Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Premier could elaborate on that answer about how he is going to involve Regular Members.
We will be developing a draft approach to how we would come up with a report, and we will share it with the Regular Members.
I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere with that, so I’ll move on to whether the Minister can comment on why communication staff will be centralized in the Department of Executive rather than in the departments where they could better serve the needs of residents of the NWT.
There was an extensive report that was done that indicated that this government was very deficient in a number of communication positions compared to other jurisdictions, and it recommended increasing a number of positions that were approved in the 17th Assembly. Every department in the government does have communications personnel. Because it is functioning, the responsibilities function over the whole government, it was determined that these positions would remain in the Department of the Executive.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Executive said during the budget debate the more communications officers you have the more they can contribute to open and transparent government. How does the Minister plan to ensure that more communications officers means more outreach and understanding, and how will those ideals be evaluated? Thank you.
What we find in our travels as we go out to the regions, as we go out and talk to the people of the Northwest Territories is that a lot of the people don’t realize what a good job that we do or they don’t recognize the number of important programs that we deliver. Through our communications people we want everybody to know what programs we have, what benefits we can provide so that everybody can make sure that they benefit to the maximum from all of the generous programs that this government provides.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker only three schools in the NWT are at capacity. One of the schools is the school at Ndilo, K’alemi Dene, and it’s the only school that has over 100 students that doesn’t have a gym. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the Minister will ensure the needs of education capital, specific to KDS are in the 20-year capital needs assessment? Thank you.
Mahsi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we are aware of the situation down at Ndilo with K’alemi Dene School. Just a little bit of information there: in 2009, when the school was built with our NWT Schools Capital Standards and Criteria, when a school has a targeted enrolment of anywhere from 50 to 150, 70 square metres for recreational use is met to with a design in the school. In K’alemi Dene School, there is an 85squaremetre activity room. I do understand the situation, though, in terms of utilization rates. Once a school reaches 85 per cent, then our department works with the district education authority to address the issue. K’alemi Dene School is on the 20year capital planning list, and our staff will be working with the education authority to look at how we can address the utilization rates and the enrolment issue at K’alemi Dene School. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if he would commit to directing his staff at ECE to initiate action to get the K’alemi Dene School gymnasium and classroom expansion into the upcoming capital planning process.
Yes, we’ll get our staff to work with the education authority to see how we can address the space issue down in Ndilo.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister also commit to communicating this to the Ndilo District Education Authority on its standing for a gymnasium in the capital planning process and also the classroom expansion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, when the school was constructed in 2009, the activity space for recreation and leisure was fit to the school code under the NWT Schools Capital Standards and Criteria policy which was in 2005 developed. We will work with the education authority and do a visit to the school to see how we can address this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Monsieur le President, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment made a commitment to revise the ministerial directive concerning admissions to the Commission scolaire des Territoires du NordOuest. Can the Minister today provide an update to where that work is to date? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker. As Members are aware, there were public hearings here, in Yellowknife, as well as Hay River. Actually, in Hay River, it was more of one that we had meetings with the Hay River District Education Authority to get more feedback. That consultation is done. We’re just getting the information gathered together. We will be making recommendations. We will be meeting with our department staff, and we will be making a statement very soon on where that ministerial directive is going.
Monsieur le President, when can the Commission scolaire [English translation not provided] expect this matter to be resolved and some change to this directive come forward?
We should have that decision ready and the announcement made before the 201617 academic year, so before the fall. Families, community members will be ready to know the decision that’s going to be made with that ministerial directive.
Monsieur le President, a court ruling requires this government to provide fair and equitable access to gymnasium space for Ecole Allain StCyr in Yellowknife [English translation not provided]… Ecole Boreale [English translation not provided] Hay River… What is the status of the spacesharing agreement that the government has been working on for quite some time now?
Yes, the government is abiding by the court case with the Ecole Allain StCyr. In terms of Ecole Boreale in Hay River, we’re actually just working on trying to develop a plan. Hopefully, everything should be resolved by the fall time. We are looking at putting through that spacesharing agreement in Hay River, hopefully, will be addressed by the fall time, as well as here, in Yellowknife, we should have everything in place come fall time.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The Minister may be paying attention, as I don’t like the word “hope” when people are looking for certainty. There has been a number of complaints from the Commission scolaire about this issue that things are not rolling out in a timely fashion. Can the Minister assure this House that the spacesharing agreement will be in place for both schools in the fall and will be done in a timely manner and any delays will be clearly communicated with the district education authority in Hay River, the school districts in Yellowknife, and the Commission scolaire?
