Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories, I think everybody is aware, is a big challenge for this government, at the same time especially for people that live in their homes. Of course, particular costs that concerns all of us is just the cost of fossil fuels, including fuel oil. Disabled persons, this government I believe, tries to support them by ensuring that they live independently. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: under the income support umbrella, what programs exist to help people with disabilities address their cost of living? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has a great Income Assistance program and it's all based on a client-to-client review, and any persons with disabilities do have to set up a meeting with the client service officers within their regions and there are services provided to people with disabilities in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to thank the Minister for his reply. The services that the Minister outlines, can he provide an explanation in terms of those services that are available to disabled persons at the community level, and at the same at the territorial level?
Mr. Speaker, the income security programs provide for the basic needs whether it's market rental housing, clothing, food, just the basic needs for anybody looking to live an independent lifestyle whether it's a senior or persons living with disabilities. To get into more details, it is on a client-to-client basis on any income that they might have as well. To get into more detail anyone that's applying for income assistance that needs the help that they do need, I would encourage them to go to see a client service officer and work out a plan moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the government has almost an open mind in terms of taking a case-by-case analysis in terms of the needs of persons that do indeed need income assistance, and for that matter, you know, when was the Northwest Territories monthly disability allowance and incidental allowance reviewed and updated?
It is reviewed on a regular basis. Right now I believe we are going through a review and we will be making some comments to that during this session and we will have information provided to committee as well as all Members.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've seen other jurisdictions across Canada successfully provide incentives for people with disabilities. In the Northwest Territories we already have precedents. Precedents of providing assistance to seniors' fuel subsidies as one example. Will the Minister commit to review this issue through the government's inventory of available services? Mahsi.
One thing that the department is doing is that we're trying to make it a little bit clearer for people living with disabilities and the seniors who are on a fixed income to not have to report their income on a monthly basis; making it easier for them to access these programs and services. For other people that are on income assistance, we will have to look at the income on a monthly basis. But for persons living with disabilities and seniors on a fixed income I think we're moving ahead in terms of the reporting that they have to do on a monthly basis, and I think that that's a big improvement in terms of the time that persons with disabilities and seniors are putting towards filling out the paperwork.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be quick, about a minute here. Yesterday I spoke about the long-term care issue in Hay River. Minister Cochrane was nice enough to come and tour the site yesterday while she was in Hay River and we discussed the uses for the old hospital, the possibility of expanding the current plan. Just very quickly, and because there's been a lot of people wanting to re-use that old hospital building I want to get the numbers out there and I was wondering if Minister Cochrane has numbers as to the cost of deferred maintenance on the old building; the cost of replacing the sprinkler system if it needs it? Any of those kinds of things that would be prohibitive to an NGO or someone from taking over that building? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Even though you have a minute left, you still have time. I'll allow you to finish your four questions. So you don't have to speed up. Minister of Public Works and Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The deferred maintenance actually that is on the H.H. Williams Hospital is over actually $38 million at this point. Currently, we're spending $632,000 annually on utilities and about $400,000 on regular maintenance. It's a very expensive building to operate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I wish I would have known that before I asked all my questions at once.
---Laughter
I imagine there's been… Clearly, there's been reports done on this building, like inspection reports, and Public Works must have come to some conclusions. I was wondering: is the ultimate fate of that building to be torn down once the long-term beds are moved out of it?
Thank you for acknowledging that I went to the community yesterday to specifically look at the location, et cetera. At this point, once the old hospital is emptied out, we will do a final assessment. My assumption at this point is that it won't be valuable to renovate versus tearing it down. The other really important point is that once that hospital is taken down it will be another option that Health and Social Services can look at when they're developing their long-term care for long-term care beds.
Thank you for that answer and again, I do appreciate the Minister coming by. I'd just like to make a final comment, that if that building does have to come down, I'm glad that both Minister Abernethy has reserved that space so that they can expand and that Minister Cochrane sees the value in sort of a seniors' area or long-term care area where we can have other complimenting facilities.
Masi. I didn't really hear a question, but I'll ask the Minister of Public Works and Services to answer if she wishes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Laughter
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have written questions regarding the maintenance contract at Highway No. 1. My questions are to the Minister of Transportation.
What is the annual maintenance budget for each section of Highway No. 1, including the ice crossing?
What is the total amount spent on maintenance on Highway No. 1 since 2010-11?
Which companies have been awarded maintenance contracts on Highway No. 1 since 2010-11, and what was the rationale for selecting them?
How does the department review contracts or contractor and in-house maintenance work on Highway No. 1?
