" to increase women's political representation.

Discussing Measures Increasing the Representation of Women

Committee heard that the discussion paper is a "'wonderful and good first step in efforts to increase the representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly" (Wendy Bisaro).

"I cannot stress strongly enough how much I believe greater representation of women in the NWT Assembly is needed. A woman's perspective on just about anything is different from a man's view on the same thing. It is not better or worse, just different." (Wendy Bisaro, Written Submission, 15 February 2019)

Committee was told that the perspective of approximately 50 percent of the NWT's population is missing because women are not adequately represented in the Legislative Assembly. We heard that this absence of the female perspective affects the whole of the population, because those elected are making laws and policies for all residents of the NWT.

The discussion paper offers a proposal on how the NWT Legislative Assembly could reach its goals of 20 and 30 percent women Members by 2023 and 2027, respectively, by applying a system adopted in Samoa, which provides a constitutional guarantee of a minimum of five seats for women.

Committee was often asked why the goal of 30 percent women by 2027 was not set at 50 percent. Some respondents asked that, instead of using special measures, the electoral system be changed to guarantee women 50 percent of the seats, without a time limit. Committee heard that this proposal for temporary special measures does not go far enough and should strive for true gender balance.

"In particular, the Council would like to see the Legislative Assembly fully explore a Gender-Equal Legislative Assembly as this model is consistent with gender equality and involves a democratic process: female and male candidates are voted for by their constituents and one female and one male candidate are elected to the Legislative Assembly per district" (Status of Women Council of the NWT, Written Submission, 3 May 2019)

Twenty years ago, before the creation of Nunavut in 1999, an appointed implementation commission proposed a two-member constituency model for the new territory, recommending a gender-equal Legislative Assembly. A man and a woman would be elected by all voters in each district. The proposal was put to a non-binding public vote in May 1997, resulting in 57 percent of ballots against the idea. Had the system been implemented, Nunavut's Assembly would have been the world's first gender-equal, democratically-elected legislature. Currently, six of 22 Members (27 percent) of Nunavut's Legislative Assembly are women.

During public meetings, we also heard that the temporary measures should in fact ask for 90 percent of guaranteed seats for women for the next 36 years to balance out the inequity of the past, ensuring that 90 percent of legislators are women.

Committee heard a proposal for a system that would guarantee five seats at large for women to join the legislature without having a riding, in addition to the existing riding-based electoral system. Some had reservations about this proposal and stressed that it would put women into an unfair position, having to campaign NWT-wide and having to pay higher campaign costs compared to men who would run for election in local ridings. Given that raising campaign funds is already identified as a barrier to women running, this model was seen as double disadvantage for women.

Committee heard from participants that several countries have established guaranteed seats and that the committee should look to models other than Samoa's before settling on a model.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn this report over to the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh . Thank you.

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The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh .

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Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Discussing Guaranteed Seats

Guaranteed or reserved seats are an electoral mechanism that has become a popular tool in modern democracies. The purpose of guaranteed seats is to ensure that representation in legislative assemblies is more reflective of the population being governed.

Countries use guaranteed seats as a mechanism to include populations on the basis of ethnicity, language, religion, geography and/or gender. Legislatures reserving seats on the basis of ethnicity, not based on language, include New Zealand, India, and Rwanda. Countries recognizing language or national identity are predominantly European countries, such as Slovenia and Kosovo. Religious identity is the basis for guaranteed seats in countries in the Middle East and South Asia and geographical representation is used where islands are detached from the nation state's mainland (Fiji, Isle of Man in the United Kingdom).

Many countries have developed gender quota systems in conjunction with other measures imbedded in the countries' socioeconomic realities. In this mix of measures, guaranteed seats may be chosen to address one factor of representation, and in countries with political party systems, electoral lists may be the tool used to establish gender quotas.

Belgium, for example, established guaranteed seats for each of the three language communities of the nation to ensure that each of its communities is represented in the Belgian parliament. Belgium's electoral system is a party-based system with proportional representation. Political parties have to comply with a gender quota and each candidate list must have as many women as men candidates listed. In this way, Belgium applied a gender quota of 50 percent to all electoral lists. This does not guarantee that all women will be elected, however, voters chose from an equal number of women and men when voting.

