Agreed.
Committee, 2-22, Executive, activity summary, executive operations, grants and contributions, grants, total grants, $350,000. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I have to ask a question here with regard to the NGO Stabilization Fund. This amount for this fund has stayed the same, certainly for these three years that we can see, and I don’t think it’s been increased since its inception. I think the Minister is well aware, and I think the department is well aware, that there are huge demands from our NGOs for extra funds over and above what they either fundraise for themselves or manage to get from various and sundry program grants or other grants elsewhere.
I’d like to know, first of all, whether the Minister considers the demands for funds that come from these NGOs on an annual basis when they apply for this fairly paltry amount of money, does the Minister recognize that these demands are just and that we need to do more than what we are doing to help our NGOs. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we recognize that and we have been reviewing our program and we want to make sure that this amount of money is focused on what we call the real NGOs. I think we’ve made improvements in that area in the last few years. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to the Minister. I do agree; there have definitely been some improvements in terms of the timing of when applications are received, and determined, and money gone out. It was pretty miserable there for a while but it’s been apparently really good in the last year or two. Again, this is just a comment, but I would exhort the department to try and find money to increase this fund. I think even to $500,000 would allow a number of the NGOs who don’t get money to maybe get some. For an NGO $50,000 is a lot of money. It’s peanuts to us but it’s a great deal of money to an NGO. So I would encourage the department to do what they can to try and find money from within to pump up this $350,000 in the ’13-14 year. Thank you.
We will endeavour to do that. Also, our fiscal strategy would allow us a little more flexibility in future years as well. We think this is a very important area, so we’ll take the Member’s counsel and do whatever we can to try to increase this amount. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Committee, we’re on 2-22. We have Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to add my voice to my colleague Ms. Bisaro’s. I appreciate the Premier recognizing this. I think it’s well understood that these volunteer groups, and many of them have paid members, paid staff and so on, but they play a real role in our society. It’s a balance in the government and the market and civil society.
Thank you. Maybe I used the incorrect wording, I guess. I was thinking of crucial NGOs that provide or deliver GNWT funded services and, also, in the past we’ve had our organizations that are funded from other organizations that have other avenues for funding have applied. I guess what I was trying to say was that those organizations that don’t have other funding sources, we try to focus on those ones. Thank you.
Thanks for that clarification. I certainly do support the Stabilization Fund and would support it being bumped up if possible. So I’ll leave it that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I think that was more of a comment. We’ll treat it as that. Committee, we’re on 2-22, Executive, activity summary, executive operations, grants and contributions, total grants, $350,000, total grants and contributions, $350,000. Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 2-23, Executive, information item, executive operations, active positions. Any questions?
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 2-25, Executive, activity summary, Cabinet support, operations expenditure summary, $2.521 million. Is committee agreed? Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to ask a question here with regard to the women’s advisory, and there’s also a women’s initiatives grants on the next page. The women’s advisory office does a number of things. One of the things that I understand it does is to work to try and give a greater profile across government to sort of gender-based analysis. Could I just start with that question? Is that a function of the women’s advisory office to try and enhance the understanding of gender-based analysis across all of government? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. For that we’ll go to Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’s correct and this position gives a focus to not only women’s issues, but also to promote advances in gender equity. Thank you.
Thank you. So one of the things that, in my mind, gender-based analysis should do is to put a gender-based lens on any policy or any program or service that we may put into place. So we started from what I sort of think of as a zero position and are gradually working our way up and implementing a gender-based analysis lens on everything. Could I get some kind of an evaluation from the department as to where we are at this point? Are we 50 percent of the way there, are we 80 percent of the way there? How is it going in terms of using gender-based analysis in everything we do? Thank you.
Thank you. I’d say we’re 45 percent of the way there. Our focus has been on promoting it, and also through educational processes holding workshops with the different departments and working with the departments so that there’s a greater understanding of gender equity. I don’t think we’ve reached the point yet where we analyze every project from a gender equity lens, but I think that’s something that we’re aspiring to in the future. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister for that. I appreciate it does take a while because it’s a culture change and it’s a mindset change, and I guess I would just exhort the departments and all departments in the government to just try to remember whenever they are developing anything new that they need to look at it from an operational perspective, but we also have to look at it from a gender-based or a gender-equity perspective. I think one of the things that gets lost sometimes when we talk about gender-based analysis is it’s not only just looking at women. It’s looking at particularly in female-based activities, for instance, we should be looking at it from a men’s perspective as well as from a female perspective. It tends to be more often than not looking at it from a female perspective because there are more men in a lot of positions, but I just want to point out that it’s not just women that we have to consider when we talk about gender-based analysis or gender equity. So thanks, Mr. Chair, just a comment.
