Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will ask the same question because I did not get an answer there. Can the Minister give me an example or examples of other contracts ever put on hold during the winter months, like we are having in the case of Fort McPherson?
My understanding is that the Hay River hospital actually went through the same process and therefore did have to stop construction over the winter months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on September 21st the Department of Infrastructure released a public announcement saying that on Friday, September 22, 2017, load restrictions would be affected for the Liard River crossing due to low water levels. In the release, it stated that loads will be restricted to no more than 64,000 kilograms and service would be interrupted if conditions deteriorate. I would like to thank the department and regional staff for getting this information out to the public, businesses, and leadership across the region. However, this is a huge concern for my riding. This is a service that has a huge impact on all communities in my riding and surrounding areas. The scary thing is the 15-year average closing date is November 3rd, but, if the water level continues, we will see a closure for the first time in 25 years. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Infrastructure please tell the House what the department is doing to address this issue beyond reducing the weight of the loads to 64,000 kilograms?
Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Member for commending the department. They are doing a great job communicating the situation that is taking place there on the Liard ferry. They are using our public communications through our Twitter feed and our websites and stuff, and reaching out to industry within the community. They have already had a number of discussions with industry, the Northern Store, the local contractors, and such. From my understanding, most people are well aware of this situation and have got everything into the community that is needed. There is a little bit of bulk fuel that needs to be brought in, and that is going to be addressed in the next few days, as far as that going forward. We will continue to work with the community on the low water issues and advise them what is going on.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise us if the issue is the drafting capabilities of the MV Lafferty Ferry? Would the situation be alleviated by recommissioning the Merv Hardie ferry to this crossing?
The MV Lafferty Ferry in Fort Simpson is a low-draft vessel. The other vessel is not. There is about a three-foot difference in draft on these two boats, and so the Merv Hardie ferry would not work in the Fort Simpson area, particularly at this time of year. I know the captain of the ship is doing the best he can. They have put on the least amount of fuel they can to keep their bilge as dry as possible and are keeping their fresh water to a minimum, as well, to be able to keep the weights up. They will continue to monitor it as we move forward.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I have to agree. The staff for his department are doing a great job in that community. Mr. Speaker, in the past, I have had the opportunity to submit some ideas from my constituents, myself, to the Minister. He has said that he and the department would look at them. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise if they are looking at moving the ferry crossing to the Mackenzie River side, or that it goes into town, or onto another location of the Liard River?
I have the information on these three options that were put forward. The first option was to relocate the ferry from the existing location to haul to Fort Simpson. That would be a $16 million price tag, capital cost, to do this, and the length of the ferry trip would be definitely too long because it would be over an hour's sail versus a seven- to eight-minute sail.
The second option we investigated was to relocate the existing ferry location to deep water upstream of the Liard River, with a capital cost of $3 million. This option would not likely increase operating season, mostly to do with the ice floes in the area.
The third option was to relocate the crossing to the island on the Liard River and install a causeway. This was deemed not very viable, as well, because of the fluctuations of low waters and high waters as such could be up to 13 metres in that area. None of these ideas have been very viable, and we continue to stick to our current location.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. It is great to hear that the department has been looking at it. I can now share this information with my constituents. Mr. Speaker, if these options are not workable, which the Minister says they are not, will the Minister look at the idea of building a bridge across the Liard River or look at the idea of a floating bridge similar to the one in southern BC?