Rwanda, to ensure long-lasting peace after war and genocide, developed an elaborate system of reserved seats, quotas and other mechanisms to ensure gender and minority representation. Rwanda is also the only country with sanctions for non-compliance of its reserved seat quota.

New Zealand, the first country to make women eligible to vote (in 1893), and to stand for election to parliament (in 1919), has today 49 woman Members of Parliament and surpasses the 40-percent mark in gender representation in its legislature. New Zealand's early path toward gender equity is seen as a combination of political will among parliamentarians, and a desire for equal rights by the Pakeha settler feminists in convergence with Maori women petitioning on land rights and women's rights. Both women's groups continued throughout the country's history to organize advocacy for representation.

New Zealand's voting system includes a number of guaranteed seats for Maori, the Indigenous peoples of New Zealand. Maori representation was guaranteed through the establishment of separate Maori electorates as early as 1867. In 1973, the government introduced the "Maori Electoral Option" allowing electors of Maori descent to choose whether they enrolled in General or in Maori seats. Electoral reforms in 1993 created a Mixed-Member Proportional voting system in New Zealand while maintaining the guaranteed Maori seats.

Today, out of the 120 seats in parliament, 29 belong to members of Maori descent including the seven seats guaranteed for Maori determined by the size of the population who self-identify as having Maori ethnicity. This distribution raised discussions of whether the guaranteed seats are needed.

Many Maori have argued for the retention of guaranteed seats not only as providing guaranteed representation but also as a symbolic recognition and practical manifestation of the Treaty of Waitangi in the New Zealand Parliament. Abolitionists argue it is a flawed model that may sideline Maori concerns.

It is generally believed that the existence of guaranteed seats plays a large

part in explaining the larger representation of Maori in Parliament, in particular when comparing to the low representation in Australia of Aboriginal people in political office, where no such measures exist.

Pros and Cons of Guaranteed Seats

Committee heard various views on the proposed solutions to increase women representation in the Legislative Assembly by applying temporary measures. Some found that temporary guaranteed seats are a good measure but had concerns on what the impact would be in the long-term; other rejected the idea of guaranteed seats in principle.

In committee's public hearings, those who spoke against the idea of guaranteed seats had concerns of principle with the idea of reserving seats. Committee heard that guaranteed seats may be seen as a form of tokenism with the negative implication that the seats are held by women lacking merit. In this way, guaranteed seats present 'freebees' or 'pity seats' and were said to possibly hurt women on their path to equality.

We heard concerns that while well-meaning, guaranteed seats for women may be a disservice to women by increasing their vulnerability to harassment and provoking comments disregarding the merit of those women who gained guaranteed seats. Guaranteed seats were described as exposing women to possible stigmatized treatment and gendered comments.

Concern was also raised that women legislators in reserved seats may be more likely to be marginalized from power or cabinet positions. This concern, however, is not limited to guaranteed seats but could apply to all women legislators, under the current system used in the Northwest Territories for the selection of Cabinet Ministers.

The opposite view was also mentioned, that bringing more women into the legislature would ease the stress on the few women who hold seats and who may feel like tokens. In this context, the conflicts that may arise through guaranteed seats were considered temporary.

"If you want to achieve equality in numbers of men and women at the Legislative Assembly, there exists a reasonably easy way of achieving this. It is not my idea but I like it: give each constituency two MLAs, one man and one woman." (Dave Nickerson, Public Hearing Yellowknife, 8 May 2019)

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass the reading of this report on to the honourable Member for Deh Cho .

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The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member for Deh Cho .

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Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Considering Guaranteed Seats for Women in the NWT

To achieve the target of 20 percent women in the NWT Assembly of 19 Members, at least four women would need to win seats. Currently, two women hold seats in the NWT Legislature, representing 11 percent of the seats.

The discussion paper shows first, how many guaranteed seats would be required for a 20 and a 30 percent representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly. Then, the discussion paper shows how scenarios would have played out in the past NWT elections of 2015, 2011, and 2007. Three additional seats would have been required in 2015 and 2011. Two additional seats would have been required in 2007, as three women were elected. To achieve the target of a 30 percent representation of women, six additional seats would have been needed in 2015 and 2011. Five more seats would have been added in 2007.

The discussion paper sparked discussion on how the model of guaranteed seats could encourage young women to participate more in politics.

