Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community doesn't have the money that the Department of Transportation has to hire these contractors to do these services for them. The department has these crushers available to communities that need it. The community could do this work with their limited budget of maybe a couple hundred thousand, whereas to hire one of the contractors we're talking millions, at least over $1.5 million for sure. That's why the community is asking the department to work with them.
The community of Aklavik has different access to funding through infrastructure money through MACA and other sources, so I'd encourage the Member to have the community look at those sources of revenue.
Masi. Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to the visitors in the gallery. We have Yacub Adam, he's a member of the Human Rights Commission that's here with us today, and he's also a close follower of our work in this House. Welcome. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Everyone in this House, especially me, will be relieved to know that my questions are in English.
---Laughter
In my Member’s statement earlier today I talked about the court-mandated expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment confirm whether he has begun discussions with the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest and the [English translation not provided] for the expansion of the school?
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department and the government is committed to meeting its obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Education Act. Steps to implement the NWT Court of Appeal decision are being undertaken. There was a delay in the process, as I believe there was an appeal to the Appeal Court decision. We were just waiting, and then when the Supreme Court had declined to hear the appeal, that's when the department started moving forward and having discussions with Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest on the planned expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. We’re just beginning those discussions.
I want to thank the Minister for his response. When Yellowknife MLAs recently met with the commission, the representatives of the commission described the high school program at Ecole Allain St-Cyr as in crisis. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell us whether the expansion of the school appears in the capital budget and when construction may actually begin?
I do hear the Member in terms of enrolment. As mentioned earlier in the session, we did give direction to the department on that Ministerial directive to get reviewed, so hopefully we can get more students in the French first language schools. When I mentioned that we're just in the planning stages, the discussions, the budget for the expansion has not yet been voted on in the Legislative Assembly, mainly because we have to get the planning done, and consideration for that planning done and brought forth in this Assembly. As you know, we just completed our mandate yesterday so once that planning study is done, then we can look at bringing something forward for Members to vote on.
For some of the construction of the school, the federal government provided up to 80 per cent of the funding. Has the Minister of Education been in contact with Heritage Canada officials about any potential contributions to fund the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr?
Personally, I haven't been in contact with the heritage federal Minister. The department, however, has been in contact with the federal government on possible contributions to this project. However, no specific commitments have been made. As you know, the budget for the federal government will be coming out next month and we're also in a new government as well, moving forward. Once everything is up to speed we will keep the Members up-to-date on what's going on with this project.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and once again I'd like to thank the Minister for his response. I look forward to working with him on this issue. With new leadership within the francophone community and within the department, I believe we're working hard towards a better working relationship in resolution of a number of these issues, including the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr. Can the Minister of Education commit to regularly reporting progress on the expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr at each sitting of this House?
We would be pleased to provide updates to the Member on how things are proceeding with this project as well as with the Ministerial directive once we get those all in line and up-to-date and reviewed. With the potential of the work that we're going to be doing moving forward, we will continue to keep all Members updated on this project and the work done on the Ministerial directive.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, family violence shelters provide safety for woman and children fleeing violence, and there are five in the Northwest Territories. They're located in Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Yellowknife, Hay River, and Fort Smith. At present, there isn't a formula for funding these shelters that's based on the number of beds or other variables, and as a result, shelter funding varies outside of Yellowknife and puts those shelters at a disadvantage. I'll give you a concrete example: The Fort Smith shelter has eight beds and has a budget of $515,000, whereas Hay River has 11 beds and gets $2,000 less per year. My question today is whether the Minister of Health and Social Services can make a commitment to review shelter funding and establish a formula that levels the playing field?
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
We currently spend about $2.7 million on shelters in the Northwest Territories as well as an additional $200,000 that's available to communities or regions that don't have shelters. There is, as the Member said, no set formula for determining the allocation authorities, and there certainly isn't a formula to provide for forced growth to the shelters or to the NGOs. This is something that we certainly are happy to look at and would be happy to have more discussions with the Member in committee. We have looked at various ways to address inflationary increases in shelter costs. Personally, I think once we move to one authority, we'll actually be in a much better position to have meaningful discussion around this particular topic, when we have a coordinated and consolidated budgeting process, because right now every authority is running a different financial system and different budgeting process. We'll be in a much better position to have meaningful discussion on this once we move to a single authority.
Can I take that as a commitment that the Minister will review shelter funding and establish a formula that levels the playing field for all the family violence shelters?
Once we move into a single authority I'd be happy to work with committee on that to determine the scope and nature, and how we can actually work to improve the process of providing funding to the shelters.
Shelter funding hasn't increased since 2011, and shelters are feeling the effects with buildings that are in need of repair and a high staff turnover because the wages paid are low. I'm wondering if the Minister can make a commitment to increase the funding to the shelters to support the valuable work they do on an annual basis until all the shelters are funded equally.
As the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are in a difficult financial situation. We do need to be very careful with the money that we're spending. We also have to look within to make sure that the dollars that we're spending are getting maximum effect and maximum benefit.
I will commit to working with Members through the business planning process to identify where our dollars are being spent, and as I indicated, once we have actually moved forward to one authority and we have a more consolidated budgeting process, we'll be in a better position to have a discussion with the Member and committee on the funding for the different shelters in the Northwest Territories.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's hard to imagine a priority that is larger than keeping women and children safe from violence, given the number of incidents here and the number of deaths. If shelters are forced to close because they don't have the funds to keep their buildings open and pay their staff, a very real possibility at this point, who will respond to the needs of women and children in danger? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker
I think we're saying the same thing. We both believe this is a priority and we want to continue to move forward, but we have to do it light of the fiscal realities that we're facing. I've committed to doing the review once we move to a single authority, and to having continued discussions on this particular topic during business planning.
