I believe it was the same Member who was critical of the $12 million spent to date trying to plan the highway, employing local knowledge, getting that work done on the geotechnical side to ensure that best practices are followed, that we know where the granular sources are so that we can build the best road that we possibly can in that environment.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has proposed a $299 million construction project that we all know is the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project. What is the Government of the Northwest Territories proposal on commitment on spending division? In other words, we had a 75/25 plan spoken about before. Is that the same proposal being forwarded to the federal government?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. David Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we get a response back from the federal government, we’ll be sure to share it with Members. As soon as we get word back from the federal government. Our ask was 75/25 and that’s the ask that went to the federal government.
In order to ask for the $299 million, the Government of the Northwest Territories must have a plan. Knowing that no project has been under budget, or even at budget, what is the territorial government’s plan to assess if there are overruns? That’s not a hypothetical. We need a plan in order to proceed.
We have a contingency. We don’t get into any project with the belief that it’s going to go over budget, so for the Member to ask questions about the what ifs, what if you go over budget, that is a hypothetical question.
Knowing and understanding the project is not hypothetical. It’s part of the risk of any project.
What is the upper limit of what the territorial taxpayers can afford even if we follow the 75/25 split? Is the potential of $75 million on the taxpayer the upper limit of what they can pay for this project and will that be clear before any highway project is initiated?
We’re going to get word back from the federal government on the approvals for the funding agreement hopefully sometime this week. Members of this House, when the project is going to be approved, will approve this project and they’ll have all the information available to them so that they can make a decision whether or not they support the project moving forward. That should happen, hopefully, very soon.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the process of getting into bed with a project, and becoming a partner in it, and understanding the project is knowing where your upper limit is. I’m asking the government what our upper limit is on this particular project, because once it’s started, it’s too late to stop. We need to help identify these things. That’s all part of the process of our original ask, which is defining the project as almost a $300 million initiative. Clearly, the taxpayers, the citizens need to know what the government’s upper limit is, what is the cut-off point we cannot proceed with this project. It’s a simple number. It’s a simple ask. People want to know where the cut-off is.
As I mentioned numerous times in response to questions today about the Inuvik-Tuk highway, there are risks associated with the project. Those were shared with committee two weeks ago. As we move forward, we will be providing Members with updates. It is this Assembly that is going to ultimately make the decision on whether the project moves forward or not. All this information is going to be available to both Members and the public.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wasn’t going to ask any questions but I have to just not listen to another set from Mr. Hawkins. My questions today are for the Minister of ITI. It has been very well publicized that Harry Winston is becoming a larger player in the diamond mining in the Northwest Territories with interest, and potential interest, in at least two diamond companies. I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI if he is able to update this House and the public on what the status is on the purchase of the Diavik Diamond Mine at this time.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. David Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As far as we know, the sale is moving forward. There were some legal issues earlier on but, for all intents and purposes, the sale is progressing. We have recently met with Harry Winston, soon to be Dominion Diamond Mining, and we wish them well in their pursuits in the Northwest Territories.
Of course, because of the importance of diamond mining in the Northwest Territories to our NWT economy, I am sure we all wish them well. When the Minister says he had a meeting with them, I have a question about what our government is saying with regard to the socio-economic agreements that were put in place with the original companies. How does that work? When we have those agreements, the mine’s up and running, we don’t have the same kind of leverage. Now we’re talking about changing hands from one owner to another.
How is the interest of the northern content, and northern employment and northern benefits in those diamond mines maintained when the operation changes hands?
The agreements would stay in place with the new owners. We’re very encouraged with what Harry Winston has been discussing with us in terms of northern workforce development and also the provision of perhaps having a rough supply here in Yellowknife for local cut and polish companies to avail themselves of. It’s all very encouraging and I think we have a lot to look forward to with Harry Winston, Dominion Diamond, being involved in the diamond industry here in the Northwest Territories. That agreement the Member spoke of will go with the sale.
So just to be certain then, I want to confirm with the Minister, the transfer of that socio-economic agreement to the new owner, is that accomplished by any kind of legal instrument or is that just by their commitment in the way of good will?
