Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We used to have 17 Metis locals; we’re down to 10. The funding is for core funding and administration.
For these 10 Metis organizations, this $20,000 for core funding, that’s a big piece of work that the organizations do. Does our government really believe that the Metis could operate on core funding of $20,000? Let it be known that the cost of operating in the Northwest Territories is astronomical. Is that out of the goodness of the heart of the GNWT, because I surely see a lacking of the federal government involvement in this type of funding.
The funding comes from the core funding that used to go to the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories. When that body dissolved the money that was available was divided amongst 17 Metis locals. They used to receive $13,500, and two years ago we changed the funding formula so they get $20,000 each now.
Is there any sense of this good government going to see Ottawa and the Minister and saying, given that the Constitution has been settled, the Metis people are in the Constitution, is the federal government by any way going to help with our government? Because you do the math of the core funding of $20,000 for a political, constitutional organization, and this is what our government is doing, but the federal government is nowhere to be seen. Is our government doing anything to increase this core funding? This is shameful to give a political organization this type of money.
While we appreciate it from the territorial government, where are the feds in this deal here?
The federal government is negotiating land claims with Metis government, and Metis were included in the Gwich’in land claim and the Sahtu land claim and also in the Tlicho land claim, so it is being negotiated through the land claims process and I know that the federal government does fund some Metis locals that have been able to make their case for specific reasons.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Certainly, Mr. Speaker. There are also the Aboriginal First Nations bands that are in negotiations, but certainly under the federal jurisdictions they certainly get more than $20,000 a year to operate their core funding. I’m trying to see where the equalization of the Metis people to have the same type of treatment by the federal government while our government is doing the best it can with the amount of money that we have.
Where is this Cabinet in regard to seeing what the federal Minister has to say about raising the level of equalization to the Metis people as in the Constitution? Is there a strategy from this government to put the pressure on the federal government?
Thank you. It is being negotiated through the land claims process. Other than that we are funding $20,000 per local. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Aurora College Act under Section 8.(2) says, “The board, in exercising its powers and performing its duties under this act and the regulations, shall act in accordance with the direction of the Minister.” I won’t read the previous Section 7, which allows the Minister to provide direction to the board, because I’ve read that in the House repeatedly. I’ve asked the Minister of Education to provide e-mails to the Board of Governors and to tell the Board of Governors of Aurora College to have town meetings with their students. Has the Minister done such a thing? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The first time the question was raised in this House I did instruct my deputy to follow through with the president of the college to provide the e-mail address on their website for the general public to have access to them. So, based on that, it should be in the works. If not, then I need to follow up on where it stands. But that was the last discussions we had with the college. Mahsi.
Thank you. I look forward to being informed when it’s officially done.
I’ve asked the Minister to encourage or, better said, to tell the Board of Governors to meet with its students at each of the campuses. How better to get an understanding of who you’re supposed to be helping than meeting them?
Has the Minister told the Board of Governors that it would be a good idea to meet with the students at the three campuses?
I need to work with the Aurora College Board of Governors. At this time, this is an area that we’re discussing. I don’t tell them what to do, but I work with them. I do have authority under me as the Department of Education, but at the same time I feel that working together will resolve a lot of these issues and they do have Board of Governors meetings on a rotational basis between the three campuses and even more going into the other communities as well.
So, this is an area that the Board of Governors is reaching out to those students that should be heard, and if not, there’s also a website, there are also e-mails that should be available now for the Board of Governors as well. Mahsi.
I think the Minister meant to say e-mail addresses are on their way, not on the website. I just double-checked while I was there.
Why is this Minister concerned about the feelings of the Board of Governors and not suggesting or giving them direction, which is well under his authority under Section 7 of the Aurora College Act? What is he concerned about? Is he worried about hurting their feelings? Because he’s in charge for the best benefit of the college, the students and certainly the direction the MLAs provide.
Would the Minister of the Department of Education, who is in charge to provide guidance of Aurora College, tell the Board of Governors that it would be a darn good idea to actually meet the students at each of the three campuses, to get to know them because they are there to help them? Thank you.
Mahsi. What I can say today is that it is happening with the Board of Governors when they’re meeting at each campus, they allow opportunities for students to express their concerns as well. As the Minister, I continue to work with the Board of Governors, like the school boards across the Northwest Territories, I work with them.
