Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again, the Members at this side of the House have raised the issue of knowledge economy and our government's investment in it. I'd like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment exactly what his department is doing on this file? It doesn't seem like much, but perhaps he can set the record straight and allow us to understand how ITI is advancing the knowledge economy in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Mr. Speaker, this question came up yesterday when we were in front of committee. The deputy answered it, but there's a fulsome answer. This was a renewed mandate commitment to this Assembly. The knowledge economy is something new to the Legislative Assembly. There's a brand new FPT table surrounding this with the federal government. The federal government has taken a new approach to this on innovation. They've announced their clusters across the country, what they've committed to doing. We've had engagement with them on how we can try to include ourselves in some of these clusters, but as a territorial government, the knowledge economy is something new that we're trying to approach.
I think a lot of people have a misunderstanding of what knowledge economy means. We need to be able to pull data together, information that is actually a commodity, at the end of the day, that is useful, that you can tangibly, possibly sell to somebody. Our department has taken this, and we've looked at a few initiatives that we want to use around a knowledge economy. One is agriculture; one is a Northwest Territories geological survey; and the other one is the REDI initiative that we implemented last year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I won't remind the Minister of his deputy's remarks yesterday, but again, we're hearing that not much is going on, and it's not that new. That table, perhaps the current incarnation of that table is new, but the federal budget commitment has been there for a while, and so has the money. The Minister spoke about clusters. What is the path forward for the NWT? Should we be looking to forming partnerships with the other northern territories to build up an innovation cluster for ourselves, or should we be looking to partner with Alberta? What's the path forward on knowledge clusters?
We have a world-class facility in Inuvik, which is one option. There are all types of knowledge economy that we can pull together. It could be something based around climate change, research, adaptation, these sorts of things, but I think, as a government as a whole, this has ended up in ITI's lap. We need to take a whole government approach and have possibly even a working group to consider how we want to approach this, because it's a very complicated deal. Do we want to target the cluster situation? Do we want to look at pulling everything within the Northwest Territories together to do it, or do we bring in the three territories across the North to have an approach to this? These are the discussions that we have to have, and maybe the Member has some thoughts on that, that he can provide me with, some thoughts on what he thinks we should do.
Mr. Speaker, I'll ask the questions here, if the Minister doesn't mind. The other area here is innovation, of course. How is ITI rewarding innovators in our economy? What programs and support do they have in place to reward private sector actors who are innovating their own businesses, including the mines? How are we rewarding innovation at all levels of our economy?
I don't think the knowledge economy is about rewarding people. The knowledge economy is about bringing new methodologies to the table, new ideas, how to do business better, how to make things better for climate change adaptation. How do we increase the fibre connectivity of the North to Southerners, satellite facilities, these sorts of things. I don't think there's a reward base. Private business rewards itself with innovation that makes it more cost effective. Innovation brings more investment dollars from outside the country. That's the type of rewards that private businesses bring. It's not the government's job to reward people for innovation.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, if we want innovators to come and invest in the Northwest Territories, we should be offering incentives for innovation such as a tax credit that would allow a research and development tax credit, a subsidy, a program that rewards that level of investment when they invest back in their business to do those things. It is our government's job to support that, and there is federal money available to do it, so will the Minister commit to developing an innovation strategy that will address some of these key points that I've raised today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Incentives is one thing; tax breaks is another thing. Those aren't rewards. Those are things that are put in place to bring industry to the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to look at that. I will talk to my department and our officials to see what our plans are moving forward with the knowledge economy. I would probably suggest to the Member that I will have the deputy talking to the deputies' working group and see how we're going to pull things together, and I will update the Member when I get this information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd just like to follow up with the Minister. In her last answer, she said that these athletes actually did the transportation to go to Yellowknife, and if they had stayed in Fort Simpson, they would have been able to catch the charter. Can the Minister please elaborate and explain to us what she meant by that answer? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe there were a couple of youth who, because they were weathered in, took the chance and they actually drove to Yellowknife to see if they could get a flight, which they couldn't get as well. It was, I believe, weathered in.
My understanding was that, the next day, the weather cleared in Simpson. I may be wrong, but that is my understanding, that the weather cleared and that they might have been able to get to the event if they had stayed. That may be incorrect, but what is important to note is that Sport North did pay for flight arrangements for all of the youth. In trying to be fair, I cannot accommodate youth who take it upon themselves to find alternative travel arrangements That would be hard to determine, and then it would be looking at which youth qualified, and which youth should not. In trying to be fair to all, Sport North did provide the transportation, and I'm guessing that Sport North also may have lost out unless they had the additional insurance for them, so I can't ask them to reimburse for flights that didn't happen.
I guess I should explain the scenario here. These athletes here were fogged in, so they jumped in a vehicle so they could try to catch the charter going into Yellowknife, or from Yellowknife to Inuvik. That was the charter that was not successful. Will the Minister get the department to look at reimbursing them for their gas for their trip?
