Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a big question, and I'm trying to be brief, but it's an important one and I'm happy to have a chance to speak to it very, very briefly. But there needs to be a balance between being flexible and responsive and providing certainty to the business community. The business community needs to know what they're dealing with when they're making a bid. At the same time, things do change. COVID has showed us that things do change.
So it's certainly been my view in this role that we can have certainty and have clear processes, transparent processes, but also make it clear that we will make changes when we need to and when it's pointed out to us that they are required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Before we continue, I think the speed date has got the interpreters in overdrive here. So just slow down a little bit, and we'll get through this. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm trying to make sure that my colleague from Monfwi has time to ask questions.
Mr. Speaker, the next commitment I'm looking for from the Minister is a better evaluation and picture of the landscape of procurement so that we know that the government is being held accountable and businesses have a clear indication of what is happening with GNWT procurement. I'm very thankful, first of all, to the Minister of Finance actually, with her other hat on, who did produce an infographic of what procurement looks in the Northwest Territories. But what businesses want to be able to see is more data and more data being analyzed as to how the government is actually spending public money in the Northwest Territories. And I'm wondering if the Minister is willing to commit to an annual report card of the sorts. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I'm not mistaken, that infographic grew out of a series of questions here in the House maybe this time last year. I've also had positive responses to it. If we can improve it, I'm committed to doing that. So let me start by saying perhaps I'll check in with my colleague to see what gaps she sees, and we can continue to improve the report card that we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be questioning the Housing Minister. She had mentioned that we will be receiving ten houses. What kinds of houses are we expecting? And also are we also going to have houses for homeownership? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can provide those further details to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Translation] Also we'd like to know which locations these housing are going to. We know that there's a lot of shortage of housing in the communities. They did allocate ten houses. I'm sure it's not only from Behchoko. Whati, Gameti, Wekweeti also need are in need of housing. I'd like to know the locations and also what kind of houses, how big of a house are they getting? Are they getting prefab or trailers? What type of housing is it? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct, we have units going into the Member's riding but they're not only specific to Behchoko. They're throughout the surrounding communities as well too. But with those specific details of the size of the units, what type of units, land tenure, I will follow up with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I said all the four communities needs housing. And I want we would like to know where, because the Tlicho region would like to know if they're going to be getting a house, Whati, Gameti, or Wekweeti as well. And does the Minister have a plan in place to increase the number of houses in Tlicho region for homeownership program? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, we have all of the single family housing units, public housing units that are up for sale right now. We have been corresponding and working with those tenants that may be interested in acquiring homeownership for their units. And right now, specifically, we don't have any new homeownership units going into the communities. What we are building are duplexes, three fourplexes into the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.
Thank you. Okay, I'll do it in English, okay. Minister said that the Minister said they had she has an agreement in place with Tlicho government, with the working group. So can the Minister update and when was the last time she they met with Tlicho government working group? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are working towards an MOU with the Tlicho working group. I'm not too sure on the specific date that we have met last. But we do also have our engagements with the Indigenous groups as well, the Council of Leaders. So we actually just met with them, I want to say, two weeks ago. But then I will follow up with the Member on a specific date of when we had last met with the Tlicho solely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Aurora College Corporate Plan 2021/2022; Revised Aurora College Capital Budget 2021/2022; and, 2020-2021 Annual Report on Official Languages. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: The GNWT's Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Action Plan; The GNWT's Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework; and, The Interim Public Accounts for the GNWT for the year ended March 31st, 2021. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document:
Community Access Program 2020-2021 Results Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.
Tabled Document 501-19(2):
Royalties Paid to GNWT from the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act Reports versus Royalties Received from the GNWT Public Accounts 2016-2021
Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following three documents entitled: Royalties Paid to GNWT from the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act Reports versus Royalties Received from the GNWT Public Accounts 2016-2021; and, Redacted Summaries of the Meetings of the GNWT-NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines COVID-19 Recovery Working Group 2020-2021; and, last one, Mr. Speaker, Observations on the Redacted Summaries of the Meetings of the GNWT-NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines COVID-19 Recovery Working Group. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Tabling of documents. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Northwest Territories Territorial Police Service Agreement, April 1, 2012. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Tabling of documents. Colleagues, pursuant to section 5 of the Indemnities Allowances and Expense Regulations of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the summary of Members absences for the period May 27th, 2021 to November 21st, 2021. Thank you.
Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills.
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.
Madam Chair, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 43719(2), Capital Estimates, 20222023, with Municipal and Community Affairs, Legislative Assembly, Justice, Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Infrastructure; and Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Justice Act. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and begin with the first item.
---SHORT RECESS
I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 43719(2), Capital Estimates, 20222023, and we will now return to the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. On page 65, regional operations with information items on page 66. We have questions, comments?
Oh, sorry. Minister, did you wish to bring witnesses? Thank you. SergeantatArms, please escort the witness into the Chamber.
Minister, please introduce your witness.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On my right is Deputy Minister Laura Gareau. Thank you.
Do Members have any questions, comments under the regional operations? Seeing none, Municipal and Community Affairs, regional operations, infrastructure investments, $29,150,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, Members. Please return now to the departmental summary found on page 64. Municipal and Community Affairs 20222023, capital estimates, $29,150,000. Does committee agree?