So we need to build on our relationship that we have and I will continue to do so. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The public easily gets to meet their MLAs, their school board trustees, their city councillors, their town councillors, their mayors. The list goes on.
Would the Minister be willing to step up to the plate and show a little accountability from a Minister’s point of view to direct the college Board of Governors to have open town hall meetings and welcome their students? I don’t know why this seems to be such a difficult challenge for the Minister to provide this type of direction. The students deserve the opportunity to speak to their Board of Governors in an open forum to tell them their needs and certainly deliver their expectations of these governors. Thank you.
Mahsi. I will be sharing that with the Board of Governors. If this is an area that they can possibly build on their meetings that they have had on a rotational basis into their campuses, an open door policy perspective. So I will be sharing with the Board of Governors. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to make comments on this last operations budget for the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to thank the GNWT employees for their hard work and dedication and their innovative thinking for the contribution to this budget. I know we’ve been under a fiscal restraint policy for the last three years and the work that they had to do I can only imagine to be challenging. I’d also like to thank the stakeholders, special interest groups and residents of the Northwest Territories for their input, not only into this budget but into all operations budgets right from the onset of this government.
As the Minister of Finance read the budget address on February 5th and Members of this House and residents throughout the North listened in, I can honestly say this budget demonstrates all the collaborative work this government has done over the last three years and four months. I’d like to refer to it as a masterpiece, a masterpiece that we have been working on over the years. It may not be perfect and still has some flaws, but what we have created is a foundation for others to build on.
This government has accomplished guiding action plans and strategies that will create momentum moving forward for Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Such action plans as the Economic Opportunities Strategy, the Oil and Gas Strategy and the Minerals Development Strategy are important to create investment and economic growth in the Northwest Territories.
However, we all know that the economy is slow and this government has known the importance of investing in one of our greatest resources in the North, and that is our people. This is demonstrated with the development of the Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, the Anti-Poverty Strategy, Early Childhood Development Action Plan and the Education Renewal and Innovation Strategy. These investments will help us reach our goal of healthy, educated people free from poverty.
In regard to this budget, and as a Member representing Inuvik Boot Lake, and in the notorious words of my colleague from Nahendeh, I’m glad. I’m glad to see the continued investments into the Inuvik-Tuk highway. This project has assisted residents in Inuvik and the Hamlet of Tuk, among other communities, to work on a more regular basis and for a few years. This has resulted in a decrease in the income assistance that’s needed as well as increased support to subcontractors and small businesses, both in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.
Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the project I would like to shed light on is the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link and the importance of moving forward with this project. The investment of the Western Arctic Centre for Geomatics is a great start as it will create the foundation for five geomatics services such as remote sensing and research support to the GNWT and other stakeholders throughout Canada and the world.
It will also assist with more investments into such programs as e-learning, telehealth, among other benefits to various departments of government. The Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link will also provide sustainable revenue for the NWT in the future.
We live in an economy that is on a cycle of boom and bust in certain areas of the NWT such as the Beaufort-Delta with the oil and gas. The investments that we put into the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link will help this government have sustainable revenue for years to come.
On the plane ride coming out of Inuvik, I sat with a physician who is working with one of his colleagues in Labrador and northern Quebec. He was talking about how this Fibre Optic Link and telehealth will lead to bigger and better things. He was actually speaking to remote technology and robots and medicine, kind of like what we’re doing with e-learning but in the medical field. That will help reduce costs getting our residents to Edmonton for ultrasounds or other high cost medical care.
Mr. Speaker, if we look at this, we’re going to need further research into this area and start to build on the equipment and resources that will be needed to do such projects and support such projects.
One other area I would like to mention is the Integrated Case Management Pilot Project in Inuvik. I believe this is a good approach to deal with our residents who have special needs and who are in very special situations. It’s a collaborative approach from all departments, Justice, Health, Education, Housing, how we help our residents of the North become members of society and contribute to society once again.
However, with each budget and each department we have reviewed, I do still have some concerns. If I don’t ask questions or criticize this budget, I feel I would not be doing my job as an MLA.