How does the department monitor and consider the impact of weather conditions on the maintenance work it performs on Highway No. 1?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of the 2016 Government of the Northwest Territories Budget. Mr. Speaker, this petition contains 330 signatures of Northwest Territories residents and two signatures of residents from southern Canada. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request the following:
That the Government of the Northwest Territories recognize the following criteria when implementing reductions in the 2016 budget:
First, government workers and their families need to be prioritized;
Second, government jobs must be protected;
Third, communities and residents must be supported by maintaining programs and services; and
lastly, consideration be given to people before bridges and roads. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of Committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairperson. Mr. Chairperson, committee would like to consider “Main Estimates, 2016-2017,” starting with two departments of Executive in there.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree? Committee agrees. We shall resume after a short recess. First, I'd just like to let all the people watching outside of Yellowknife on satellite television know that the feed is cut off right away, but you can resume watching or listening on the Legislative Assembly website. Like I said, we'll resume after a short break. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Committee called back to order, Committee of the Whole. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 50-18(2): Main Estimates, 2016-2017. Committee, we have also agreed to begin consideration of the Department of Executive. I will turn to the Minister responsible for the department for opening comments. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm pleased to present the 2016-17 main estimates for the Department of Executive. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $207,000 or 1.8 per cent over the 2015-16 main estimates. These estimates continue to support the objectives of limiting expenditure growth in order to sustain the long-term sustainability of the fiscal framework.
Highlights of the proposed estimates include:
$660,000 in reductions primarily in operations and maintenance as well as the elimination of one vacant analyst position;
$851,000 increase for phase two communications functional review.
In response to recommendations from the Standing Committee on Government Operations on the department’s business plan, the department will establish an additional government service officer in 2016-17 from within existing resources. The location of the additional position will be determined shortly. The department's proposed main estimates continue to support the priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly.
Some examples of specific activities in support of these priorities include:
continuing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government communications through an increased focus on communication that is centred, digital, open, and engages residents.
This work is also conducted to support the department in providing to the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency. We look forward to sharing a work plan and draft open government policy with Members for their input in the near future. The department will establish a rigorous transparent and public results reporting tool to provide ongoing updates on progress being made to fulfill the government's commitments in the mandate. I look forward to sharing the proposed approach with the Members. The Department of Executive is undergoing a zero-base review of all departmental operations to identify further efficiencies and opportunities for cost reduction in support of managing our government's fiscal responsibilities. That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chairperson.
Thank you, Minister McLeod. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, I would, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my left, I have Penny Ballantyne, deputy minister of the Executive. To my right, I have Lisa Turner, manager of corporate services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee, we will now proceed to consider the detail for the Department of Executive. Committee, we now turn to page 118, Department of Executive, revenue summary, information item. Any questions? We will defer page 117 until further consideration of the department detail, and review the estimates by Executive, summary, beginning with page 118. Any questions? Mr. Vanthuyne, sorry.
---Laughter
I'm new.
---Laughter
Mr. Chair, if I may, with your indulgence, I would just like to go back to page 114 to the org chart for one moment, if I can. In the org chart we indicate, on the right side, “Ministers responsible,” and we have a line that's drawn down to Public Utilities Board. I'm wondering if we're able to get who the actual Ministers responsible are. Not necessarily names per se, but department, deputy minsters, is that possible? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That would be the Government House Leader and myself. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you.
Will there be any further questions to page 118, Executive, revenue summary, information item? Yes, Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, again being new, I'm going to use that excuse quite often actually, so just a heads up. We have under general for revenue summary here “grants-in-kind”; it says “band council subsidized leases.” I note that from 2014-15 all the way up to the current proposed main estimates is a steady amount of $150,000. I wonder if the Minister can provide us some insight on what this is. I note that this arises again on page 126 where it says, “band council subsidized leases grant-in-kind” for the exact same amounts of $150,000 a year. I'm wondering what the correlation is. Can we get an explanation for that? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As a requirement of the Auditor General, and established financial practices where we provide subsidized band leases, we have to show it as a grant-in-kind. We are as part of management of existing grants- in-kind, so we'll be transferring to Public Works and Services over the 2016-17 fiscal year until the remaining leases expire. There were six subsidized leases, four of them have been terminated in favour of standard commercial leases at market rent. There are still two subsidized leases. As far as how they interact with… Another page, I'll ask through you, Mr. Chair, for the deputy minister to explain that. I believe they're the same thing.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Any further questions, Mr. Vanthuyne?
Mr. Chair, I think the deputy minister was going to provide an explanation on the correlation between page 118 and 126, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Ms. Ballantyne.
