Mr. Speaker, we’ve done a number of upgrades to tank farms around the Northwest Territories, and one of the things that we’ve done is put a secondary safety valve on the ones that we’re responsible for. Unfortunately, at Fort Good Hope the two valves failed and we ended up with an oil spill of 11,500 litres. Fortunately, it was all contained within the berm so that there is no environmental damage. It has been cleaned up. The department and its partners are doing research, an investigation into the valves that leaked. We had sent out staff to all of our tank farms to physically take a look at the valves to make sure that none are leaking. Of the 20 we have in place, the only two that appear to have leaked are the ones in Fort Good Hope and we’re confident that we’re not going to experience any more leaks. But we are going to monitor them on a regular basis, daily, by the contractors, to make sure that any leaks that happen are known early to stop excessive amounts of fuel being spilled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the information I have in front of me is October 29, 2012, one litre of gasoline in Fort Good Hope is about $1.07. So we lost 11,500 litres of fuel. Thank God for the berms that they had built there.
Can he also communicate this to the Minister of Environmental and Natural Resources, that when there are spills of such a large amount, that the MLA is also kept up to date as to the environmental damages and what’s happening with the damaged fuel that’s in that area? Can the Minister inform me this will be done as soon as possible? I hope that we have a new policy by next week.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to also ask the Minister for a response in regard to the fault of this fuel spill. Was it the manufacturer? Was it the contractor? I’m hoping that with the operator that they do certain checks, that the operator doesn’t get dinged with a big fuel bill for cleanup. Has that been sorted out? Is the person who is responsible picking up the tab on this?
As I indicated previously, there is an investigation and research being done into this particular case. It is my understanding that there have been discussions with insurance companies and other individuals involved so the cost can be covered.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’d like to ask the Minister if there are any plans to offer wellness programs at the Gwich’in wellness centre this year.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m hoping that this was one of the areas that the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness would be looking at. I know that infrastructure is available and exists within existing infrastructure that is designed for wellness and treatment. I’m hoping that it’s looked at, but I don’t have an indication now that they have looked at that. Not because they haven’t, but because they just haven’t advised me that they have. Initially when we rolled out our wellness plan, I don’t believe there was money allocated to work within that wellness camp.
In the past few years, we’ve had great success at the Gwich’in wellness camp offering programs to elders and other people who needed help dealing with everything that’s come out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. There is a growing demand for wellness in all regions but especially up in the Mackenzie Delta where we don’t have facilities available. I’d like to ask the Minister if he will work with the Gwich’in Tribal Council to offer programs that people could take advantage of.
I am prepared to have the department and the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority engage the Gwich’in Tribal Council to see if it’s feasible for us to do some wellness work at that camp.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents, entitled Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2011-2012; Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2011-2012; and Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2012-2013.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a document here from the Department of Justice, the RCMP Detachment Comparison Report, Northwest Territories, for the Sahtu Region.
I give notice that on Monday, March 11, 2013, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment revise its Diamond Policy Framework to reflect the needs of a successful secondary industry by:
securing the diamond certification process and enhanced marketing of the Polar Bear trademark;
strengthening conditions for northern-approved manufacturers with the goal of keeping diamonds in the North;
establishing a diamond bourse to facilitate localized sorting, evaluating and rough box purchasing; and
emphasizing socio-economic agreements where local job security and creation and a balance of skills, gender and ethnicity are paramount;
And further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this motion within 120 days.
WHEREAS the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly will be absent from the Legislative Assembly for the period August 15, 2013, to August 14, 2014;
AND WHEREAS Section 54. (1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act provides that the Clerk shall be appointed by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories on the recommendation of the Board of Management approved by motion of the Legislative Assembly;
AND WHEREAS the Board of Management has recommended the appointment of an acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Ms. Colette Langlois be appointed Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for the period August 15, 2013, to August 14, 2014, by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Board of Management of the Legislative Assembly.
There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014; Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act; and Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act; Legislative Assembly, Environment and Natural Resources, Industry, Tourism and Investment, Health and Social Services, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. The next department that’s up is the Legislative Assembly. I’d like to ask Speaker Jacobson if he’d like to make opening comments.
Yes, I would, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Please proceed.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the 2013-2014 estimates for the Legislative Assembly. The Board of Management is seeking an operations expenditures appropriation of $18.239 million, a slight decrease from the 2012-2013 estimates.
This Assembly continues to improve its broadcasting system. This week we are conducting live broadcasts of public hearings held in Committee Room “A” by standing committees. In April the Assemblies of Nunavut and Northwest Territories will make a joint submission to the CRTC to designate our respective broadcasts a “must carry” on direct to home satellite television services in Canada’s North. The Legislative Assembly is the most important symbol of public government in the Northwest Territories. If this is to continue, we must not only keep doing relevant and important work, but we must be seen to be doing such work. Our broadcast system is at the centre of our efforts in this regard.
Colleagues, I want to advise Members that we are continuing to make improvements to our Page Program. In addition to ensuring that we are served by Pages from throughout our territory, we are taking steps to ensure they continue to be safe and well supervised while they are in the capital. The Pages that serve us in this House do very good work for us and I thank them all for this.
Colleagues, this year will mark the 20th anniversary of the official opening of our Legislative Building. This fall will also mark the repayment of our mortgage to the Legislative Assembly Building Society. We are planning a “mortgage burning” ceremony to celebrate this milestone and the fact that we will no longer be tenants in our own Legislature. In addition to other celebrations of our history, we plan to unveil portraits of all the Premiers who have served the people of the Northwest Territories. These portraits will form part of the permanent display in our Legislature.
Colleagues, this budget provides funding for the independent commission to review Members’ compensation and allowances which must be struck and report to the House next year.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This concludes my opening remarks. I am pleased to respond to any questions Members may have.
Thank you, Speaker Jacobson. Would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, I would.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. I’d like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to bring the witnesses to the table.
Speaker Jacobson, for the record, would you please introduce your witnesses.
Madam Chair, to my right I have Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and to my left I have Mr. Darrin Ouellette, director of corporate services.
Thank you, Speaker Jacobson. General comments.
Detail.
Detail. We’ll stand down page 1-7 and come back to that at the end. Legislative Assembly, infrastructure investment summary, information item.
Agreed.
Page 1-9, Legislative Assembly, revenue summary, information item. Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome, Mr. Speaker, and Board of Management. Just a clarification, I’m looking at the amortization of capital contributions. We had a $1,000 in 2011-2012, nothing in 2012-13 and we see the $1,000 return in the main estimates. I know it’s a small number, but it’s more the pattern of activity. Can we get an explanation of that amortization of capital?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Ouellette.
We can get that answer for you, Madam Chair. We don’t have that level of detail right now.