Over the last few years, we’ve been talking about child and family services in the review. Members of this Legislative Assembly tried to put $2 million into the operations budget last year so when the action plan does kick off, our people on the front line would have the support they need to implement the programs and action plans set out in the Child and Family Services Action Plan. However, we did not get that funding in there. It will be interesting to see, moving into the 2015-16 fiscal year, whether or not we are going to be able to do this action plan with the resources we already have.
I also have concerns with the Education Renewal and Innovation Strategy. Same thing, we are trying to recreate the whole education system on the dollars we still have today and implement new programs as well. Tied in with the ERI action plan is the Junior Kindergarten and Early Childhood Development. Since Junior Kindergarten rolled out, we’ve seen nothing but concerns in communities and regions to the point that as a government we had to put a motion on the floor to stop it altogether from continuing until we got the review reporting from small communities on how well this is rolling out. To have that kind of program shoved down the throats of residents, of education authorities and members of standing committees was not the right way to go about that. I’m still concerned about that, Mr. Speaker.
Something that’s pretty near and dear to my heart are the detox services and treatment facilities that we have in the Northwest Territories, or should I say lack of in the Northwest Territories. We have residents in the Northwest Territories who would like to stay home, who would like to be close to family and friends and have the support of their family and friends in this area of services. Yet, we continue to send them down south. The detox services, as much as our Minister says that they are provided in the hospitals, a lot of time when a person does sober up or comes off their drugs that they might be on, they are released from the hospital. That’s not detox services, Mr. Speaker. That’s still a concern I have. As much as we do get the lip service that we are doing detox and taking observations on moving forward, it’s not happening.
Another concern I have is with our population. Over the last two years, two fiscal years in 2013-2014, we had 4,676 residents of the Northwest Territories migrate south and if it wasn’t for some people coming in, which doesn’t even offset that, or the births, we still wouldn’t be getting a lot of the money we see in our territorial funding formula. So those are some concerns I have. With that, there are also concerns on how we’re going to do the 2,000 people coming into the Northwest Territories.
We as a government provide some of the greatest program services in Canada to the tune of $1.6 billion this year for a population of about 44,000 people, just under 44,000, about 43,800. We have to seriously ask ourselves, is this sustainable for next year or the years to come? As a government, do we have the money to provide these services and programs?
I feel that governments in the past, including this government, are making it easier for residents to become more reliant on government programs and services rather than this government empowering our people, our residents, to get a quality education, to be healthy and to further their studies, they become working citizens of the North.
When we went to Ottawa for NWT Days, I had an opportunity to sit in and speak with Scandinavian countries that are doing really good work and how they tax their residents and the tax they get provides programs and services. As I made general comments to the budget address and main estimates in Committee of the Whole, I made mention that the governments of the past failed to look at how we can implement that and how we can do business in the North. It’s too late now because we already have a high cost of living and we don’t want to increase the tax base, but that’s a model we have to look at and see how we can implement that in the Northwest Territories.
I stated earlier, when the economy is slow, as it is now, we have to take a different approach. I do commend the Department of ITI as they know this and have made more investments in this budget for the traditional economy, tourism, agriculture and even film, Mr. Speaker. They know the oil and gas is slow right now, so start to invest in something else that’s going to build the economy in the Northwest Territories and put it out to the regions.
With the oil and gas activities slow, I strongly believe that it is time that this government start to invest in our greatest resource and, as I mentioned, that’s our people. Those investments will pay off tenfold, if not more. We will have healthy, educated, skilled residents who will be ready for work when the economy picks back up. That will result in fewer people on income assistance and fewer people that need housing.
It’s not only investment in people that we need until this economy picks back up but also the need for infrastructure. We heard this loud and clear when some Members met with the Mineralogical Association of Canada. We need to create an infrastructure system that will help get our resources out to market that will help with our resource royalties in the future and help with such things as our debt and other infrastructure projects that we do need.
Before I finish here, especially since this is our last operations budget of the 17th Legislative Assembly, and as Cabinet knows and Members on this side knows, there’s a lot of work that goes on in the meeting rooms when we all converge here in Yellowknife. With that, I would personally like to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their hard work, their wisdom, dedication, knowledge and expertise and persistence over the last three years and four months with all departments that we worked with. This budget that we’re going to pass in this sitting definitely reflects that hard work.