We want the same thing. We just have to find a way of getting there.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier in my statement, I profiled in my language a rash of break-and-enter incidents in my community of Fort Providence and how the community is responding to it. One of the groups that has been responding to it is the inter-agency committee. At the same time, recently, there has been a group established called Citizens on Patrol, ensuring that the property and public safety was foremost in the community. My question is to the Minister of Justice. Can the Minister explain to the House what community policing plans are in place, and how are communities involved?
Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Community safety and enforcement is a priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories. In an effort to provide the best policing that we can, all the communities in the NWT have had an opportunity this year to develop policing priorities and action plans with the RCMP. The policing and action plans are developed in partnership with the RCMP and community residents, and are based on the specific needs of each community. The RCMP has developed a policing priorities and action plan with Fort Providence that dealt with or covered three issues that the community determined were the most important: substance abuse; impaired driving; and youth and community involvement.
My second question is to how it is that communities can be involved. I think the Minister has generally outlined that for the community of Fort Providence, but there are other communities in the North that more likely would like to understand and undertake such an exercise. They are trying to bridge the gap between perhaps the RCMP and the community. The question is: how can communities become effectively involved in developing policing plans?
The RCMP have gone out to all of the communities in the Northwest Territories and in developing the action plans, they look at the specific needs of the communities. I understand they have done this in every community, including Fort Providence.
The Minister has indicated that a number of action plans, community policing action plans, were developed. I understand that, at the last count, that the NWT had about 33 communities. How many of those communities have a community policing action plans?
I understand that all of the 33 communities that do have detachments do have action plans. I believe the RCMP is working on those communities that they do not have a detachment in to also have a form of action plan. But I certainly say that every community in which there is a detachment has entered into an action plan with the RCMP, including Fort Providence.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been, of course, lots of discussion in terms of the root of the crime in most communities, and the conclusions of the inter-agency group that has been established to deal with the break-and-enters is that it goes back to residential schools. I am trying to understand and ask the Minister just the scope of the framework of the involvement of the RCMP in the community respecting individual rights. What are the possibilities in terms of developing more linkages, perhaps, with on-the-land programs, and considering, maybe, the move towards healing and wellness in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations and action plan that were tabled at the federal government?
I can advise that policing priorities and action plans are living documents, so that if priorities or concerns change, they can certainly be changed. Also, I know that in Fort Providence there is an active Community Justice Committee Coordinator who runs weekly crime prevention initiatives at the youth centre. They also accept referrals from the RCMP and the Crown to divert youth from the formal justice systems. There is a series of responses to this issue that the police are undertaking, and I understand that there are always problems in moving forward with these, but I understand that the actual rate of crime in the Member's home community is actually in decline, despite ongoing concerns. Actions are being taken. The department as well as the RCMP are always willing to look at new plans, wellness, wellness courts, diversion courts, and so on. Action plans and policing priorities may change, but the police and the department are always open to change.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, properly maintained community infrastructure makes our communities safer and more cost-effective, and will provide jobs and economic growth in the short term. Will the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs explain how far along we are with closing the $27-million gap that our communities are lacking? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through the Formula Funding Review, the communities did identify a shortfall in funding that they receive. We are still in the early stages with that, and it's not infrastructure funding, it's actually O and M funding, so we are still in the early stages with that, and we will have to come up with a strategy on how we are going to deal with that as a Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yesterday, this House adopted the mandate of the Northwest Territories for 2016 to 2019. In that, there is a commitment that we will develop a strategy to close the gap in funding levels to meet municipal core needs. The Minister just alluded to that. Can we have some timelines on when that strategy will be prepared for consideration by the government or this House?
We have to take into account the fact that we've already done the Formula Funding Review, and that was work that we accelerated during the life of the 17th Assembly. That was actually supposed to start at the beginning of the 18th, but we felt that it was important that we identify what the communities would need and then, at the beginning of the 18th Assembly, or during the life of the 18th Assembly, see if we can come up with plans to fund some of the funding shortfalls that were identified. We have to recognize, though, in our challenging fiscal situation, and with the rest of the mandate and some of the costs that might be associated with that mandate, I think we are going to have to prioritize our issues going forward. With the challenges that we are facing financially, we'll have to determine what are some of our priorities. I just said it twice.
Can the Minister answer if this strategy will include spending money or if it will just be a strategy on paper?
You have to have money to spend it.
---Laughter
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps I might encourage the Minister to ask our friends in Ottawa if they can provide $27 million to fund our communities that are badly in need of it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have been very fortunate in the last number of years where we have received infrastructure money from Ottawa. We had the Building Canada Plan from a few years back that put over $245 million into the Northwest Territories. A lot of that money flowed to the communities. The communities actually did a very good job with the projects. Through the New Building Canada Plan, we had $258 million booked for the Northwest Territories. Out of that, $38.4 million was allocated to the communities. The rest of the money actually went into our transportation projects. We just approved bundle 2, and we have another bundle that we have to approve, and we're going to have that. We have been very fortunate that we've been able to access a lot of money from the federal government to help with our communities, and through the gas tax money, too. They changed a lot of the criteria in the gas tax funding to include more projects.
I think that's where we see our communities are challenged now on the O and M side to deal with a lot of the O and M on the infrastructure money that they've been given. We’ve worked with them to allow them to use some of the CPI funding they get from Municipal and Community Affairs to help deal with some of the O and M on projects. We will continue to work with our counterparts in Ottawa, with the new federal government, and the commitments that they have made as far as infrastructure spending go, we have to hold them to that. We have to be sure that we're down there getting our share of the infrastructure dollars on a base plus basis, not a per-capita base. We'll continue to work with them and we'll keep the committee informed as to the work that we're doing.