"And I really liked how you referenced the Samoa people [...] and their concept of reserved seating and I think that if you wanted to be a bit progressive and move forward and encourage women in politics, that might be one solution to look at. I think what they started out with was they had six reserved seats, and not all of them were filled the first time they started that, but I think that might encourage more women to come out if you have that sort of model to go after as well. (Jessica Landry, Public Hearing Detah, January 16, 2019)

Committee heard questions with regard to the discussion paper's proposals. For example, if five additional women members are appointed through this model, how would the Cabinet and Regular Members function? Would Cabinet be larger? Would Regular Members number 16 with a seven-member Cabinet? Others wondered how the additional seats would be funded, and how the possible higher representation of women for Yellowknife would be dealt with.

"Since the beginning, there have only been 12 women. Six of them are indigenous women, like Lisa Laurier, Nellie Cournoyea, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Lena Pederson, Helen Maksagak, Manitok Thompson" (Jane Groenewegen, Public Hearing Hay River, 9 January 2019).

Committee heard a variety of comments, including that incumbent women who do not win their seat back should be excluded from reserved seats. Confusion was expressed regarding how the guaranteed seats relate to women candidates, who only narrowly lose against their male competitors. It was also suggested that seats should be given to those candidates who were successful in getting high voter percentages.

Another option suggested in the discussion paper is to allocate additional seats to constituencies with the "highest level of relative underrepresentation" according to the findings of the Electoral Boundaries Commission. The last commission report (2013) identified Monfwi, Yellowknife, and the Sahtu as relatively under-represented.

The discussion paper identified several areas for additional study, such as the make-up of Cabinet; how vacancies would be filled between general elections; and whether additional women members would represent specific ridings or the NWT at large.

The discussion paper concludes that the measures proposed could be put in place for a limited time, such as two or three elections, and then automatically sunset. In the meantime, if targets were met through the normal electoral process, no extra, guaranteed seats would be needed.

Committee did not hear a discussion on the temporary nature of the proposed scenarios specifically, or options for alternative time frames.

Additional Suggestions

Committee was asked to consider a quota for women ministerial positions, in addition to guaranteed seats for women legislators. Setting a minimum number of women ministers was described as the "true" factor in gender equality. Recommendations by the federal Standing Committee on the Status of Women encouraged changes in electoral politics to achieve more gender equality. Electoral district associations would set goals and publicly report on their efforts, including achieving gender parity on their boards of directors and positions of leadership (House of Commons 2019).

There have been calls for position quotas in leadership in other countries. For example, changes proposed to the Maldives government included introducing a mandatory quota of 30 percent for women in leadership positions, and at least one vice president in political parties with more than one deputy leader.

OTHER CHANGES REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE CHANGE

Research demonstrates that we often find a combination of several measures working together: creating discussion and lobbying platforms for women; allocating funds for training and skills-building; establishing women's wings and committees; and legislating -- oh, sorry. My apologies, Mr. Speaker.

Plebiscite

Committee believes that women holding a greater share of seats in the Legislative Assembly will have multiple beneficial effects for the NWT. The most direct and immediate impact will be increased equality of representation and the inclusion of missing perspectives. Increasing women's participation will also affect the performance of politics in the areas of policymaking, public opinion, and the legislature as workplace.

Committee heard that temporary special measures should be a plebiscite issue. If guaranteed seats are deemed necessary in the NWT, they would have to be legislated as suggested in the Speaker's discussion paper.

Two plebiscites have been held in the Northwest Territories, one in 1982 on the division of the territories, and a second one 10 years later in 1992 on the boundary between the NWT and Nunavut. The first plebiscite also began with a recommendation made by a special committee of the Assembly.

Committee notes the agreement on increasing gender equity and the number of women in the Legislative Assembly based on public hearings and submissions received. However, agreement on how to best achieve this goal was not evident.

The committee determined that, should the 2019 election not result in a minimum of 20 percent of women representation, a plebiscite to obtain public feedback on proposed temporary measures to guarantee a minimum number of seats for women in the Legislature, is something that will contribute to the goal of increasing the representation of women in the Assembly.

While the motion adopted by the Legislative Assembly in March 2018 established a goal of 20 percent in 2023, committee is looking for increased representation as soon as the 2019 election. Committee is hopeful that the changes recommended in the interim report will contribute to reaching the goals faster.