A bigger thank you and much appreciation goes to the staff, researchers, law clerks and committee clerks who have all supported, educated and guided us with sound advice throughout each of these budgets. Together, all of us have made an integral part creating action plans, strategies and legislation that will help improve the lives of residents of the Northwest Territories. As stated earlier, this masterpiece that we created, the budget main estimates, is not perfect, but it is a step. In fact, it’s a few steps in the right direction for a better Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few comments, as my colleague said, this masterpiece is a Picasso, because sometimes you can’t quite understand, you know? I’m trying to say it’s beautiful. That’s the blunt message, I think, that the Minister of Finance was telling us through the budget address here. It’s a blunt message to the people of the Northwest Territories. Like it, love it, whatever, here are the facts, the cold, hard facts.
Revenue is down, so we’re not going to get a little more progress that we want to have in our communities. We cannot exceed the money that we want to spend by not having it come in. Our revenue is flat. We’re at a cruise speed here and this budget is telling us bluntly, soberly, this is what we’ve got to do, folks, we’ve got to spend wisely.
We could still spend all the money that we have in the budget, but that’s it. By the way, we might have other projects we want to do, but we will share with you later on.
The message is very clear. We are spending everything now that we have in the communities. In order to add the additional programs or things that we want to add, we have to create revenue. How do we do that? It’s through socio-economic, sustainable economic, something that has to do with economic development. We have to do it. We cannot ask for things and do nothing. That doesn’t work this way. This is real life. It’s not fairyland where we can dream things up. So, we’ve got to create the economy to be self-sustaining in the Northwest Territories. That’s what we have to do. But we need to do it responsibly, soberly and environmentally friendly, and that’s what we’re looking at. That’s the challenge for us. You know what, Mr. Speaker? I believe that the young kids now in our schools will able to do that. They’re smart, you can invest in them, get them to think, you know, and do things hands on. Things for them.
We’ve talked about some of the things our past governments have learned. The Minister has noted in the budget that we have learned this in the past, the mistakes that we have learned. Hopefully today, in this budget, we’re not going to do it again.
What’s that word, Mr. Speaker, for insanity? Keep doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results? With this government, I think we’re making some changes. I think it’s good. I think now the people need to know that our expenditures are quite high, and this budget talks about taking some personal responsibility. We have to start doing things that are going to sustain our lifestyle for our kids. So I think this budget talks about, you know, things that are hurting us in the health field, such as the abuse of alcohol, too much cigarette smoking. Those things are killing us, literally in the government but also in our communities. I think that’s what the budget is saying. You cannot continue this way of life. We could, but something has to give. Something’s going to fall. Something’s not going to sustain itself. This is a wake-up call budget for me, because we cannot continue doing what we’re doing. It’s right here. It says right here, if you look at the numbers and you study it in the morning, study it in the evening, have discussions and say, what are we doing here? This is what we have to tell our people. I believe that’s the blunt message. Nobody likes it. It’s not about popularity. It’s about reality. That’s what you have to look at.
It’s talking about the future generation. We all have children. We have nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and this is what we’re passing on to our grandchildren. You can take this issue and you can change it to an opportunity, but think about it, do it. Lots of opportunities are in here to learn to grow. My children now play with the iPads and everything. They hardly go outside. Not like when we were growing up. We were kicked out of the house, as a matter of fact. The days of getting ice on the Mackenzie River are done only when we go camping to get ice on the Mackenzie to get water. That’s not today’s lifestyle. It’s totally different.
I just want to say that this budget takes an assessment of our realities, our dependency on the federal government. This budget tells me that 80 percent of the funding that comes to the Northwest Territories, we depend on the federal government for that money. We are just too small to raise our own revenue. Four hundred twenty-five million dollars comes just from raising our revenue. We cannot survive, but as a government you know how it is to be dependent on somebody else. Now I know how children feel being dependent on their parent. The parent makes the rules and the parent says this is how we’re going to spend. Just like our government in Ottawa. They tell us how to spend, where to spend, and if you want to get more money, come and ask us.
