Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister agree that spending by government during slower economic times is positive for the NWT? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I totally agree. I totally agree that spending by the government in slow economic times is positive for the growth for the Northwest Territories, but I'm also a realist and I realize that we need to have the money to spend to stimulate the economy, and that's one of the reasons that I stand up here and take the flack I take for trying to make the decisions we make on reducing some of our spending so we can be in a position to reinvest that into the economy of the Northwest Territories. I will continue to stand here and preach that message, even though some of you may be getting tired of it, you're still going to hear it.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we are all aware, the NWT consistently receives a failing grade on the Canadian Federation of Independent Business red tape report card. How are we working to improve our score and reduce our redundancy and improve frontline services to small business? This is a question for the Minister of ITI. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my previous life I was actually a member of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, so I do know a little bit about them. In the early days of being the Minister of ITI I have not been contacted by them and I have not been aware of the score card as of recently, but I'd be willing to sit down and have a conversation with the federation at any time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further to the question was, what are we working to do to improve our score? I understand the Minister's reply there, that he's willing to reach out to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, but what are we doing to reduce redundancy and improve frontline services to small business?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I'm not well-versed on the whole thing around this, I'll have to take this question as notice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There's been some serious construction all summer outside of this Assembly on the highway. Can the Minister of Transportation explain what is happening and when it will be completed? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Transportation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there has been construction completed recently just outside the Legislative Assembly and the department has worked with the City of Yellowknife on this project as well as the developer of Nova, and an unofficial group of representatives of the Niven Lake Community, Ecology North, and a former MLA. They've all agreed that we need to provide an active transportation corridor from the Niven Lake area and access the downtown area. The city continues to hold the leading role in developing this overall city wide footprint on this issue, and we will continue to meet with them and work closely with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
A large new hotel complex has just opened up on the other side of the highway. We can expect to see a really significant flow of pedestrian traffic across to the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre. Can the Minister explain what type of improvements are being made now and planned in the future to this stretch of highway in the interest of public safety?
As I've said, we've worked closely with various groups on this. The developers actually paid for the improvements that were made on this section of highway this year, as it become on him that he would pay for this. We will continue to work with the City of Yellowknife and all user groups. That's the best way forward with this.
I'm glad to hear there are some meetings going on. I'm worried about what's going to happen when those tourists start to cross the highway to go to the Visitors Centre. While we're on the subject of the Visitors Centre, there's still no signage for the Visitors Centre along the highway beyond the small sign near the intersection with 49th Street, and there's nothing here at the turnoff that comes into the Legislative Assembly. Can the Minister tell this House when new signage for the Visitors Centre will finally be installed?
This would be something that we'd have to take up with the City of Yellowknife, as signage is not all the responsibility of all of the Northwest Territories. If the city would like to have a meeting for signage for the Tourist and Information Centre, we can work closely with them and arrange to have something put in place.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It sounds like a very complex problem that requires a lot more meetings perhaps, but I've got members of the public approaching me about unsafe conditions along the highway from Niven Lake to the downtown; there's no sidewalks or separation from vehicular traffic for pedestrians. Will the Minister commit to meet with interested parties, including Niven Lake residents, the owner of the nearby hotel, City of Yellowknife, and the Visitors Centre to develop and put in place a proper plan for this busy stretch of highway? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I've already stated, that we've met with a number of user groups on this whole issue and the department has already suggested, with the city and Ecology North and other people that are related to this issue, is that we would like to have a meeting moving forward on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of Housing. Mr. Speaker, over the summer we've received the modular home in Tsiigehtchic for the RCMP and the nurse or social workers in the community. Mr. Speaker, you know, everything has all been set up here, but what hasn't been set up so far is that this modular home is not connected to power yet. The community is concerned that with the ferry going out shortly, within the next week, that the unit is still not connected to power. So I'd like to ask the Minister, will the department ensure that this unit is connected to power before the ferry cannot go to the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I don't actually know exactly where we are in Tsiigehtchic with that modular unit, I will have to take notice of the Member's statement, thank you.