Recommendation 1

The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that if the 2019 election does not meet 20 percent women representation, the 19 th Legislative Assembly call a plebiscite to determine which of the options set out in the discussion paper is preferred by the electorate.

OTHER CHANGES REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE CHANGE

Research demonstrates that we often find a combination of several measures working together: creating discussion and lobbying platforms for women; allocating funds for training and skills-building; establishing women's wings and committees; and legislating financial incentives and assistance programs. Committee heard the suggestion of a women's caucus as an idea to be explored and perhaps to be considered in the future.

Committee heard the proposal to consider limiting the number of terms for which an individual MLA could be re-elected. Incumbency was mentioned as one of the biggest struggles to overcome for new candidates. Limiting the number of terms would encourage change and allow a greater number of different individuals to take of the challenge of serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. It would also, however, deprive the legislature of the wisdom that comes from having experienced MLAs in office.

"I used to think two terms should be the limit. I did not realize then that one term is barely enough to understand what you are doing. So maybe three terms, that would be 12 years. It is hard to say. Incumbency is such an obstacle. (Chris Westwell, Public Hearing Fort Smith, 8 January 2019).

Another suggestion is rotating of the Deputy Speaker among men and women MLAs. In this proposal, there would be two Deputy Speakers, one woman and one man, and a rule that requires the Deputy Speakers to alternate when taking on their duties.

Mr. Speaker, I now pass the reading of the next

section to my honourable colleague for Range Lake. Mahsi.

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The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Member for Range Lake .

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Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Election Expense Rebate

The Northwest Territories Elections and Plebiscites Act limits the allowable amount of personal funds a candidate may spend on her or his candidacy to $30,000. Committee heard a proposal to reduce this amount to $20,000 because first, this high amount sets a bar and may have potential candidates shy away from running, and secondly, in the past, very few candidates in the Northwest Territories have spent more than $20,000 on their campaign.

"A suggestion I would make is to lower that amount so that the total of expenses isn't $30 grand. It could be brought to $20. I mean, look at the last election, the average for a winning seat of spending has been something like $15,000 dollars. So spending $30 grand doesn't happen to win you anything, but having that out there as the upper layer certainly does set a tone and that can very easily scare somebody off." (David Waslyciw, Public Hearing Yellowknife, 8 May 2019).

In most of Canada's jurisdictions, the definition of election expenses includes all costs incurred to promote the election of a candidate or a political party and is determined in legislation. Reimbursement of part of the election expenses to candidates is provided in most jurisdictions with the exception of Alberta and British Columbia, and the three territories.

Where reimbursement is available, it is most often based on the candidate having received a minimum of votes, ranging between 5 (Prince Edward Island) and 15 percent (Saskatchewan) of the valid votes cast in their constituency. Candidates who qualify for reimbursements of election expenses may receive between 15 (Canada) and 60 percent (Saskatchewan) of their qualifying expenses, depending on jurisdiction and additional rules.

"It is more the financial issues, how do we run, how do we set up office, get campaign material, [...] a fund would make it easier." (Priscilla Canadian, Public Hearing Fort Providence, 10 January 2019)

Committee heard many comments on the subject of campaign funding and election expenses which is perceived by some women to be a barrier to entering politics. Participants noted that no legislation pertaining to women's access to political financing exists, nor are there organizations in place in the NWT to support women running for office as are found in other jurisdictions. Paying for campaigns was described as tough and fund-raising was also described as difficult. Women explained that they are not comfortable being fundraisers. Many mentioned they do not like the idea of going door-to-door and asking for money.

Women told the committee that they struggle with raising the money required to run an effective campaign. While initiatives like the Campaign Schools can help teach how to overcome this problem, financial incentives and assistance programs would provide additional help to women to run for elected seats.

The committee's research found that formal mechanisms to level the playing field between men and women do not exist in the Northwest Territories. Ideally, up-front financial support would enable non-privileged women to have the funds to run for office. However, it was noted a general mechanism reducing the financial burden after a campaign would also help women. One suggestion made to committee was to provide election expense rebates for women candidates.

Committee considered the recommendation of a NWT election expense rebate and conducted an analysis of how much a rebate program would cost. In the past three elections, candidate expenses varied among ridings and by candidate. The committee looked at how much a rebate program would cost, using certain parameters.

