Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. What I'd like to know is: do we have an integrative group working on community wellness plans at this time? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While there is no specific working group addressing community wellness as a system, there are a number of intergovernmental working groups that have wellness communities as an end goal. Within the Health and Social Services we have a number of intergovernmental committees that focus on early childhood development, supports for persons with disabilities, and the problematic substance use working group are just a few examples. Many of these groups have representatives from the community or individual with lived experience. The intergovernmental poverty reduction group is a good example of a group with direct connection to the community wellness.
Is there a plan in the near future to bring all of those components together to be able to create a wellness plan specific to each community in the Northwest Territories?
Again, I want to use the work that's being done with the poverty reduction area. This is an intergovernmental team that has worked to develop partnerships with community groups, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous governments. Each year, the GNWT hosts an anti-poverty round table where MLAs, government representatives, NGOs, community members, and representatives of Indigenous groups gather to provide direction and review progress in meeting poverty reduction goals. Another way this group works together is the admin of the Anti-Poverty Fund. This supports the valuable work that the local groups carry out to support community wellness and issues related to poverty in their communities.
Is there a working group that currently brings together Health and Social Services, Housing, and ECE? Thank you.
The intergovernmental working group is made up of eight departments, so it includes not just the Health and Social Services, as suggested. It also includes Education, Culture and Employment; Municipal and Community Affairs; Finance; Environment and Natural Resources; Industry and Tourism, which allows the government to collaborate across government on policies and programs to support outcomes established on reduction of poverty in our communities and avoids working in silos. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake. Thank you.
Merci, Monsieur le President. As I understand it, the previous cabinet approved the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan. Can the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources tell us how he intends to implement this range plan when there are no resources or timelines identified in the plan? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ENR is committed to work with our partners to implement the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan. The range plan serves to guide the GNWT and others carrying out activities in wildlife and land management. GNWT has committed considerable resources to the management of the Bathurst herd, including the range plan activities. Last year, ENR received an additional $6.8 million over five years to support actions for the barren land caribou herd, and additional funds required beyond current resources will be assessed as the range plan is implemented.
I want to thank the Minister for that great news about more money being available, and I look forward to the details of that. I have reviewed the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan and acknowledge that it was collaboratively developed and its technically sound. The problem has been with habitat protection, where virtually nothing has been done in terms of execution. Can the Minister tell us when this government is finally going to protect key habitat, either temporarily, with recommended mobile caribou-conservation measures, or permanent land withdrawals?
The government is currently working with our co-management partners to identify high-priority habitats through traditional knowledge workshops with elders and land users. As well, once areas are identified, the government will work with our partners to identify appropriate ways for protection.
I want to thank the Minister for that. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of time. This is an emergency. We know where some of these areas are. There have been several traditional knowledge studies and other work that has identified this key habitat. Key habitat lies on both sides of the NWT-Nunavut boundary. Can the Minister provide an update as to the status of the negotiations towards a transboundary caribou agreement with the Government of Nunavut, and what role will Regular MLAs play?
The government works closely with the Government of Nunavut and our co-management partners in the management of the Bathurst herd. The two governments signed an MOU to work together on caribou research, monitoring, and management of shared barren-ground caribou herds in 2017, and we presently are working to update that MOU. ENR has committed to provide the committee with a briefing on caribou management, which will include an update on our relationship with Nunavut on caribou.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that, and I look forward to the briefing and actually seeing a signed transboundary agreement some point soon, but the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board, in approving the joint management proposal, the most recent one, directed that an adaptive management framework be developed for the Bathurst and Bluenose-East caribou herds. The Minister has accepted that recommendation, so can he tell us how this adaptive framework is going to help with recovery of these herds, and whether actions will finally include habitat protection? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to thank the Member for bringing these up. It's important, and he keeps us on our toes, and I appreciate that. I thank him for these questions here today. The Tlicho Government and the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board are currently working together to develop an adaptive management framework for the Bathurst herd. The Barren-land Caribou Technical Working Group has prepared a draft framework. This framework will help us make decisions by all co-management partners on the Bathurst caribou herd management, including habitat protection. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, before we continue, I'd just like to remind Members to please slow down. We have a number of interpreters with us here today, and they like to get everything that you say. Just a reminder; I catch myself doing it myself, so just a reminder. Thanks again. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Question 8-19(2):
Teck Resources Frontier Mine
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. The 24,000-acre Teck Resources Frontier tar sands mine is heading for a decision by the federal government very soon. It's going to operate for over 40 years. An independent panel has reviewed the project and found that there would be high-magnitude, irreversible impacts on the environment; it's upstream of us. So I'd like to ask the Minister whether this government has actually participated in the environmental assessment of this project. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The environmental assessment for Teck Frontier began in January 2012. The government did not make a submission to the Environmental Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. At the time of the environmental assessment, the GNWT was actively negotiating with the Government of Alberta towards a bilateral water management agreement. The Alberta-NWT bilateral water management agreement addresses concerns related to upstream development and was signed in March 2015. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the Minister for that. The GNWT previously has opposed these kinds of upstream developments, whether they are pulp mills, tar sands projects, and so on. We actually got to appoint somebody to one of these panels at one point, a resident of the Northwest Territories. Our government has been on record as opposing these sorts of things in the past, so I'd like to know whether our government has actually taken a position on the Teck Resources Frontier tar sands mine.