I believe it would just be through commitment and willingness to take on that agreement.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I’ll be interested in monitoring how that goes, that agreement, that commitment that the Minister is talking about, because I have already started to hear rumblings, some very strange rumblings with regard to the commitment to the socio-economic agreement.
I would like to ask the Minister, when he talks about commitment, is that something that is in writing? Because you understand that when you’re trying to open a mine, you’re going to be making a lot of commitments to the folks you’re dealing with because that’s when we’ve got more leverage. I’d like to ask the Minister what makes him feel assured that this is actually going to transfer over.
That would come from the ownership at Harry Winston and their commitment to the Northwest Territories to see diamond mining be a success here in the NWT. We’ve got every assurance from the ownership at Harry Winston that will happen. We have known them for a number of years now, having been partial owner at the Diavik Mine, and we certainly look forward to their continued involvement in diamond mining here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have written questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the NWT Mental Health Act for treatment data for the fiscal year 2009-2010 to the present.
In accordance with Section 6.(a) and (b) of the Mental Health Act, how many voluntary patients applied for hospital admittance in the Northwest Territories and how many of those voluntary patients were denied admittance due to a lack of beds and/or space?
In accordance with Section 8.(1) of the Mental Health Act, in how many cases has a medical practitioner had to make an order for the detention of a patient for a psychiatric assessment?
In accordance with Section 8.(3) of the Mental Health Act, how many reports has the Minister’s office received?
In accordance with Section 15.(1) of the Mental Health Act, how many times has a medical practitioner had to apply to admit an involuntary patient?
Under Section 16.(1) and (2) of the Mental Health Act, how many applications has the Minister examined, and how many of those were approved and how many refused?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 14-17(4) asked by Mr. Hawkins on February 20, 2013, to the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, regarding reduction in inclusive schooling funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In the spring of 2012, the Members of the Legislative Assembly encouraged me to use the information from the program review office (PRO), and other studies to develop more effective strategies for the development and education of our children. On February 16, 2012, the PRO had noted that Inclusive Schooling funding was well beyond legislated levels.
On May 31, 2012, the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning (SCOPP) recommended to the Premier a number of actions respecting Early Childhood Development, including the transfer of some resources from Inclusive Schooling to Early Childhood Development beginning in 2012-13.
I agreed with the Members about the need to take immediate action to reallocate Inclusive Schooling funding in order to invest in early childhood programs.
On June 7, 2012, the Premier informed SCOPP that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) would re-profile $1 million from Inclusive Schooling to increase Early Childhood Development funding for 2012-13.
The ECE strategy chosen was to move $1 million from the $27 million Inclusive Schooling budget to early childhood programs. We decided to move funds from those areas of the Inclusive Schooling funding formula that did not directly impact staffing levels or services to students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled GNWT Response to Motion 20-17(3), Mental Health and Addictions Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 3, Wildlife Act, be read for the second time.
This bill replaces the Wildlife Act. It modernizes wildlife management processes in a manner consistent with land claim agreements. Provisions respecting the harvest of wildlife were updated and measures for the protection of wildlife habitat are included. Consequential amendments are made to the Environmental Protection Act, the Forest Management Act and the Herd and Fencing Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 3 has had second reading.
---Carried
Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Table Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014; and Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act; Education, Culture and Employment, Transportation, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.
By the authority given to me as Speaker, by Motion 1-17(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House.
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee today? Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to continue deliberations on Transportation with the main estimates and then Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you. We will resume with that after a short break.
Agreed.
---SHORT RECESS
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. When we left off yesterday we were dealing with the Department of Transportation main estimates. I would like to ask Minister Ramsay if he would like to bring witnesses into the Chamber.
Yes, please, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. I’ll ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses to the table.
For the record, Mr. Ramsay, could you please introduce your witnesses.
Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I’ve got Russell Neudorf, deputy minister of the Department of Transportation. To my left, Mr. Daniel Auger, assistant deputy minister, Department of Transportation.