Masi. The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister tried to use a little tactic to cut me off earlier, but I'm back.
---Laughter
Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI, and it's not along the same question, it's a different question. We know recently, Mr. Speaker, that we just celebrated the success of the NWT Film Festival. So I'm wondering, can the Minister explain, is ITI engaging the local film industry to discuss strategic investment and look for ways to create local jobs in the film industry? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ITI continues to advance initiatives and investments in supporting the NWT film sector. As of recently, they just had a gala year with their new release of the Midnight Sun feature, which I suspect a number of Members in the Assembly have attended, hopefully. I was out of town so I couldn't make it, but kudos go out to them on that. We will continue to work with them on any initiatives and marketing stuff forward to help this industry grow in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for his reply. We know that the fishing industry is an industry that has formerly been a very robust and thriving industry. I wonder if the Minister can describe how is ITI supporting the Tlicho Cooperative representatives of the Great Slave fishery on their business case and decision to rebuild the Great Slave Lake fishery?
This is something that is very near and dear to my heart, as I am from Hay River and it's very important to the local industry of Hay River and the Northwest Territories. I can reassure the Member that I will be working very closely with the Tlicho business and the Fishing Federation and all people and fishers of the Northwest Territories on how we're going to move this process forward to make sure we bring a viable industry that is beneficial to all Northerners and to reach out to industry and people across the great globe of the world, basically, to see what kind of fresh fish we have here and market it properly. We will continue to do that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I think what we're seeing here today with the fiscal update is the beginning of the great budget battle for 2017-2018. When I heard the fiscal update, I just want to ask the Minister of Finance, if I may, does he recognize that the $150 million reduction target was actually taken out of the mandate? I just want to know if he recognizes that and how that might play out into fiscal planning for the next budget?
Minister of Finance.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am well aware that the $150 million was removed from the mandate. Thank you.
I guess this side of the House, I can't speak for everybody, but certainly I'm trying to still understand what this cutting programs and services today, what that money is going to be used for in the future. So can the Minister of Finance tell us exactly what the surplus is going to be used for, how it's going to be invested in the last two years of our mandate?
As I said before, I recognize that the $150 million was removed from our mandate, but our fiscal responsibility still stands. As to what the savings might be used for, we still have to make that decision as an Assembly. We go through our Capital Plan and our Business Plan, we will have our discussions with committee as to where we can make those future investments through the budget planning process for both capital and O and M.
I'm wondering if the Minister of Finance, then, can tell me, can we still achieve our fiscal responsibility policy without $150 million reduction targets?
Mr. Speaker, $150 million was the original target. As Members recall, we, I think, achieved $66 million of it last year. We are currently in the business planning process for the upcoming 2017-2018 O and M budget and we are having discussions with the Members. Once we have those discussions and we get into our budget session in February/March, we'll make further decisions as to where any future monies are going to be invested.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I think everybody recognizes the importance of the fiscal responsibility policy, but I don't think I really got an answer to my question, so I might try again. Can we actually achieve or comply with that policy without cutting $150 million of programs and services? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
As Members are aware, we have a very extensive mandate that requires a lot of investment. To meet that goal, we had looked at $150 million. I did speak during the O and M budget session four months ago that it was going to be some short term pain for a longer term gain, and I did commit that the exercise would be over two years, even though there might be a residual effect in years three and four. But could we meet? We would need to have further investment, and we work very closely with our counterparts in Ottawa to try to get further investments. The better position we are in financially, we're able to come up with our cost share dollars of some of the investments. So we are working very hard to try to meet our targets so we can make some more investments into our mandate.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to ask the Finance Minister some questions. The Minister spoke about freeing up money to match federal investment. Yesterday, the Premier spoke about continuing to pursue, to support our strategic infrastructure corridors. Can we have some clarity on what kind of long-term projects we have for this $150 million? I think that's where the frustration comes from, Mr. Speaker, is that if we wait until the business plan cycle hits us, we have no idea where we're taking this government, and that's really what this conversation about the fiscal policy of this government is about. Where are we headed and when is the investment coming?
Masi. Minister of Finance.