I think we understand that and I think it must be working because the largest part of our workforce is female, and I think our deputy minister cadre is about 50 percent male and female. So I think this helps promote gender equity in all the things we do. Thank you.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Committee, we’re on 2-25, Executive, activity summary, Cabinet support, operations expenditure summary, $2.521 million.
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 2-26, Executive, activity summary, Cabinet support, grants and contribution, grants, $50,000, contributions, $795,000, total grants and contributions, $845,000.
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 2-27, Executive, information item, Cabinet support, active positions. Any questions?
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 2-28, Executive, information item, lease commitments, infrastructure any questions?
Agreed.
Page 2-29, Executive, information item, work performed on behalf of others. Any questions?
Agreed.
Committee, if I can get you to return to 2-7, Executive, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $20.464 million.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that consideration of the Department of Executive is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. I’d like to thank Premier McLeod, Mrs. Ballantyne and Ms. Turner for joining us tonight. If I can get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort our witnesses out of the Chamber.
Thank you. Committee, we’re going to continue here with Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. Premier McLeod, do you have any opening comments?
Yes I do, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2013-2014 Main Estimates for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.
The department’s main estimates propose an operations expenditure budget of $7.416 million, an increase of 1.5 percent from the 2012-2013 Main Estimates. This increase is attributed to forced growth of $130,000 for collective bargaining adjustments, less sunsets of $18,000.
The department, on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, is responsible for representing the interests of all Northwest Territories residents in the negotiation and implementation of Aboriginal rights agreements, and through our intergovernmental relations with Aboriginal, territorial, provincial and federal governments. This core business directly supports the 17th Legislative Assembly’s priority of building a strong and sustainable future for our territory, a key aspect of which is strengthening relationships with Northwest Territories Aboriginal governments and other governments across the country.
This government knows the value of good relationships and we have made it a priority to reach out to governments both domestically and nationally. Recently, I was proud to lead a group of political and industry leaders to Ottawa for NWT Days. The key to achieving our potential lies in the power of partnerships, and I believe NWT Days has done a great deal to raise the profile of the Northwest Territories and advance our key priorities. We will continue to develop the goodwill built during NWT Days and further strengthen our presence in the nation’s capital. We will build on the success of NWT Days to create a future where the Northwest Territories and our people are an essential part of Canada’s economy and future.
This government has also made it a priority to reach out to governments across the territory and strengthen our relationships by looking for common ground. This is especially true with our Aboriginal government partners. As part of our commitment to forging strong working relationships with Aboriginal governments, my Cabinet colleagues and I continue to meet regularly with leaders representing Aboriginal governments throughout the Northwest Territories. These meetings have helped us to identify areas where we can make progress together and ways we can strengthen our relationships.
We are already realizing the benefits from these efforts. This past year the Government of the Northwest Territories entered into formal government-to-government agreements with the Tlicho Government, the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the Northwest Territory Metis Nation. These agreements formalize our commitment in how we work together with Aboriginal governments to create a strong and prosperous territory for all residents.
The department will continue to focus on doing its part to build a solid foundation for intergovernmental relations by working effectively with its federal and Aboriginal partners to finalize and implement land, resources and self-government agreements in all regions of the Northwest Territories. With several sets of negotiations nearing critical milestones, we are seeing firsthand how partners working together can achieve significant results. This includes the recent conclusion of a draft Deline Final Self-Government Agreement. Once ratified, this agreement will be the first stand-alone self-government agreement in the Northwest Territories. This will provide the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Deline with the means to implement their Aboriginal right to self-government and strengthen their community, and create new business, investment and job opportunities.
The department’s 2013-2014 Main Estimates include no new investments. While there is much work to be done, the department is committed to working hard at achieving results toward the priorities of the 17th Legislative Assembly within existing resources.
That concludes my opening remarks. I look forward to the committee’s comments and questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Premier McLeod, do you have witnesses you would like to bring into the Chamber?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please escort your witnesses into the Chamber.
Premier McLeod, if you could introduce your witnesses to the House, please.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left I have Andy Bevan, acting deputy minister for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, on my right is Richard Robertson, director of policy, planning and communications with DAAIR. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Welcome to the Chamber this evening, gentlemen. Committee, we’re going to be deferring 4-7. Sorry, general comments.
Detail.
Thank you. Committee will be deferring 4-7. We are going to page 4-8, Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, information item, infrastructure investment summary. Any questions?
Agreed.
Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, information item, revenue summary. Any questions?