Under the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement, which was signed by the federal government, NWT, Alberta, Yukon, BC, and Saskatchewan in 1997, each party to the agreement maintains the right to manage the use of water resources within its own jurisdictions, providing the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecological system is maintained. The GNWT's position is that upholding this agreement ensures that the commitment of the bilateral agreement with Alberta is adhered to.
That's great to hear from the Minister, that we've got a transboundary water agreement, but that shouldn't stop us from taking a position on this project that's upstream of us. We're not going to get any benefits; we're just going to get the effluent downstream. I'd like to know from the Minister: he's talked about this transboundary water agreement with Alberta. What help can that agreement give us in terms of adverse impacts?
The Alberta-NWT bilateral water management agreement was signed in March 2015. This agreement makes a clear commitment that Alberta will maintain the health of the aquatic ecological system of our shared waters, which include water quality, quantity and biology of the Slave River. Upstream monitoring by Alberta and the federal government provides the GNWT with an early warning of changes and an opportunity to mitigate effects before they are realized at the border. The GNWT monitors water quality and the biological indicators at the Alberta territorial border and has developed a system of triggering with Alberta to protect all of these areas, including traditional use.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that response. Monitoring is great, but how is that actually going to protect residents of the Northwest Territories from this upstream development? What is this agreement, and what is this government actually prepared to do to protect our residents and our environment? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
The Member raises a valid concern. Again, ENR is in communication with the Government of Alberta and the federal government related to commitments under the transboundary agreements. These include prior notification, sharing of monitoring results, maintaining ecological integrity, cost-sharing arrangements, and staff capacity and engagement. As well, I can tell this House that I'm reaching out to the Minister from Alberta and to the Minister of the federal government responsible for this, and we are trying to work together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Written Question 1-19(2):
GNWT Participation in the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in January 2020
Merci, monsieur le President. My question is for the Premier. Cabinet Ministers and GNWT staff travelled to Vancouver during the week of January 18 to 23, 2020, to attend the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup. Can the Premier provide a list of all the NWT Ministers and staff who travelled to Vancouver for the meeting, and:
total cost of travel, including transportation, showing air travel by executive versus economy class, accommodations, expenses, and associated allowances;
any related contract costs for the trip, particularly costs of conference registration, exhibitor staffing, any fees for consulting services outside of those provided by public servants, and any funding by the GNWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the costs of other NWT representatives attending, including Indigenous governments;
a description of hospitality events, including catering, speaker, and other costs, and numbers of persons attending; and
what analysis, if any, has taken place of the value for money of the GNWT participation at this event.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My apologies to the interpreters for speaking too fast.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Written questions. Item 9, petitions. Item 10, reports of standing and special committees. Item 11, tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Tabled Document 1-19(2):
Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 2-19(1): Carbon Tax Implementation
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 2-19(1), Carbon Tax Implementation." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Tabled Document 2-19(2):
Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 7-19(1): Bison Management Plan
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 7-19(1), Bison Management Plan." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Tabled Document 3-19(2):
Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 10-19(1): Child and Family Services
Tabled Document 4-19(2):
Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 14-19(1): Home and Community Care
Tabled Document 5-19(2):
Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 22-19(1): Vaping Regulations
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 10-19(1), Child and Family Services;" "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 14-19(1), Home and Community Care;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 22-19(1), Vaping Regulations." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister.
Tabled Document 6-19(2):
Territorial General Election 2019 Official Results Report
Colleagues, I wish to table the "Territorial General Election 2019 Official Results Report." The official results are published in accordance with section 265(1) and (2) of the Elections and Plebiscites Act. Thank you.
Tabling of documents. Item 12, notices of motion. Member for Yellowknife North.
Motion 1-19(2):
Setting of Sitting Days and Hours
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that we are moving into both our mandate session and budget session, I expect that there will be a number of late nights. Therefore, I give notice that, on Friday, February 7, 2020, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Notices of motion. Item 13, motions. Item 14, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 15, first reading of bills. Item 16, second reading of bills. Orders of the day, Mr. Clerk.
Orders of the day for Thursday, February 6, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.:
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to the Commissioner's Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House is adjourned until Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. Thank you.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 3:17 p.m.