I think the idea of a bridge across the Liard River would be someday considered at some point, but I think right now the mandate of this Assembly is the Mackenzie Valley highway, the Slave Geological Province, or the Whati road. I think if we get the opportunity to build the Mackenzie Valley highway at some point and have it completed, and industry picks up in the region and the amount of traffic would come up to warrant a bridge across there, we could do that, but for us to spend the money on a bridge right now versus completing the Mackenzie Valley Highway, I do not think is something we want to consider at this point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I talked about the knowledge economy. In the future, when we look at how technology is changing Canada's economy, we can see that, where new technologies have been introduced, there is a demand for highly skilled workers, particularly highly skilled information and communications technology workers. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the department has a plan to harness potential information and communication technologies, and what they are doing about that field and how it can transform our economy. Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, we are going through a foundational review that is going to help identify some of the priorities and program services, which we are going to be working on with the Aurora College in regards to education here in the Northwest Territories, but we also have the Aurora Research Institute that hands out research licences every year. On average, it is about 200 licences that are given out. Recently the Aurora Research Institute just completed a new strategic plan, and it focuses on things like research priorities, partnership, knowledge, management, education, and outreach. As you heard earlier this week, with the new fibre optic link coming into effect, that is an opportunity to promote some of this kind of research and education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am glad the Minister brought up Inuvik. A perfect example of how knowledge economy is changing Canada is the City of Calgary. It is one of Canada's fastest-growing cities, and it has some of the highest incomes in the country. What most people don't know is that 40 per cent of its workforce is in the creative industry, and that is the fourth in the country, just ahead of Toronto. The entire City of Toronto, there are more creative people working in this knowledge economy information communications technology. Inuvik has this fibre optic link. Is there a plan to develop a knowledge cluster using the Aurora Research Institute, using Aurora College, and using funding from ECE to develop a knowledge hub in Inuvik that can take advantage of the amazing things with information technology that is taking place in the community?
I believe Aurora Research Institute is already doing that type of work and continuing to promote other types of education opportunities, as I mentioned. The mandate, actually, for the Aurora Research Institute is to improve the quality of life for NWT residents by applying scientific, technological, and Indigenous knowledge to solve Northern problems and advance social and economic goals, which is a goal and a mandate of this government. I believe Aurora Research Institute is already doing this and will continue to promote innovative ways of education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This is why I made the statement. What Aurora Research Institute is doing is good, solid research that is advancing scientific knowledge, but what a knowledge economy is, is using the skills and expertise of these hubs to build economic opportunity, and that is exactly what we are talking about. It cannot just be up to ITI. I think we are hearing about a lot of good work that is going on in the natural resource economy, but we need to focus on building a knowledge economy.
What the Minister is saying is not quite right. I am wondering if he will commit to developing a knowledge economy strategy, working with his department to identify both labour market demands, skills and training that can fuel those demands, and access the opportunities that currently exist and develop them into full-blown economic opportunities that can create jobs and growth in our communities. Will the Minister commit to a plan that does exactly that?
As Members know, we do have the Labour Market Information Report that talks about the needs that we have in the Northwest Territories. We are using that to adjust job creation as well as focusing on residents in the North so that they can get into the workforce. We will work with our departments to address those needs, and we will continue to support Aurora College and Aurora Research Institute. We are working on an overarching legislation that will allow other institutes to come up in the Northwest Territories and create some of those opportunities that the Member is referring to.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Minister is looking at what we have currently got in play. Embracing one economic model does not mean abandoning the other. The work they have done is about existing economic opportunities in the Northwest Territories. I am talking about creating new economic opportunities.
Let us go with the Minister has said here. We need to bring in more universities and more post-secondary institutions. When is the Minister going to develop legislation to enable these post-secondary institutions to operate in the Northwest Territories? I am talking about an overarching post-secondary act for the Northwest Territories so we can get institutions like Dechinta, like College nordique, and any other university that wants to come up north, train students, and contribute to our economy. When is that legislation going to come forward to this House? Thank you.
We are currently working on that legislation. I don't have a time frame for right now, but once I do get more details, I will share it with the Member. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Lands. I would like to ask the Minister if he can briefly explain the equity lease. Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Equity leases were leases that were entered into between the Government of Northwest Territories and individual residents on Commissioner's land. Essentially the lease set out a program of payment which enabled the lessees, the individuals, to make up-front larger payments of the lease amount and then a nominal amount through the term of the lease. I must say that there are many interpretations as to what rights that gave the lessor and lessees. Thank you.
