I understand where the Minister is coming from. She was not part of the process, but she is the Minister today who can deal with this matter. There is an American firm operating at site. The money is going south. We are not benefitting from that in the Northwest Territories, the tax implications and so forth. Mr. Speaker, this is a very crucial issue that we need to deal with. We have experienced Stanton hospital. We have experienced major projects, Deh Cho Bridge and other places. We are still dealing with that in this House in 2020, Mr. Speaker. When is that going to stop?
Since the Minister alluded to the contract that was negotiated, the 19th Assembly government talked about being transparent and accountable. The names of the contract negotiated for the Tlicho All-Season Road project are blacked out on the document provided by the Minister's office to me. The Tlicho constituents would like to know who negotiated these contracts. When will the Minister demonstrate the required openness and transparency and provide a copy of the contract with the actual signatories' names on it so that I can share it with my constituents?
It's my understanding that that specific contract has gone through the ATIPP process. I do recognize that I need to get more information on why those specific signatories were blacked out. I do believe there are issues around privacy, of actually having the signature of people in documents that were provided so that they cannot be electronically copied. However, if it's an issue of that, then I would look into why the actual name itself is not provided. I will get that information and send it back to the Member.
When is this going to change? I can tell you it's going to change right now. I am a new Minister. I am changing the way my department is going to do things. It's going to take me some time. It would be very irresponsible for me to come in and start making changes before I have a better understanding of what's going on in my department, so, at this moment, I'm collecting my data, I'm gathering my facts, and I can guarantee you that the Member and all of the Members are going to see changes in the contracting system.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. My question is: for every dollar we currently spend providing income assistance, how much do we spend in administration?
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budgeted amount for the Income Assistance program in 2019-2020 was $32 million. That being said, it's difficult to always estimate exactly how much we'll need, so there have been overruns of about $2 or $3 million every year, so say maybe $35 million would be spent in 2018-2019. Of that, about $6.5 million is for Income Security Program support. The other $27 or $28 million or so goes directly to clients. I'd also like to mention that we also have additional income security programs, such as the Senior Home Heating Subsidy, that also provides some income security. Thank you.
Can I clarify those numbers I just heard? We spent $6.5 million on administration, and then the remainder of the $32 million is actually direct payments to clients? Is that correct?
That's correct. That $32 million is the budgeted amount. It's likely a couple of million dollars higher in actual payments.
By my calculation, we're spending about 20 percent for every dollar we give out on administration. Can the Minister clarify how many different Income Assistance programs there presently are?
There is a distinction between income security programs and Income Assistance programs, and I believe, from earlier conversations with the Member, he wants to know about the Income Assistance program in particular. We have one Income Assistance program, and that program provides financial assistance to residents to assist with their basic and enhanced needs, which include shelter, food, utilities, clothing, childcare, as well as allowances for persons with permanent disabilities, or seniors.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My concern here is that we seem to be spending 20 percent on administration for every dollar we give out, and then we're requiring all of these people to monthly report. Do all of our Income Assistance programs require monthly reporting?
We have the one program, and not all of the clients have to report monthly. If a client has an income that is steady and doesn't change month to month, or year to year, even, they can be put on a payroll system so that reporting can happen every three months, six months, or 12 months, depending on how stable their income is. While most clients have to report monthly on income, a number of clients don't. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. As the Government of the Northwest Territories works to modernize the Public Service Act, what is the process for consulting key stakeholders, such as the Union of Northern Workers and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before any proposed legislation comes forward, obviously, there needs to be a legislative proposal put together, and in the course of preparing a legislative proposal, there is a process convention that requires that an appropriate standing committee will see a copy of that legislative proposal. That's the early stages of all development of legislation. It will certainly not be our intention to deviate from that. It would be our intention to follow that process convention so that, when we are going through those early stages, the relevant standing committee would be involved. In that sense, the consultation of this House will take place.
Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, as I believe I mentioned previously, the idea of modernizing the Public Service Act started two years ago. There was detailed research done. At that time, both unions were consulted at length, and they continue to be consulted now in terms of understanding where this idea might go. As far as it becoming a clearer process, that has to go through the same process as every other piece of legislation. A legislative proposal has to come forward first, go to standing committee, and only then does it go to Cabinet, after which a bill would be drafted. Then, of course, at that point, further consultation takes place.
Has the Minister been in contact with the Union of Northern Workers or the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association recently, given that we are about to enter into new collective bargaining later this year?
One of the very first things I did when I assumed this portfolio was to ensure that the relationship between the GNWT and the unions was renewed, was strengthened. I am informed that, in fact, that relationship has been renewed, it has been strengthened, and that communications are ongoing about all of the matters for which we have to have many communications with the union, and that that continues to be, and, in fact, is increasingly, a positive relationship.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents, "2020-2021 Main Estimates" and a "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 16-19(1), Prompt Payment of Northern Vendors." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to table the following four documents entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 12-19(2), Cancer Screening, Care and Prevention in the Beaufort-Delta;" "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 21-19(2), Addictions Treatment and Aftercare on the Land;" "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 29-19(2), Stanton Territorial Hospital Issues;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 51-19(2), Adult Day Program for Seniors in Yellowknife." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a letter dated February 18, 2020, from the executive director of the Yellowknife Women's Society to the honourable Paulie Chinna regarding the decision against supporting the Arnica Project. I also wish to table an email dated February 20, 2020, from the mayor of the City of Yellowknife to the honourable Paulie Chinna regarding the Arnica Inn Project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Tabling of documents. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a report to the Parliament by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat entitled "Meeting the Expectations of Canadians – Review of the Governance Framework for Canada's Crown Corporations." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Tabling of documents. Item 17, notices of motion. Item 18, motions. Item 19, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 20, first reading of bills. Item 21, second reading of bills. Item 22, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories; and Tabled Document 17-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2019-2020.
All right. I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Norn.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories.
All right. Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with that item after.
---SHORT RECESS
I will now call committee back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, and we will return to page 15. Are there any further questions on the increased employment in small communities? Seeing none, committee, we will move -- all right. Madam Premier, we have agreed to being with the general comments on the mandate. Does the Premier wish to bring witnesses into the House? Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Madam Premier, would you please introduce your witness.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On my right is Mr. Martin Goldney. He is the Cabinet Secretary and the deputy minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. We are on page 16, "Make strategic infrastructure investments that connect communities, expand the economy, or reduce the cost of living." Questions? Yes, Mr. Bonnetrouge.
Is it possible to go back to page 15, "Increase employment in small communities"?
Yes, we can. We'll go back; we're going to go back to 15, "Increase employment in small communities." Questions. Mr. Bonnetrouge.
Mahsi, Madam Chair. I'd like to ask about the working group. What is going to be the makeup of the working group for looking into creating employment for the small communities? Mahsi.
