Debates of May 11, 2007 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is closely monitoring the situation. As I indicated yesterday, we are not responsible for supply and monitoring the supply of aviation fuel. However, once again, because of our road shutting down early, it is becoming an imminent situation that we are going to have to monitor. I am not too sure who is doing the rationing. It is not a government initiative. I am sure it is the suppliers trying to watch out for all of their customers that are out there. Once again, Mr. Speaker, the positive light on this is that the ferry is going to be coming in on Monday. Suppliers are aware of it. They have staged trucks at the landing for the first trip that does cross at the Providence crossing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly hope we can all count on the optimism that the Minister is projecting about a Monday service date. Mr. Speaker, in some other discussions with folks on this issue, I was told that the Mackenzie River was indeed clear of ice yesterday and could have accepted the…The boat could have been in service very plainly, but we ran into apparently some issues regarding maintenance or inspection of the boat. Could the Minister advise why the Merv Hardie ferry was not in the water yesterday?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite sure where the Member is getting his information, but the ice from Beaver Lake, which is a huge consideration for the ferry operations around Fort Providence, has always been taken into consideration. Just yesterday, that ice let go, so I don’t believe that the river was free of ice where we could have launched our ship, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Mr. Speaker, other information I have does indeed indicate that there have been delays in maintenance on the boat and getting it ready to launch. In fact, that has been a factor in the delay in getting the Merv Hardie ferry in the water. Can the Minister confirm that there have been maintenance issues that have delayed the launch of the ferry service this spring, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been some maintenance issues that have to be addressed on the ferry that is currently ongoing. We are proceeding as expeditiously as we can to get the ferry ready for this shipping season. I just might want to add that, even with the ferry running on Monday, that is well ahead of schedule. Every effort is being made to put the ferry in early. I can’t make any commitments on that other than the expected date is still Monday. We are aware of the new pressing situation, the lack of aviation fuel and the safe transportation of our people of the North and we'll try to address that the best we can, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Time for question period has expired; however, I'll allow the Member one last supplementary question. Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is quite correct; the service will hopefully be restored much earlier than usual. But the reality is, it's too late for the fuel suppliers here in the Yellowknife region. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has acknowledged there are indeed maintenance issues, and it's starting to think the Merv Hardie has been out of the water for more than four months now, but here we are at the cusp of the season and we're still fixing it. Mr. Speaker, what is the nature of the mechanical and maintenance issues with the Merv Hardie and how long is it going to take them to repair it?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's just a timing issue, Mr. Speaker. I believe we have enough time to repair the ferry this weekend and have it in the water running for the travelling public by 6:00 a.m. Monday. However, with the new pressing situation of the shortage of aviation fuel, the trucks and the tankers will be given priority when the ferry is ready to run. Transportation is closely monitoring the situation and will provide a travel advisory to pilots and the aviation industry if it really gets severely critical, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Please provide a detailed accounting of the number of nursing graduates in 2006-2007 at Aurora College.

How many job offers were made to these graduates?

What is the number of placements that resulted?

Mr. Speaker, I want to note that the names of the graduates are not requested in the interest of privacy and personal information. I'm only seeking the numbers and results. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development has reviewed Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act, and wishes to report that Bill 4 is now ready for review in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Report on the Staff Retention Policy, Year Ending March 31, 2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Tabling of documents. Pursuant to section 19(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the Summary of Members' Absences for the Period April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007.

Tabled Document 20-15(6): Amendments Made To Schedule “C” Of The Legislative Assembly And Executive Council Act - “Indemnities And Allowances”

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 14, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the government immediately undertake a comprehensive review of the Territorial Power Subsidy Program, including a comparison of power consumption levels in the various regions and different months of the year, in examination of the option of setting an annual maximum subsidy consumption level as opposed to the monthly maximum to identify changes to the program to ensure that power is affordable to all residents and small businesses in all the NWT communities throughout the year while maintaining an incentive for residents and small businesses to limit their non-essential power consumption; and further that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the government report back to the appropriate standing committee of the 16th Legislative Assembly as early as possible in that Assembly's term of office; and furthermore that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the government direct the NWT Power Corporation and Northland Utilities, Yellowknife, Limited, to develop an initiative to provide user-friendly real-time in-home meters which will allow residential customers to monitor and, where appropriate, reduce their power consumption. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 14, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly strongly urges the Government of the Northwest Territories to implement criminal records checks at least every year for all public service employees who have contact with children, youth and other vulnerable persons; and further that the government direct all its boards and agencies to adopt policies for criminal records checks of all volunteers who have contact with children, youth and other vulnerable persons; and furthermore that the government make it a condition of all contribution agreements that the recipient organizations implement criminal records checks for their staff and volunteers who have contact with children, youth and other vulnerable persons; and furthermore that this Legislative Assembly strongly urges the private and non-governmental sectors to adopt similar criminal records check procedures for their staff and volunteers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 8 has had first reading.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 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. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

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

---Carried

Bill 8 has had second reading and is referred to Committee of the Whole.

I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee today, Mr. Lafferty?

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008. Mahsi.

Agreed.

Agreed, thank you. We'll do that right after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

Okay. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Order. Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008. I would like to ask Minister Roland if he would like to provide his opening remarks.

Yes, Madam Chair. Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008 requests authority for additional appropriations of $58.169 million for operations expenditures and $78.898 million for capital investment expenditures in the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

The request for operations expenditures includes $14.037 million for investments in new initiatives for priorities identified during the 2007-2010 business planning process. Major items include:

$5.5 million to support initiatives identified in the GNWT energy plan and Greenhouse Gas Strategy. Of this amount, $2.4 million will be funded from the federal government's eco-Trust for clean air and climate change;

$3.7 million for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to implement the redesign of the Income Security Program;

$1 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to start the implementation of standardized foster care rates in the NWT;

$960,000 for the Department of Public Works and Services and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to establish apprentices in the GNWT to help address the shortage of skilled tradespersons in the NWT;

$560,000 for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to support initiatives identified in "A Barren-Ground Caribou Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2006-2010;" and

$420,000 for the Department of Justice to provide policing services to the communities of Wrigley and Gameti.

Other items included in this request for operations expenditures are:

$3.8 million for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the provision of French and aboriginal language services in the Northwest Territories. The expenditures will be fully offset by revenues from the GNWT;

$3.5 million for increases to the northern allowance rate as provided for in the Collective Agreement between the GNWT and the Union of Northern Workers; and

$3.3 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to provide contribution funding to the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to fund $1.3 million of the authority's 2005-2006 accumulated deficit and $1 million of the authority's projected 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 operating deficits.

The operational funding request also includes $22.1 million for contribution funding for the continuation of infrastructure projects not completed in the 2006-2007 fiscal period. Funding for these projects was approved and lapsed in 2006-2007.

The major request for capital investment expenditures is $74.9 million in capital carry-overs from the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. At this time I will ask Mr. Roland if he would like to bring witnesses into the Chamber for the review of the bill. Mr. Roland.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Is the committee agreed?

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you. I’ll ask Mr. Thagard, our Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses to the table.

Mr. Roland, for the record could you please introduce your witnesses? Mr. Roland.