What can the Minister do to create more certainty around the equity lease or leasing in general? I think it was indicated there is something to whether or not the rights issue was considered or contemplated. The simple question is: what can he do to create more certainty?
One of the things I can do is ensure that no more equity leases are granted because of the very confusion that the Member opposite has mentioned. As I say, there were many different interpretations as to the rights of the lessees at the end of the lease, and the obligations of the government also. There will not be any more equity leases granted.
I would like to ask the Minister if Regular Members will have an opportunity or a chance to have input in the land leasing policy that is in place now.
Yes, of course, Mr. Speaker, and in fact, in January of this year I appeared before committee to discuss this very issue and correspondence was exchanged with respect to the very issue raised by the Member.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's statement, the leasing policy seems to be a counterproductive policy. I was wondering if the Minister can commit to the House that he will meet with his colleagues, the Ministers responsible for Housing, MACA, and Finance, to see if a more appropriate and lower leasing rate can be attained from meeting with his colleagues to ensure that individuals are able to apply for programs in those areas. Thank you.
I do realize the importance of this matter, and I certainly will just be discussing this matter further with the Minister for MACA. I cannot guarantee what the result of those conversations will be, but I agree to undertake them. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Justice, who is responsible for leading our government's efforts on cannabis legalization. We face a unique set of challenges, as I mentioned in my statement earlier today. Can the Minister provide an update of the current state of this work, including the remaining time frame and milestones we can expect? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Justice.
As this House will know, there have been a series of public meetings, there have been eight through the Northwest Territories, so at this point, the information obtained at those meetings is being collected, along with the information we received online. I understand more than 1,100 responses. I hope to have a "what we heard" document soon and we will, of course, provide that to Members as soon as I have received it. Thank you.
Thanks, Minister, for that. It sounds like the engagement was well received, and I look forward to getting the compilation of it. I complimented the Minister earlier for the meeting that I attended here in Yellowknife.
Not unlike liquor distribution and sales, our response to cannabis legalization has to take into account that most communities are too small for their own sales outlets. It is likely that some legal arrangement for shipping of products will be needed, and there may be a desire for additional restrictions by local governments. How does the Minister plan to address these complexities with a system that is locally responsive and respectful?
Yes, we do realize that we do face some logistical challenges that other jurisdictions do not have, and we realize also that we do have challenges in addressing addictions of abuse of alcohol and drugs as it is in the Northwest Territories. We do recognize that some communities may want to have authority to regulate cannabis within the community. My concern, if we should follow that route, is that generally speaking it creates confusion and complexity if you have a patchwork of laws. It would seem to be generally speaking better, and I would have to wait to think about this further to discuss it with my colleagues, is that generally speaking it is better to have a uniform law throughout the jurisdiction. As I say, you could have a patchwork of legislation which may be overly complex.
I thank the Minister for his reply. The NWT is always complicated, and I am glad to hear that he has been giving some thought to these issues. Another complex element of this undertaking is pricing and revenue. Other jurisdictions have embarked on this legalization in recent years, and there are lessons to be learned. I am just wondering if the Minister can tell us whether his department is doing any research into the experience and lessons of other jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis, and whether that research might be made public.
Yes, research has been done on the history of this type of legislation in other jurisdictions, I think primarily those in the United States. We are also looking at the models that have been proposed in other Canadian jurisdictions. I know that Ontario has come forth with a model, as has the Province of New Brunswick.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Thanks to the Minister for that. Glad to hear some research is being done. Perhaps that can be rolled into the "what we heard" report. Is there some sort of discussion paper that might accompany it so we can have an informed discussion or debate around that? Lastly, it is my understanding that the initial federal legalization will not deal with edible products or oils. What process will our government use for the regulation of these cannabis products? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Of course, the general legislation will come into effect in July 2018 which will deal with production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis. I understand that the regulation of edible cannabis products will follow approximately six months after that date, so we are going to have to see what that legislation looks at before we prepare a response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
