Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Lands, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve received a number of complaints from citizens out there as to citizens hauling material out. We did some follow-up, and in most cases, these were leases that were let. They have up to three years to put a structure on there. So most of them checked out and they had legitimate leases.
But for those that are squatting on Territorial land, as we call it now, we will take action against them. I think we’ve got 12 cases in the hopper right now that we’re working on, and as we continue to get more reports of people squatting out there, we will go and investigate. If we have to, we will investigate and pursue it further. Thank you.
I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Devolution certainly gave control of most of the lands of the NWT to the territorial government, but control is more than writing regulations – they sound good on paper, obviously – it is also having the ability and the will the Minister has expressed to enforce them. Unenforced regulations might as well not exist, as we’ve learned from our federal management experience.
What resources, money and people does the Minister plan to put into addressing the burgeoning enforcement issue in relation to these new regulations? Mahsi.
Before devolution, in recognizing some of the situations that we were facing, we had actually helped our enforcement division within Municipal and Community Affairs to deal with some of these. Since devolution and all the folks we got over from AANDC and the number of people that we brought on board, our enforcement division is a lot larger now. As for the exact numbers, I’d have to get those to the exact dollar figures. I would have to get those.
But I made a commitment to Members during briefing that we are committed to dealing with the squatting issue out there, and if we have to increase our enforcement and the money that we put into it, then that’s the route we will take. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister. Just driving out to Behchoko, I estimate perhaps 100 cases of land occupancy en route. I have no idea how many are legal or not, but the last time I looked there were two leases between Yellowknife and Behchoko.
The Department of Lands has no inventory of illegal structures on Territorial land, of which we know there are at least dozens, possibly hundreds, despite their mandate, and a list of the legal structures in place through leases. It would seem easy enough to develop such an inventory, identifying all the structures and subtracting the ones which we know – the Minister would know having issued them – are legal leases.
How does the Minister propose to even begin enforcing newly minted regulations if we have no idea who is flouting them? Mahsi.
We have a pretty good idea of the numbers out there and names that are attached with them. We had over 550 personal and recreational use leases that came over from AANDC, not including the ones we had in MACA, which wasn’t that large of a number. We also know of fewer than 200 documented unauthorized users. So we know those numbers right now and we’ll work off those numbers as we work to complete our inventory of all land occupancy across the Northwest Territories and Territorial land and we will update our numbers again.
I’ve committed to provide updates to committee on a regular basis on the work we are doing. We do have some numbers and names that go with the numbers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I’m hearing something different than I heard recently, that we don’t have an inventory and we can’t afford to make one, and that we have some indication of what’s legal, and that’s upwards of a couple hundred of unauthorized land users.
The Minister has indicated the mechanism for members of the public to report suspected squatters when they come across them in their travels across our commons is a worthwhile action, in my communications with the Minister. Such a simple instrument of capturing public capacity should be operational today in order to provide important perspectives on illegal occupancy during the development of regs and help prepare for the enforcement the Minister declares is forthcoming.
Why have we not heard about a way to incorporate the straightforward participation of the public enveloping such an inventory and when and how will the public learn about this initiative? Mahsi.
The public plays a great role in helping with the inventory. As I mentioned before, we do get a number of calls from the public, identifying or questions that they might have to someone’s occupancy. Sometimes we are able to satisfy their inquiry, and in some cases we find out it may be somebody that’s illegally on that land, so we will act on that.
There is an opportunity for them to call our department. I think we made it available on our website. We have developed a communication plan that we want to share with the public to let them know what they can do as far as reporting and having their input into the whole recreational leasing policy framework that we want to do. We have a communication plan and we will work with the Members and have this plan go public, so they have an idea of what we’re doing and where they can go for their input. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Menicoche. Earlier in the day I spoke about being upset about the RCMP detachments in Gameti and Wrigley being postponed indefinitely. I`d like to ask the Minister of Justice, what is the nature of our new contract for RCMP services with regard to infrastructure? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in 2007, when it was contemplated about building detachments in Gameti and Wrigley, we were under the old policing services contract. The federal government was responsible at the time for capital costs of new detachments in the Northwest Territories. In 2012 we signed a new Police Services Agreement where the Government of the Northwest Territories was 70 percent responsible for those same capital costs. Back in May of 2012, my predecessor at the Department of Justice, Minister Abernethy, had written a letter to yourself outlining the changes in the new policing services that we have, the agreement we have with the feds, and outlined we are in a different set of circumstances when it came to new detachments in the Northwest Territories. That was outlined in that letter, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
I would like to thank the Minister for that clarification. The needs are still there, Mr. Speaker.
What is the plan to ensure that Wrigley and Gameti RCMP detachments make it on the 20-year capital needs assessment? How can the Minister and what can the Minister do to ensure it at least makes that 20-year capital plan?