Those are some of the things I want to mention in this budget. But I want to say in closing, as Mr. Alfred Moses, the MLA from Boot Lake says, this is our last chance at this budget for this Assembly. There’s hope and there are lots of good people that put this budget together, a lot of people in the communities that have been in worse situations. We will survive; it just means that we just can’t have ice cream with our apple pie. You know what I mean? We want it but we can’t have it because we can’t pay for it. That means we’ve got to do without it. It might be good too, sometimes. But that’s the kind of budget that it is. We will do it the best we can with the progress we have, and there’s lots of work. I want to say that there’s hope for it. We’re survivors in the North. We’re fighters. We come together when we need to come together, just like communities come together when they need to come together, in good times and in bad times. We will make it, and we will pass this on to the 18th Assembly. I know we’re strong people because we come from a very strong ancestry in the Northwest Territories.
I want to say this budget here is a good budget. It’s not the one that I was hoping for, but it’s a good one. It’s a reality-based one and that’s the blunt message that we have to get to our people of the Northwest Territories. Don’t give up on yourselves and don’t give up on the government. Work hard. Do something rather than to say something about it.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 12, petitions. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to revert to item 8 on the Order Paper, written questions.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier.
Now that we are moving into phase III of decentralization, describe any and all analyses of the government’s decentralization actions to date.
Of the 150 GNWT positions decentralized (per Premier McLeod in Hansard, February 10, 2015), advise the job title for each position, the original community for each position and the new community for each position.
Of the 150 GNWT positions decentralized, advise how many of the positions were vacant at the time the positions were transferred.
Of the 150 GNWT positions decentralized, advise how many of the positions were new PYs.
Of the 150 GNWT positions decentralized, advise how many incumbents chose to leave the employ of the GNWT.
Of the 150 GNWT positions decentralized, advise how many of the incumbents chose to leave the NWT and relocate elsewhere.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Northwest Territories Law Foundation 32nd Annual Report for the Period Ending June 30, 2014.”
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 16, notices of motion. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, February 16, 2015, I will move that Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, be read for the first time.
[Microphone turned off] …motion because it’s Monday. It’s for Wednesday. Would you like to try it again, Mr. Lafferty?
Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, I will move that Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 18, motions. Item 19, first reading of bills. Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Jury Act; Bill 41, An Act to Amend the Partnership Act; and Tabled Document 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2015-2016, with Mr. Dolynny in the chair.
What is the wish of committee? Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We wish to continue with Tabled Document 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2015-2016. We would like to continue and start with the Department of Finance and then Education, Culture and Employment, time permitting.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Alright, committee. We’ll commence after just a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
Good afternoon, committee. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. With that, we’ll continue with the Department of Finance, opening comments. Minister Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present the 2015-2016 Main Estimates for the Department of Finance, totalling $221.3 million. This total includes the $85.4 million operating contribution to the NWT Housing Corporation. The department’s estimates, excluding this contribution, propose a decrease of $1.3 million, or 1 percent, from the 2014-2015 Main Estimates.
Highlights of the proposed estimates include:
an increase of $7.4 million in the contribution to the NWT Heritage Fund. The total contribution to the fund in 2015-2016 will be $7.6 million.
$10.1 million for the transfer of 25 percent of the GNWT’s net fiscal benefit from resource revenues to Aboriginal governments;
$2 million to establish base funding for the remediation of contaminated sites; and
forced growth of $497,000 for collective bargaining increases and $294,000 for anticipated increased in dental premiums.
These increases are offset by sunsets and reductions totalling $6.9 million, which includes the ending of the GNWT’s four-year support to the NWT Power Corporation to mitigate the impact on power rates.
The proposed Department of Finance 2015-2016 Main Estimates continue to support the priorities of the 17th Assembly and continue to advance initiatives that will support the sustainability of our territory for future generations. Specific activities in support of these priorities include:
a fiscal strategy that recognizes the GNWT has finite resources and continues to pay down the short-term debt burden to generate cash for future infrastructure investments;
continuing to save for the benefits of future generations by contributing to the NWT Heritage Fund;
investing in the implementation of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link;
continuing to guide and implement the GNWT Decentralization Strategy; and
the continuation of several modern management initiatives such as:
renewal of the Financial Administration Act;
continued implementation of the GNWT Risk Management Framework and Service Innovation Strategy; and
implementation of a shared services governance structure to further provide strategic direction to the department’s shared service operations.
That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Do you have witnesses you want to bring into the House today?
Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. With that, does committee agree?
Agreed.
