Debates of March 10, 2009 (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The BIP policy, as many of us well know, was established to help grow, foster, develop northern business and development. I think, in many cases, it has worked quite successfully to demonstrate that there is a real genuine interest in developing the northern economy and establishing southern businesses here in the North. Mr. Speaker, sometimes, though, when a company is listed under the BIP policy, they get sold and basically all that is left is the storefront and the actual business that does the work vacates the Northwest Territories but they keep their storefront name just for the context of staying involved under the BIP policy. Mr. Speaker, I see that as wrong. It was brought forward by a constituent of mine that believes it is wrong. My question to the Minister who would be in charge of this would be our Honourable Bob McLeod for ITI. What type of demonstrated measures does his department do and investigate to make sure that when a company qualifies for BIP, they actually are a northern business doing northern business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We actually have people right on the ground that can go and investigate the business to make sure that there are products that are being sold, that they are sold here from an establishment in the Northwest Territories. As well, we do a check on the individual’s involvement in the business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, to avoid naming the specific company, the Minister knows the one I am referring to, because I actually brought it to his attention a couple of months ago. The fact is that the storefront exists but it was in the context of a manufacturing business that could be described as...Once the business was sold, the business moved all of its manufacturing to Edmonton to the company that does it. So they just filtered through the Yellowknife office. Mr. Speaker, by the definition of this Minister for ITI, in his view, would this still qualify as a northern business although it is sold to a southern company and the only thing they really keep is just the storefront and the phone number in the phone book? Does that still qualify under this Minister’s definition? Thank you.

I would like to point out to the Member, as he knows, that we are undertaking a review of the Business Incentive Policy and certainly that is a perfect opportunity to address these kinds of concerns. We also have a Senior Management Preference Policy that is set up specifically to look at these kinds of issues. The whole premise behind the Business Incentive Policy is to benefit northern businesses. If there are no benefits to the North, then it would be of concern. I don’t have all of the specifics of the business that the Member is referring to. I think it is a rule of thumb that there would have to be benefits to the North and it would have to be based here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I think the answer there is the willingness to look at this issue. I want to get assurance from this Minister, because my constituent has brought this issue forward to me and wants to continue to make investment in the North. You don’t have to go too far to see their investment; it’s quite significant. The investment by this company that I’m referring to, I’d be more than pleased to refresh the name to the Minister after this question period. The fact is, they don’t represent northern business anymore; their name, maybe. Would the Minister be willing to reinvestigate this business I’m referring to, to make sure they stand up to the standards of the BIP policy, that they are providing benefits to the North, and be prepared to perhaps disqualify them for using their BIP name when they’re not really a northern company doing northern business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we investigate these types of complaints or businesses, we use spirit and intent. The whole spirit and intent of the Business Incentive Policy is to provide for northern preference. Certainly we would investigate and our normal practice is if they don’t meet the criteria, then they wouldn’t be eligible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Is the Minister willing to, if I was to refresh the Minister with that name here later today…refresh his memory, that is; I said refresh the Minister...

---Laughter

…I’ll leave that up to his own discretion. Mr. Speaker, if I remind the Minister later of this name, would he be willing to send someone down tomorrow morning to make sure that this business that I would describe as a mock northern business, to make sure that they, sort of, get the treatment that they deserve when we have true northern businesses wanting to make further investment but they don’t believe that there’s a true level playing field provided here and they just want to make sure ITI is providing that true, fair playing field? Would the Minister be willing to do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be pleased to investigate it. The BIP policy does provide for non-resident-owned businesses that qualify for the Business Incentive Policy. If the Member would refresh my memory, I would check it out. However, the last business that we checked out indicated that that business was BIP-able. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Board. As we all know, the term of the present chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board is coming to a close. I’d like to ask the Minister, when are you going to be advertising for the replacement of the existing chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Board?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is very well aware that the chair’s chairmanship is coming up in April. We are putting an ad out in the paper and it should be coming out very shortly seeking nominations for the chair. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, this is a joint appointment. I believe the last time it was advertised in the papers here. Would it also be advertised in the Nunavut papers? Also, would interested groups be able to take part by way of aboriginal organizations being notified about this appointment?

Mr. Speaker, we have had discussions with the new Minister, my counterpart in Nunavut, and it was agreed to that we would put an ad out and seek nominations. Anyone interested would just follow the nomination process. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, are there any board appointments coming up here in this short while and are those going to be advertised in the papers?

Mr. Speaker, we have our board, I think the earliest one is going to be a year from now. I would be able to provide the list to the Members so they can see exactly which board appointments are going to be up. The earliest one, I believe, would be about a year from now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Justice.

Would the Minister provide historic data on number of inmates on remand at North Slave Correctional Centre by month for the past five years, with the length of stay for each of those inmates on remand?

Why is there no day-to-day mental health services at North Slave Correctional Centre?

What happened to the other clinical psychologists that were employed at North Slave Correctional Centre?

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Supplementary Appropriation No. 1 (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009-2010. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Ms. Lee.

TABLED DOCUMENT 26-16(3):

STATUS OF WOMEN COUNCIL OF THE NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Status of Women Council of the NWT Annual Report 2007-2008. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.

TABLED DOCUMENT 27-16(3):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2009-2011 Corporate Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table a Yellowknives Dene Council resolution dated March 9, 2009, entitled GNWT ECE Rent Subsidy Programme - Reverting Income Assessment for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Housing Division. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 12, 2009, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 27, 2009.

And further, that any time prior to May 27, 2009, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Assembly signify its commitment to work with the governments of Nunavut and the Yukon Territory in lobbying the federal government to remove the GST from the cost of home heating fuel, electricity and the cost of transporting goods to and within the Northwest Territories;

And further, that a copy of this motion be provided to the federal Minister of Finance, Members of Parliament of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon; and the governments of Nunavut and the Yukon Territory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that notwithstanding Motion 1-16(2), the Standing Committee on Government Operations shall table a final report on its review of the Official Languages Act during the May/June 2009 sitting of the Legislative Assembly;

And further, that the Standing Committee on Government Operations be authorized to share its findings and recommendations with language groups and affected stakeholders in advance of their presentation in this House, in the interest of public accountability and transparency.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that pursuant to Section 15 of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, Sarah Jerome of Inuvik be appointed as the Languages Commissioner;

And further, that the appointment be effective May 11, 2009.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 15, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2009, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 15 has had first reading.

---Carried