We’d have to continue to work with the RCMP on making that determination. When I was recently in Gameti last week with Minister Lafferty, we discussed ways to enhance the level of service for the community of Gameti. We are very much interested in looking at ways the RCMP can continue to work with the leadership and community members across the Northwest Territories on community policing plans, identifying priorities in the community that are important to the leaders and the members in that community and carrying out the work of the RCMP in those communities where we can enhance services, and that’s what we talked about with the residents and the chief there last week, how we could enhance and look at possibilities of enhancing service.
I understand the members that are based out of Fort Simpson service the community of Wrigley on a weekly basis and overnight in the community a couple nights a week. We need to continue the dialogue with the community of Wrigley and, Mr. Speaker, if the Member likes, like I did in Gameti, we had an opportunity to go there and explain to the leadership of the community what we were doing with the RCMP and the department of Justice in providing that service to the community to the best of our ability. I’d be more than happy to travel to his community of Wrigley to explain that to Wrigley as well. Thank you.
I would certainly welcome the Minister to the riding and we can work on something about that.
The news article also spoke about these facilities costing about $11 million to $13 million. I think in 2007, when we were discussing the possibility, we were looking at a portable and a much smaller facility. At least it had a holding cell when the RCMP were there.
What kind of facility and what kind of plans is he talking about if he wants to spend that much money for a facility? It seems quite excessive for the needs of the community. Thank you.
A new detachment does come with a lofty price tag. That’s why, with the resources that we do have, we have to try to find a way of moving forward with improving the level of service. In the case of Gameti, we talked about a holding cell being provided in the community. If we get into Wrigley and Wrigley leadership identifies that as a need, that’s something we will continue to work on.
We always need to be moving the yardsticks forward, Mr. Speaker. In the case of providing service, we are going to do that.
Again, I look forward to travelling to Wrigley and I can explain that to the community myself. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think back in the mid-‘70s when they had an RCMP detachment in Wrigley, they were talking about developing a road and pipelines. Some of those same issues are coming up again with the development that’s happening in the Sahtu.
Can they start planning and see the need to establish an RCMP detachment in Wrigley to be prepared for the development that’s going to happen? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
That’s a discussion that, yes, we can certainly have with the RCMP. As we move forward, I did want to mention, as well, the policing plan for Wrigley and the highlights for that, combatting domestic violence and violence in relationships, combatting substance abuse and related crime, youth and community crime prevention and also community policing and Aboriginal wellness. Those were the needs identified by the community of Wrigley, something the RCMP continue to work on with the community. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I talked about the sixth season launch of Ice Pilots. I obviously have some questions for the Minister responsible, ITI. They handle the film industry in the Northwest Territories.
Can the Minister indicate to us what his department is currently doing to encourage more film production in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve just completed a report, entitled “The Sector Analysis and Action Plan for Screen-Based Media Production in the Northwest Territories.” We’re going to use this information, the information gleaned in that report, as the basis for a film strategy for the Northwest Territories, which we hope to have completed by March of 2015. So a lot of work is continuing to move forward on this. Thank you.
We just received the report, so we haven’t had a full analysis of it.
Can the Minister indicate the revocations of the current industry that we have in the Northwest Territories and what kind of impacts and benefits we’ve been getting from that? Thank you.
Thank you. It’s just under $10 million, the annual figure that the film industry gives to the economy here in the Northwest Territories. That’s the latest figure that I have. Thank you.
Is there currently any funding available for film production? Like I indicated, we have Andrew Stanley and a small group of people that were creating a 10-part series.
Is there any funding available currently through ITI to do any of those types of projects? Thank you.
Thank you. We have our suite of business-related programs and services through ITI. In addition to that, we also have a new expenditure-based rebate program that we’ll be launching next month, November of this year. So we’re looking forward to seeing if that can be successful in helping to attract investment in the film industry here to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know it’s key for the film industry to have that encouragement here, but does the department currently have a link between the film industry and… I know Ice Pilots was very appealing to tourism. Is there a link that has the film industry and tourism tied together?
As I indicated, Ice Pilots has been the big attraction throughout Canada and throughout the world to come to Canada, come north, come fly on a DC-3. So, have we used that in our tourism promotion as well? Thank you.
Thank you. We have a film commissioner here in the Northwest Territories who works at the Department of ITI and she’s certainly very well-versed in the film industry, the advance of film production here in the Northwest Territories. Shows that have been filmed here in the Northwest Territories have a direct correlation with tourism, and she certainly is well-plugged into NWT Tourism and the tourism staff that we have at the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’ve been raising concerns on several matters, but this matter is regarding breast cancer.
Cancer is kind of a personal mission of mine and I want to ensure that the public is educated and has the information to understand that cancer can be beaten.
So my question is as follows: The evidence clearly shows that screening is critical for preventing and effectively treating breast cancer. What is the department doing to increase the number of Dene, Inuit and Metis women to receive proper breast screening? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do thank the Member for the question. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death here in the Northwest Territories and breast cancer is certainly a huge problem here.