First, any money contributed to the campaign was not counted towards an eligible expense, with the exception of a donation by the candidate themselves, so only money spent by the candidate, that was not covered by a donation was considered an eligible expense for the rebate. Second, a candidate was required to receive a minimum of five percent of the total votes in that riding to be eligible for a rebate. Finally, the committee decided that a cap should be in place, and only allow a 50 percent rebate for eligible election expenses.

The committee looked at two options for this. The first cap was set at $10,000, so a candidate would be eligible for a maximum rebate of $5,000. The second cap was set at $6,000, meaning a candidate would receive a maximum of $3,000 back. In Appendix C, the results of the committee's research are presented, with expenses being listed and possible rebates calculated.

The committee found that women would benefit from a rebate, as female candidates have historically spent more out of pocket than male candidates. In both scenarios, the rebate amount calculated for women would have been higher than for men. Considering scenario two with a cap of $6,000, the average rebate for women would have been $1,430, while for men it would have been $910.

The benefit of a rebate appears larger for women than for men as committee's research has found that in the NWT, women expend more of their personal money for their campaigns. This result confirms the information committee heard from women and their expressed discomfort with raising funds and asking for money. Providing partial reimbursement of candidate election expenses under specified conditions contributes to the removal of barriers for women to run and maintains a fair regime for all candidates.

Based on numbers from the past three elections, the overall cost to government would come to about $60,000 every four years to allow for an election expense rebate.

Recommendation 2

The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends to the Legislative Assembly to create an election rebate for candidates who receive at least 5 percent of the votes cast in her or his electoral district in the NWT, reimbursing 50 percent of eligible personal election expenditures up to a maximum rebate amount of $3,000.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn the reading over to the Member from Nunakput . Thank you.

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The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member for Nunapkut.

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Herbert Nakimayak

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Going Forward

Committee heard from the public that access to role models, mentorship and networking are needed and wanted factors in developing skills and confidence to be successful in politics. Women pointed out that there is a need to increase the opportunities for training in leadership and public speaking. Women mentioned that the creation of local and community discussion groups for women only would be particularly beneficial for women to exchange opinions and develop electoral positions. It was pointed out that these opportunities are currently rare or non-existent and that this gap presents a serious deterrent to female candidacy.

"To have a women-in-leadership course would reinforce a lot of us here to be more confident, and I think by having the course in the community, you will see women come forward." (Joyce McLeod, Public Hearing Fort Providence, 10 January 2019)

NWT Women Lead in Community Leadership

Committee heard that it is not a question of whether or not women have leadership skills. The problem rather is how to encourage women to make the step from local leadership and regional senior positions into the legislature. In addition, it was pointed out that there have been many women deputy ministers in the territorial bureaucracy, raising the question of what it would take to have these women consider and make the move to the legislature and possibly to a role as Cabinet Minister.

Others mentioned that, since there are many women in leadership roles now at the community level, it is support and time that will bring women into the Legislative Assembly. It was stressed that, in addition to and more importantly than Campaign Schools, education is key and it should be part of the dynamic of helping women run. It was mentioned that mentoring and specific training for women, targeted at formalizing leadership skills, would be at least as useful as introducing guaranteed seats.

"Women are as varied in their personal opinions and experience as are men. There should be no assumptions that a "women's issue" impacts or unifies all women in exactly the same way. Strengthen women's advocacy organizations so that the diversity of women's perspectives can be fully represented; including Indigenous women, visible minorities and immigrant women." (Caroline Wawzonek, Written Submission, 1 March 2019)

In 2018, women took many top leadership positions in NWT municipalities; the NWT experienced never before seen numbers of women in leadership at the community level. All four women mayoral candidates in the NWT 2018 fall municipal elections were elected. Committee heard agreement on the need for more promotion to support this change.

A key theme committee heard was that women are comfortable as leaders in their communities but lack connection to formal political spaces. The recent Elect Her report by the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women also found that there is a gap for women between municipal and national politics. Women generally are motivated to create change and to help people and their communities.

Statistics Canada found that women and men participate in politics in different ways; women tend to spend more time on local and civic issues; and women generally vote at higher rates than men, and women are more likely than men to indicate 'feeling uninformed' as their reason for not voting. (Statistics Canada, House of Commons 2019)

"We need more females in politics because they say women are the future but really it is the female youth that are our future. Having different committees or programs that can help spark female youth interest or get their confidence up can help us." (Female Youth, Public Hearing Tuktoyaktuk, 3 April 2019)

Mr. Speaker, I will now pass it on to the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Member for Yellowknife Centre .