As I said before, the Sport North Association paid for transportation costs to get all the youth there. Based on that, then, I cannot ask them to refund for youth who took alternative methods. I will look into it, though, and make sure that Sport North only had the charter from Yellowknife and that there was no other option, understanding that, of course, the charter, if there was one from Simpson, was weathered in. If there was a charter arranged to get the youth from Simpson, then I will not reimburse that. If there was an expectation that the youth would have to find their way to jump on a charter and that was detailed and explained to them, then we will look at reimbursing them.
I don't think Sport North got the money. I think the government gave Sport North the money to do these games, so that's why I'm asking the Minister to look at using this money that the government has given Sport North to reimburse these athletes who now have not had the opportunity to participate and try out for the NWT Games. Will the Minister get them to look at it and reimburse them again?
The MLA is correct. The Government of the Northwest Territories provided Sport North with the funding to provide transportation for the youth. As stated earlier, I will check into Sport North and, if they did have a charter, so transportation arranged from the community of Fort Simpson, and the youth did not get a chance to do that, then I will not reimburse them out of pocket because that was part of the deal. If they were asked to make their way to Yellowknife to get onto a plane and they were not reimbursed for that, then I will look into that and provide reimbursement for that cost if that was a requirement to get there.
Mr. Speaker, I have a provisional return to Written Question 3-18(3) asked by the Member for Frame Lake on February 7, 2018 to the Premier regarding Government of the Northwest Territories Participation in the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in January 2018.
A full cost accounting and analysis are under way. Given the level of detail asked for and the need to consult with NWT Aboriginal governments and other key stakeholders as part of the analysis and accounting process, a response will be provided before the end of the fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Annual Report Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act Department of Infrastructure 2017;" and "Follow-up Letter to Oral Question 117-18(3): Immigration Recruitment." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I give notice that on Thursday, March 1, 2018, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 1, 2018, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, March 6, 2018;
And further, that any time prior to March 6, 2018, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will commence our consideration of the document. Well, you know what, committee, how about this? We will take a five-minute break and then we'll get right into it. Thank you.
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I will call the committee back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which begins on page 61 of the document. I will turn to the Minister responsible, for any opening comments. Do you have opening comments, Minister McLeod? If so, please proceed.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to present the 2018-2019 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall, the department’s estimates propose a decrease of $2.498 million or 2.5 per cent of the 2017-2018 Main Estimates, and the net reduction of one position.
Highlights of the proposed estimates include:
New funding of $482,000 to improve existing climate change resilience and adaptation capacity, $475,000 to assist with the implementation of the agriculture strategy through related animal health initiatives and a review of waste resource practices, $440,000 to support the establishment and monitoring of candidate protected areas, $412,000 to develop a NWT-wide country food strategy and associated programming, and $310,000 to support the continued well-being of the Bathurst caribou herd;
Forced growth in this year’s estimates is $72,000 to increase the contracts to community organizations for the provision of forest fire personnel;
Expanding the department’s capacity by $103,000 and half a position to provide French-language communications and services; and
The department’s continued support toward a fiscally responsible budget by reducing $1.3 million in recognized efficiencies in preparation for wildland fires, $468,000 to continue the implementation of reductions approved in the 2017-2018 budget, and $250,000 to recognize the reduced operational requirement for equipment at the Taiga Environmental Lab.
These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly in the areas of:
Collaborating and fostering government-to-government relationships with Indigenous governments in the program areas of wildlife, forestry, water, conservation, and environment;
Improving food security by encouraging local food production, traditional harvesting, and effective co-management of caribou herds and other wildlife species;
Investing in forestry, agriculture, and traditional harvesting and sustainable on-the-land livelihoods for residents of the NWT;
Improving coordination and effectiveness in resource management systems, recognizing traditional knowledge, land claims agreements, and devolution;
Implementing a strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change in collaboration with other governments and organizations; and
Continuing with the department’s legislative initiatives to amend the Environmental Protection Act, the Environmental Rights Act, the Forest Management and Protection Act, the Waters Act, and to create new legislation for protected areas.
That concludes my opening remarks, and I look forward to answering questions from Members. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. I understand that you have witnesses you wish to bring into the Chamber. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, you may take your seat at the witness table. Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right, I have Dr. Joe Dragon, who is the deputy minister of Environment and Natural Resources. To my left, I have Ms. Susan Craig, who is our director of corporate services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Committee, we previously agreed to forego opening comments. Does committee again agree that we forego opening comments for the department?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. The departmental total can be found on page 65, but as usual, we will defer consideration of the total department until after we consider each activity. The department consists of six activities, with five additional information items found at the end of the section.
The first activity, conservation, assessment, and monitoring, is found on page 69. This activity is $7,926,000. Does committee have comments or questions? Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I want to start by asking some questions about conservation planning. When can we expect that there is going to be a public announcement about Thaidene Nene being formally established? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we are still in the negotiating phase. We have a few more items to discuss. My understanding is they are working on those as we speak, and we should be in a position to come with an announcement as soon as they iron out these last few details. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Is one of these details the land transfer arrangement that has to be made with the federal government? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my understanding is the land transfer agreement just has to be finalized, and again, my understanding is that we are very close to finalizing that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
