I was going to but the Minister changed… No.
---Laughter
No, I have not had consultation with the Minister of Health on using that facility for a treatment centre at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 18-17(5), asked by Mr. Bromley on June 4, 2014, to the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, regarding resources spent on Wildlife Act consultations.
It is difficult to separate the amount of money spent on development of regulations from funds spent on the development of the act itself as both processes occurred during the same fiscal year and costs and accounting for each organization are covered under a single contribution agreement. With that in mind, I offer the following estimates of expenses since the act was passed in November 2013.
Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) provided approximately $55,000 to Aboriginal governments for participation in two face-to-face meetings and two teleconferences with the Wildlife Act Working Group (WAWG). This group is made of up approximately 35 people from across the Northwest Territories. Most of the funding went to cover travel, accommodation and honoraria costs and a legal review of regulations to ensure consistency with Aboriginal and treaty rights and land claims rights and processes. The next WAWG meeting will be in July 2014.
ENR provided about $8,000 to wildlife co-management boards for their WAWG participation. The majority of these funds went to cover travel, accommodation and honoraria expenses.
ENR provided approximately $20,000 to members of Stakeholders Wildlife Act Advisory Group (SWAAG) to cover costs to review materials and participate in two face-to-face meetings. Most of this funding went to cover honoraria and some limited travel as most members reside in Yellowknife. SWAAG members agreed that they have had adequate input into the regulations that required consultation and public engagement over the summer, and their next face-to-face meeting should be in October after public engagement and consultation is complete.
ENR spent approximately $15,000 on related items including room rentals, catering, material printing, et cetera.
The amount of staff time spent working and consulting with various groups to develop the regulations cannot be broken down by group as the majority of staff time is spent researching and developing concept papers, preparing and reviewing drafting instructions, and drafting regulations that are shared equally with all groups. The same staff also participates in each of the meetings identified above. With that in mind, ENR has approximately 3.5 full-time person years dedicated to this project with additional ongoing input from renewable resource officers and regional superintendents through the NWT, communications specialists, legal counsel from the Department of Justice, and staff from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. In addition, the Department of Justice has provided a dedicated drafter for the development of the regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 11, replies to opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, and wishes to report to the Assembly that Bill 30 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed the following bills: Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act; Bill 29, Human Tissue Donation Act; and Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Pharmacy Act. I wish to report to the Assembly that Bills 25, 29 and 32 are ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
The Standing Committee on Social Programs has also reviewed Bill 27, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2014, and wishes to report that Bill 27 as amended and reprinted is also ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations wishes to report that we are reviewing Bill 12, Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, and would like to report that additional time is required to complete the review of Bill 12.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. The motion is carried.
---Carried
The 120-day review period for Bill 12, Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, has been extended to October 31, 2014.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2015-2016;” Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 14-7(5), Expansion of Policing and Nursing Services;” and “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 17-17(5), Interim Measures for the Commercial Harvest of Wild Mushrooms.”
Finally, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Justice, I wish to table the following document, entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 9-17(5), Report on the Review of the 2012-2013 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.”
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 6-17(5), Report on the Review of the 2014 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on the NWT Child and Family Services;” and “Building Stronger Families: An Action Plan to Transform Child and Family Services.”
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three documents to table here before the House. Document one, “Distinguishing Between Natural and Anthropogenic Sources of Arsenic in Soils from Giant Mine, Northwest Territories, and the North Brookfield Mine, Nova Scotia,” by Laurie Ann Wright. It’s a Queen’s University study, September 2008. The second document is “Giant Mine Remediation Project, Giant Mine Working Group, April 2014, Meeting Summary,” written on April 16, 2014. Finally, I have a Fraser Institute Report, April 2014, on Canadian Government Debt, 2014.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 13-17(5), Training for Early Childhood Workers;” and “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 22-17(5), Funding to Implement Junior Kindergarten.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Government of the Northwest Response to Motion 15-17(5), Public Access to Automated External Defibrillators.” Further to my Return to Written Question 19-17(5), I wish to table the following document, entitled “Summary of Financial Security Held by the Government of the Northwest Territories.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will call Committee of the Whole to order. There are a number of matters before committee today. What is the wish of committee? Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish to report progress.
---Carried
Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, Mrs. Groenewegen?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Do I have a seconder to the motion? Mr. Blake.
---Carried
Item 22, third reading of bills. Today I just want to welcome back the Clerk, who was on a one-year leave from the Assembly. Welcome back Mr. Tim Mercer.