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Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Establish a NWT Leadership Program for Women

Committee took note of research on the effect of female role models in countries with women legislators. Women in the legislature were found to contribute to closing the gender gap in political participation. Current research found that women legislators serve as role models for women and the proportion of women in cabinet has a stronger effect on participation than the proportion of women in parliament. Women in the legislative assembly have a significant impact on increasing electoral participation. (Beauregard 2017, Kittilson 2019, Liu and Bannaszak 2017)

Examples of existing programs include the UN Women's programs on leadership and participation, programs that work with civil society to uphold women's rights, and strengthen arrangements for gender equality and women's empowerment.

Offering workshops in communities was another point committee heard as a good tool to reach women. The Deline Got'ine Government hosted the 'Gender and Resurgence' workshop for Indigenous women in early May 2019, to reflect on women's initiatives.

"If there was a leadership program here like the one they have in Nova Scotia, it would ignite women's political participation. We already have mentors available [...]. If we are looking at the residential school area, that generation created the NWT. The schools these people went to, they have hidden degrees and all the experience and knowledge they have; we could teach our own." (Paula Chinna, Public Hearing Norman Wells, 5 April 2019)

Several times, committee heard the recommendation for a NWT leadership program for women in politics. The 'Indigenous Women in Leadership' program was offered as an example that could be adapted in developing an NWT leadership course for women. It is a five-day course taught by a faculty of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity geared to "Indigenous women leaders and managers who are responsible for the future of communities and organizations." The program identifies challenges of leadership pertaining to accountability, performance, decision-making, delegation, and mentoring, including social and economic issues, trends and implications.

Committee heard of women in leadership programs offered by St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia as good examples that if adopted in the NWT would ignite women interest in running for elected seats. The Coady International Institute offers women's leadership programs with a separate program focused on Indigenous women.

The committee recommends that the NWT establish a leadership program specifically in support of developing women leadership. Committee heard at every occasion that women in the NWT require support in leadership development and access to leadership networks. Establishing a women's leadership program in the NWT will address this need.

Recommendation 3

The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends the NWT Legislative Assembly support the new NWT Polytechnic University to establish a leadership program designed to assist women to gain the skills and knowledge to take on leadership roles, including territorial, Indigenous and municipal political positions.

CONCLUSION

Committee was tasked to "identify and implement a wide range of strategies, including positive action, public debate, and training and mentoring for women as leaders, to achieve these goals." The committee was pleased by the level of interest demonstrated by participants during community visits. Committee's work has underlined the existing interest and the need for dialogue on the role of and opportunities for women to participate in territorial politics.

Committee noted in its interim report that, because the realities of each jurisdiction will influence the effects that incentives have on women's participation, electoral systems cannot be the sole tool to increase women's representation. Research confirms that it is important to find that mix of measures that will work best within each socio-economic context. Changing the workplace by providing opportunities for work-life balance also can have a positive effect on increasing the share of women in Legislative Assemblies.

Committee is hopeful that implementation of recommended changes in both, the interim and the final report will advance reaching the proposed goals of this Assembly.

Committee recommends that the 19 th Assembly continue the work the committee has begun and further identify the measures that are required to increase the representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 100(4) and to have Committee Report 17-18(3), Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Final Report, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Committee Report 17-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly

Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 5731

The Speaker

Jackson Lafferty

Committee Report 17-18(3), Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Final Report, has now been moved to Committee of the Whole for further consideration later today. Reports of standing and special committees. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report On Bill 38: Protected Areas Act

Reports Of Standing And Special Committees

Page 5731

Cory Vanthuyne

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment's Report on Bill 38, Protected Areas Act.

INTRODUCTION

Bill 38, Protected Areas Act , provides the framework for protecting, conserving and maintaining biodiversity, ecological integrity and cultural continuity of the NWT through the creation of a network of permanent protected areas that are representative of the ecosystems and cultural landscape found in the territory.