Experience has shown that the best means to improve breast cancer screening is to have an organized program of systematic recall. We have put in breast cancer screening services in the Northwest Territories and those programs are located in Hay River, Yellowknife and Inuvik. As of this summer, June 2014, the Stanton Breast Cancer Screening Program added Behchoko to their organized Breast Cancer Screening Program. We’re hoping that this will help improve screening results for communities, which has been traditionally quite low.
I would say to the Member and I would say to all residents of the Northwest Territories, especially those living in small communities, early detection is key here. The earlier someone is detected the better. We do have well man and well woman clinics in all of the health centres throughout the Northwest Territories.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage residents of the Northwest Territories to take advantage of those well man and well woman clinics and get in on a regular basis and get screened as early as possible. Thank you.
I’d like to thank the Minister for his reply. One thing I notice is that lifestyle factors play a huge role in the development of so many chronic diseases, factors such as eating, poor diet, heavy fat, sugar and processed foods, smoking, not getting enough exercise and consuming too much alcohol. In the North our Aboriginal populations have a lot of trouble in these areas. What is the government doing about it? Mahsi.
The Member is exactly right; it’s important to live healthy lifestyles. It’s important to eat healthy and be active, and that would help you, obviously, reduce your risk of getting cancer, including breast cancer.
Right now we’re currently working on the development of a Cancer Strategy here in Northwest Territories. The five key areas of that strategy will be: primary prevention and health promotion, so finding ways to encourage people to live a healthy and active lifestyle; emotional and cultural safety and delivery of diagnosis, getting people diagnosed early and making sure that when they are diagnosed there are supports throughout the Northwest Territories that they can utilize in their journey; we’ll talk about integrating patient supports and services along that journey; promotion of screening and early detection services; and empower patients to be effective self-advocates.
But this is going to take more than just the Government of the Northwest Territories. This is going to take partnerships. We have been working with the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and we’ve been working on a number of different fronts, including things to reduce childhood obesity through education, reducing chronic disease by improving lifestyle choices, enhance relationships between care providers and Aboriginal cancer patients, strengthen the provision of high-quality continuous treatment, and survivorship care to Aboriginal care patients. So there are a number of things we’re doing. We’re doing that in partnership with different groups and we have been working with residents who have had or gone through the cancer journey to share their stories and talk about healthy eating, healthy living and getting diagnosed early. Thank you.
The Minister makes reference to the development of a Cancer Strategy. I understand that’s been in the making for some time.
Can he tell the House the process and timeline of when that strategy will be developed and when it could be perhaps made available to this side of the House? Plus, at the same time, will that be part of a public campaign? Mahsi.
Thank you. We intend to have the strategy ready by June 2015, but at the same time, we’re not actually waiting for the strategy to be done. The work that I mentioned, we’re already in the process of doing. This is something that can’t wait.
We continue to work on the healthy choices, we continue to work on improving methods of getting people in and screened as early as possible. The strategy will help inform the things that we’re already doing and improve even more, but we are definitely not waiting for that strategy to be done.
I’d be happy to meet with committee and provide them with that strategy in June 2015, when it’s ready to roll out, for any additional input and guidance from committee. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the department have specific measurable long-term targets for reducing the number of new cancer patients? Mahsi.
Thank you. Due to the changes in the NWT Public Health Act in 2009, we were able to actually start collecting information on things like breast cancer and we have been collecting that data and reporting that data. That’s going to help us set targets. The longer that data continues, the better the information will be to help us make that evidence-based decision. So the answer is yes, we’re working with the statistics we have to improve our results here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
QUESTION 469-17(5):
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the recent tabling of the 2013-2014 Public Accounts, I find myself asking some preliminary questions of valid transparent government spending. The sharing of information within consensus government is critical to the implementation of risk-free services.
That said, in the context of corporate risk management, programs and services are continually being reviewed, evaluated and, especially, audited. I wish to discuss on a very high level those departments that deal with problematic and inherent risk. With that, my questions today will be for the Minister of Finance.
The Department of Finance apparently does an annual audit work plan that targets high-risk audits approved by an audit committee.
Can the Minister indicate to the House how many approved audits were planned for the 2013-2014 fiscal year and what percentages of these project audits were completed? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The audit committee approved 12 audit projects in 2013-14 based on the audit risk assessment methodology which is used to identify or determine systemic risks inherent in government programs and services associated with governance framework, internal audits and…(inaudible)… independent oversights. Eight of the approved 12 projects were assessed as being ready for audit by the Audit Bureau in 2013. Four of the proposed 12 projects were deferred based on management feedback. In some cases, new business processes were being designed and that required time to be implemented. In 2013-14 a total of seven audit projects were completed by the Audit Bureau. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we did get some information here, but I do have another question to gather a little bit more statistics.
Another important measure of success of the implementation of audit recommendations by management is addressing these so-called outstanding high risks.
Can the Minister indicate to the House how many of these recommendations were reported in the 2013-2014 fiscal year and what percentage of these recommendations were actually implemented? Thank you.
