Debates of August 17, 2007 (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We always encourage our senior staff to get out of the offices and into the communities. We have a number of different initiatives out there that are utilizing traditional knowledge more and more. Protected areas, for example, is really an area that counts on the input from the knowledge of the people on the land. We will certainly have our people out there who will encourage all our senior staff to be involved and to make sure that they really fully understand and participate in this initiative. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 149-15(6): Traditional Knowledge Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just recently, the Premier and I and some members of the people in the Sahtu walked the Canol Trail using traditional knowledge. Using traditional knowledge, we also used the horses. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of ENR in terms of traditional knowledge. Would he report to the House in the future in terms of the effectiveness of the traditional policy that the government has implemented and hit a 10 year mark? Would the Minister then report to the House in terms of that evaluation of the TK policy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 149-15(6): Traditional Knowledge Policy

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we will share all of the findings of our evaluation on the traditional knowledge policy with the Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Oral questions. Written questions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5 of the orders of the day.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, honourable colleagues. I would like to recognize a constituent in the Sahtu. She is from Norman Wells. She is an employee of the Government of the Northwest Territories and a good representative of all of the people in the Sahtu, Ms. Ruby MacDonald in the gallery.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Youth Programs Annual Report, 2006-2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Tabling of documents. Pursuant to section 14 of the indemnities, allowances and expenses regulations of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I hereby table the statutory declaration of residence dated June 21, 2007, of Mr. Norman Yakeleya, Member for the Sahtu.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2006-2007, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2007-2008, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2006-2007, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2007-2008, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I would like to call the Committee of the Whole to order today. Members, we have several items before us. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 9, Write-off of Debts Act, 2007-2008; Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2007-2008; Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2006-2007; and Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2007-2008. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Is committee agreed?

Agreed.

Agreed. We will do that after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I will call Committee of the Whole to order. The first order of business is Bill 9, Write-off of Debts Act, 2007-2008. I would now like to ask the Minister responsible if he would like to introduce the bill. Minister Roland.

Mr. Chairman, I am here to introduce Bill 9, Write-off of Debts Act, 2007-2008. This bill authorizes the write-off of the debts listed in the scheduled to the act.

Pursuant to section 24 of the Financial Administration Act, Legislative Assembly approval is required for the write-off of government assets or debts exceeding $20,000.

Pursuant to section 82 of the Financial Administration Act, the write-off of debts owed to a public agency exceeding $20,000 and the write-off of debts owed to the Workers' Compensation Board exceeding $50,000 must receive Legislative Assembly approval.

The write-offs being proposed in this act will not require a new appropriation. They will be charged against allowances for bad debts which were established in department budgets at the time it was determined that collection of the debt would be unlikely.

I wish to emphasize that the write-off of a debt does not relieve a debtor of the liability for repayments. The government will continue to attempt to collect the outstanding amount.

Through continued reviews by staff, future recovery of the debt may still be achieved. In addition, in the case of debts owed by companies, staff will track the principals of each firm for future credit reference.

That concludes my opening remarks. I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have.

Thank you, Minister Roland. I would now like to ask the chairperson of the committee that reviewed the bill, Accountability and Oversight, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight reviewed Bill 9, Write-off of Debts Act, 2007-2008, at a meeting on June 8, 2007. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 9 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the whole.

This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 9. Individual Members may have comments or questions as we proceed. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

I would now like to ask Minister Roland if he would like to bring in witnesses.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Does the committee agree that we bring in witnesses?

Agreed.

Thank you, committee. I would now ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses in. Mahsi.

Thank you. Minister Roland, for the record, would you please introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, to my right is the secretary to the FMB, Mr. Mark Cleveland; and to my left is Louise Lavoie, assistant comptroller general.