The bill received second reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment on February 26, 2019.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The committee held public meetings in Fort Smith, Hay River, K'atlodeeche First Nation, Fort Providence, Behchoko, Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife. Numerous representatives of Indigenous governments, Renewable Resources Boards and non-governmental organizations made public presentations to the committee, either in person or via written submission, including:

NWT Metis Nation,

K'atlodeeche First Nation,

Tlicho Government,

Inuvialuit Game Council,

Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated,

Lutselke Dene First Nation,

Dene Nation,

City of Yellowknife,

Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board,

Sahtu Renewable Resources Board,

Gwich'in Land Use Planning Board,

Yamoga Land Corporation,

NWT Chamber of Commerce,

NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines,

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Northwest Territories

Chapter

Ducks Unlimited Canada,

Nature United, and

A joint submission on behalf of Alternatives North, Ecology North, Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, and Council of Canadians - NWT

Chapter

The committee received 20 written submissions. These submissions are attached as Appendix 3. The committee heard broad support for the bill from every presenter, and heard from the Indigenous governments that they were mostly pleased with the drafting process used by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, although some concerns were noted, which will be addressed later in this report. The committee has decided that it will issue a separate report on the issue of the co-development process used for the post-devolution environmental and resource management legislation.

The committee appreciates the plain language materials supplied by the Minister's office for the public hearings.

The work of the standing committee to amend Bill 38 is set out in this report. The report contains recommendations to government on the development of devolution related legislation, as well as the implementation of this legislation. It also provides a rationale for the motions moved by the committee to amend specific provisions in the bill. These motions are listed in Appendix 1 in order of their appearance in the bill and are referred to in this report by the number assigned in the appendix.

WHAT WE HEARD

This part of the report is organized around the key themes or subject areas raised during the committee's public hearings and in the written submissions received.

Public Registry

Clause 9 of Bill 38 establishes a public registry for protected areas. The committee heard concerns across the territory that the proposed items for inclusion on the registry were too limited in scope, and would not meet the public's expectation for openness and transparency. Several presenters spoke at length about the need for an expanded registry to be included in the bill, and not left to regulations.

While the views of what should be included on the registry did differ, there was broad consensus that what was included in the bill was not adequate. These concerns were raised by not only environmental advocates but also by representatives of the mining industry and business community.

The committee had lengthy deliberations on what to include in the registry to address these concerns. The committee felt it was important to ensure that any official document related to a protected area is included in a registry, including establishment agreements, management plans, formal correspondence to or from a management board and any report on the state of protected areas. The committee also recognizes that there may be some issues of sensitivity, and ensured that some information could be kept off the registry, in accordance with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Any changes to the size or status of a protected area will also be recorded on the registry, including any reduction in size and any establishment of a transportation or transmission corridor.

The committee appreciates the Minister's timely responses to committee's questions, and consequently moved Motions 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 16, and 27 to expand the information that will be included on the registry.

Integration of Co-Management Bodies

In several of the verbal and written submissions received from Indigenous Governments, there was a general concern that the bill must respect any existing land, resources or self-government agreements that have overlapping provisions regarding the conservation of land, cultural sites or ecological areas.

Specifically, there were concerns that the roles of Renewable Resources Boards and Land Use Planning Boards, established under these agreements, were not always clear in relation to the Protected Areas Management Board. Further, Renewable Resources Boards and Land Use Planning Boards were not treated consistently in being given notice or engaged in the review and management of protected areas throughout the bill.

To address these concerns, committee moved the following motions to ensure that Land Use Planning Boards were treated in the same manner as Renewable Resources Boards: 2, 11, 14, 21, and 34.

The committee also found that there were sections of the bill that did not adequately provide for the involvement of Renewable Resources Boards or Land Use Planning Boards in the development of establishment agreements and management plans, as well as being consulted on any transmission or transportation corridors. Accordingly, Committee moved the following motions 13, 18, 19, 25, and 26.

While the committee is confident that these concerns have now been addressed in the relevant sections of the bill, it is evident that better awareness of the paramountcy of the land claim agreements needs to be developed. Therefore, the committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment recommends that when employing a Technical Working Group for the development of future legislation, the Government of the Northwest Territories include co-management bodies in the process to resolve any conflicts between a provision of that act and a provision found in a land, resources or self-government agreement.

Reports

The committee heard some concerns on the reporting provisions of the bill. While the committee understands the desire to be less prescriptive in the legislation, the committee does recommend that, at the very least, the management boards of the protected areas established under this act be