Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the commitment by the Minister to work with our neighbours in Yukon and Nunavut. I’ve been on record talking about the need to build confidence in our resource management decisions and that people have to have the ability to participate in these processes. Larger projects often involve technical expertise in their evidence-based processes to help level the playing field and ensure we retain the benefits of resource development. Participant funding is essential. I understand the Minister is prepared to work with our northern neighbours, but would he be prepared to look at signing perhaps even a joint letter with our neighbours in Yukon and Nunavut to push this issue with or federal government? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
We as well would like our public to have confidence in our ability to deal with any type of development in the land that we look after. I will have conversations with my counterparts. We have a meeting coming up with the federal Minister. We can raise the issue at the time and see what the feedback is from the federal government, and we’ll use that as a go-forward basis. If we have to partner up with our neighbours, then we will do that. Again, as I said, we do want the public to have confidence in our ability to deal with any issues concerning the land.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just going to carry on with the points that I was making earlier. The Fiscal Responsibility Policy says that there was a requirement for financing infrastructure with 50 per cent of the operating surplus. In the public accounts which we examined for the fiscal year 2014-2015, their operating surplus was in round numbers, $95 million, and the infrastructure expense was in round numbers, $236 million. Using those numbers, it’s clear in fact that the infrastructure was not funded 50 per cent from operating surpluses, but many millions less. The point of this is: what are the consequences if the Fiscal Responsibility Policy is not followed? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I’m going to take that question as notice.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the NWTAC 50th Annual General Meeting, the staff of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources did a presentation and a question and answer session. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise the House if they are encountering any challenges in implanting the GNWT’s Electronics Recycling Program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We rolled this program out earlier this year and to date; we haven’t had any issues with the recycling program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for that answer and it’s good to hear that. Mr. Speaker, in speaking with some of the residents and youths that recycle bottles because they receive a refund from the deposit they make during the purchase of the items, can the Speaker advise if the department has any plans in the future to provide any refunds for recycling electronics?
Yes, the Speaker can advise the Minister. The question for the Minister.
Upon implementing the recycling of electronics earlier this year, we have an advisory group that’s going to sit down within the one-year period of this implementation. They will be reviewing the policy and bringing recommendations back to the department, which we can share with the Members.
I won’t try to ask you the question this time. I’ll ask the question to the Minister responsible for ENR. I thank the Minister for that answer and I’m very happy to hear that there is a committee. Can the Minister actually advise the committee that there is some of these issues out there that people are looking at, the electronics that has, you know, getting a refund, so we can get all the electronics out of our dumps and into a proper recycling process? This will be my final question.
As I said, we have a committee that will be reviewing the process and see if it’s working effectively to keep electronics out of our dumps in the Northwest Territories. Upon that review, we can have those discussions and if the Member would like, he can have input probably in that discussion as well with the committee.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just have a couple questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I just got a memo here that, you know, there will be reduced nursing services in Aklavik between June 30th and July 9th. I’d just like to ask the Minister, what’s the reasoning behind this? Is it due to holidays? Or just what’s the reasoning for this? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member’s nailed it exactly on the head. It’s as a result of holidays and some staff changes and turnover. We will do our best to have some locums come in to fill over these transition periods, some locums will be coming in this summer. Unfortunately, the timing hasn’t lined up, so we do have to go to reduced services for a short period of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister says reduced services, what does that entail? Is it a full closure or just limited services?
Mr. Speaker, I can’t recall the exact situation in Aklavik when you go to reduced services, it might mean that we have to reduce and only provide emergency services, so accidents, injuries that need immediate response, and not deliver any of our clinics, like Well Man or Well Woman, but I will confirm. I’m pretty sure we’re going to reduce services, which means we’re providing emergency services, but no clinical services for that short period of time. I will get that detail and confirm with the Member.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the Minister, this wouldn’t affect any medical travel or anything that’s already booked that may happen during this time?