In the past months that I’ve been Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, we’ve been having meetings with a lot of different parties. We’re trying to build a strong relationship moving forward and letting them understand that we are moving forward on the court case issue. Spacesharing agreements, it’s a little tougher in Hay River in terms of addressing some of the issues there. Here, in Yellowknife, I believe we will have it all straightened out come fall time, and we are still having those discussions in Hay River to address their concerns. Our department is working with the education authorities over there to make sure that we have something put in place in the fall time that will have all parties, hopefully, happy with the decisions that are made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member’s statement, I have some questions for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier please explain the criteria that is used when deciding who will get a negotiated contract? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The factors that are considered when authorizing contract negotiations are set out in the publicly posted Negotiated Contracts Policy and they include costs, the benefits that might be achieved for Northwest Territories residents, support from local leaders, the contractor’s ability and history with the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the possibility that other qualified Northwest Territories businesses might be interested in competing on the contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Premier for his answers. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier please advise if the policy factors in impact, such as income support, social issues in the community, employment, to name a few, when deciding if the department or Executive Council will or will not support a negotiated contract?
Local employment is always a factor when considering negotiated contracts but not at any costs, Mr. Speaker. We also have rules that govern our business incentive policies and our northern preference policies. The Member referred to the Inuvik Tuk Highway. In that case, there was the benefits and jobs are available, 600 jobs a year, 80 per cent provided by Northerners for Northerners.
I again thank the Premier for his answer, and I totally agree that the Inuvik Tuk Highway did a great job. As the Premier spoke, there’s 600 people being employed. You know, that is what we need to be doing, 80 per cent Northerners, which is great. However, Mr. Speaker, in regards in the Negotiated Contracts Policy, can the Premier advise this House when the last time this policy was reviewed and updated?
It’s a requirement of our government to post the results of our Negotiated Contracts Policy on an annual basis, and, as such, the Negotiated Contracts Policy is reviewed on an annual basis. It was last reviewed in the fall of 2015.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Premier for his answer. Can the Premier explain to this House who was involved in reviewing this policy? Was it just the Cabinet or was it the whole Legislative Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Negotiated Contracts Policy will be reviewed again in the fall of 2016, and the results will be shared with the standing committee. We will involve the standing committees. As per land claims agreements, one of the requirements is under economic measures; we have responsibility to also engage the community governments, so we do that in a normal course of events, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency. Mr. Speaker, in our mandate, we outline that we will establish an open government policy to enhance public participation in governance. Can the Minister inform the House what steps have been taken to date to establish the open government policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As part of our mandate to have a more open and transparent government, we have taken several steps. Cabinet has had informal meetings with the public in Norman Wells and in Inuvik. At the summer Caucus retreat, we will be looking at various models for the ombudsman role, so that’s another step we have taken towards a more open and transparent government. In addition, the rules committee has been looking at various models to have the scope of the midterm review that will take place in 2017, and that also will be discussed at the caucus meeting this summer. Steps have been taken.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s reply in terms of the efforts that have taken to date in terms of being more open, but it doesn’t speak directly to the development of an open government policy. However, my next question, Mr. Speaker, is: if we are truly committed to improving transparency and fully intend to have improved public participation, it will surely take more time and government resources. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise Members what government resources he intends to use to make sure we don’t fall short of our commitment to engage?
This government is, Mr. Speaker, committed to a more open and transparent government, and, apart from the efforts I have already mentioned, there is, of course, the comprehensive review of the ATIPP Act which is being conducted at this very time. The original act came into force in 1996, and we have gone out for public consultation. The original closing date, if I can put it that way, for that was June 15, 2016, but I understand that has been extended to July 15th. We are making efforts in changing the act. This is a very important piece of legislation that will lead to a more open and transparent government.
Mr. Speaker, inclusive public engagement requires a plan as well as help from those who understand and have relationships with those communities and constituents with whom we want to have included. Those who have an interest typically find a way to be involved, Mr. Speaker. But, Mr. Speaker, what does the Minister have planned to engage the lessinvolved populations?
Mr. Speaker, of course the going out for public engagement on the ATIPP Act is an important aspect which allows the general public to become engaged in the making of this very important piece of legislation, or the updating of this very important piece of legislation.