No, Mr. Speaker. Any services that the clients or the residents in Aklavik have, that they require to leave the community to go to either Inuvik, Yellowknife, or Edmonton, those things are still scheduled, still appropriate and medical travel will still occur.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to leave for the summer, I just want to ask the Minister of Housing a couple of questions here. You know, we were supposed to get a couple units barged on the Mackenzie River. I just want to make sure that, you know, I know all the buoys should be in place by now and so I’m going to make sure that everything’s on track and will these mobile homes actually be shipped down the river over the summer? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, unfortunately, during the fiscal year 2015, the modular that was supposed to go into Tsiigehtchic was delayed because of the low water and the barge was unable to get into the community, but it’s scheduled to be; we’ve made arrangements for Cooper to carry it into the barge and so it should be in this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I know we only have two months here of barging season. I know it should be three. But you know, by the time September comes around, the water is so low that, you know, the barges have difficulty here. If these units do not make it to Tsiigehtchic and also Aklavik too is supposed to get a couple there, I believe. You know, what’s the department’s plan if that doesn’t work out again this summer?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, we’re not looking at any delays with it. It is scheduled to go up on the Cooper barge and so it should be there by the end of August. We’re expecting that it’ll be complete. The site work is all completed and so we’re just waiting for the modular unit to get in and then we’ll be setting it up and it should be ready to go by the end of August.
Mr. Speaker, you know, quite a while back, the barge used to actually land in Tsiigehtchic and unload there. I’d just like to ask the Minister if they’re familiar with what the process is going to be. Will it actually go to Inuvik and then be trucked to Tsiigehtchic, you know, that would add costs for sure, but you know, if that does happen, will they contract that work out, as soon as possible.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all honesty, I’m not too sure how the barge works to get into Tsiigehtchic. I can look it up and get back to the Member on that question, but like I say, it is scheduled to be in the community and set up by the end of the August. If that doesn’t work out, then we’re not projecting that there will be any difficulties, but if there is, then we’ll look at it at that time, recognizing that NTCL, this will be the last year and that we have gone out to tender to try to get another barging system in place.
Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It’s the end of the school year. I’m just wondering if I could ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how his work on the ministerial directive for francophone education is coming along and whether he’s had a chance to provide that to the Commission scolaire. Mahsi, Monsieur le President.
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned, I did get questions on this earlier in the week. We’re just waiting for the reports to be written up by the independent review, and in that report, we are going to get some recommendations. We’ll sit down with our staff, decide what we’re going to be doing in terms of moving forward with the ministerial directive, and then be presenting that to both the Commission scolaire and all the interested parties involved in Hay River and Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the Minister’s response. Does he have a date in mind when he will be able to share this directive or the report or whatever with the Commission scolaire?
I don’t have a specific date in mind. However, after I meet with the departments, review that report, look at the recommendations, we will come up with a decision and we will present, we will send letters out to all the stakeholders that are involved that will be affected by the ministerial directives. As soon as we get the report and look at the recommendations that were provided to us, we will get letters out to the stakeholders.
I appreciate the response from the Minister. Can he tell us though, whether the information that he’s going to provide to the Commission scolaire is going to be a draft, and if he’s looking for further input, or is this a final decision that he’s going to table with the Commission scolaire?
As this has been an ongoing concern, both in Hay River and Yellowknife, a lot of consultation went in to developing this report. When we look at the recommendation and come up with our decision, it will be a final decision moving forward and hopefully be ready for the next academic school year.
I’m just trying to understand this, the process that the Minister has discussed here. There’s going to be a report, and then a decision. Is the report going to be shared with the Commission scolaire separately? Or are these two documents going to come with the report and then a decision? If the Minister could shed some light on how this process is going to work, it would certainly help this Member understand where we’re going with the process.
In terms of the report, when it was brought forth in this House in a previous sitting, there was discussions about reviewing the ministerial directive, which we did. We got an independent review to go out and speak with all the stakeholders on how they wanted to proceed and move forward. From that consultation, we developed a report which was an independent report. We will take those recommendations from what we heard from the stakeholders and we will make the final decision, moving forward from the academic school year. We will talk to the department about sharing that report. Obviously, it’s going to be, I wouldn’t say discrepancies, I don’t want to say that, but because it’s a different situation in Hay River than it is here in Yellowknife, the ministerial directive will reflect all of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question to the Minister of Transportation.
Would the Minister provide the following information?
What is the total amount spent on capital projects on Highway No. 1 since 2011-2012, including the winter road section?
Which company, both northern and southern owned have been awarded capital contracts on Highway No. 1 since 2011-2012, including the winter road section and what was the process for selecting them?
How many companies requested negotiated contracts from the Department of Transportation between November 2015 and June 2016? and;
How many companies were successfully awarded negotiated contracts between November 2015 and June 2016?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Written questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
