Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, I will look at those policies and look at how we could work with domestic violence within the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have had previous conversations with this Minister, and some of the responses that I have gotten back are very -- if you're in that type of relationship, one of the things is a mutual agreement amongst the lessees to end this. This, I feel, is locking the person who is being abused into an unhealthy home life. Is there a way that we can look at these things right now and work with the local housing authorities right away to make sure that these are not barriers that may keep them in family violence? I know that, under one of the stipulations, it was an EPO, emergency protection order, but you're not going to get that, from my confirmation, with verbal abuse, sometimes.
[Microphone turned off] ...and have this agreement broken and honoured so that we are not in support of domestic violence. Just send me your stuff, and I'll make sure that we are not going to be dealing with this further.
Another issue that has recently arisen: can the Minister confirm what happens if one of the lessees in a home refuses to file their income tax or pay statements? I know, with the Member for Nunakput, that that is the way right now of how we calculate our rent. This is something that I have heard in my community that, in these family violent relationships, they are using against each other.
In regard to filing and using the T4 slips and filing with CRA, if we do not receive those official documents, we would just be going forward and calculating their rent month by month. Once again, I would encourage the Member to bring this forward. I would like to deal with this immediately.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I previously had questions for the Minister of Infrastructure regarding a building standards act. One of the problems is that it's not quite clear who this responsibility would lie with. Consistent requests from the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, the Architects Association, and many Members have been directed towards the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. My question to the Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is: will she direct her department to develop a legislative proposal for a building standards act in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Working with a building standards act and trying to implement that in the Northwest Territories, I would have to be working with my colleagues. I know that we do not have one currently. We do use the fire act right now, that is up for review. I will speak with my department to see how we can work with this going forward because I know, looking at the building standards act, it's kind of complex. We deal with the fire regulations, the building codes, and this is all separate, and we don't have it actually located under one functioning act for the Northwest Territories. I will commit to the Member that I will be speaking to my department, and I will follow up with him with the results. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate that commitment to bring this forward to the department to look into it. The main issue with a building standards act is we all know there is a multimillion-dollar deficit in infrastructure costs to the NWT, and GNWT infrastructure is built to very high-quality standards, but, in the communities where there is no enforcement of this, every single person building a building has to decide between quality, and often we are building buildings that are the cheaper option, which means that the cost of living in our communities consistently rises. A building standards act creates an even floor that allows us to have efficient costs for our residents, so my question to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs is: will she bring this issue to the Cabinet table to make sure that there is a clear department, whether it be Infrastructure, whether it be MACA, that is responsible, so that I know who to ask questions to regarding a building standards act?
Absolutely, I will be bringing that forward to the Cabinet for discussion as I know going forward that we do have construction in the smaller communities. We need clarification on that.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Mr. Speaker, I heard that good news again, about the T4s and the month-by-month, from the housing Minister. I just want to make sure that, across the territory, people know that they are going to be able to go. On what date are we going to start using that system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to clarify with the Member. Is he referring to the date for the assessments to be completed? Please clarify.
Last week, I had a commitment from this Minister. I am not looking for assessments. I am looking for a start date, like what time we could start being able to start choosing a T4 system or a month-by-month and a start date. Thank you from the people of the Northwest Territories who are going to really like our Minister of housing.
In regard to using the T4 slips and going month to month for the assessment, the client can advise his region and his constituents that they can start doing that today, now.
I am in shock. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Minister. Note, just in regard to that, I think that people across the territory are going to be able to do a little bit more with what they get and what they have. I thank the House.
Thank you. I will take that as a comment, unless the Minister wants to respond. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Previously, both in the media and in this House, we heard a number of concerns expressed by the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories. I know that the Minister of health has met with them. I was hoping the Minister of health could provide an update to this House on the status of the requests made from the NWT Foster Family Coalition.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From what I am aware, the last time we met with the Foster Family Coalition was that we would continue to have ongoing dialogue and that we directed staff to continue to have a scheduled meeting, so that is what I know right now.
Ongoing dialogue is important, but I was looking for a little more from the Minister of Health and Social Services. The NWT Foster Family Coalition publicly made a number of requests. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services commit to responding to each of those requests made by the NWT Foster Family Coalition?
I will look into the situation. I am not sure about committing to each of the requests because I do not know what all the requests are, but I will have a look at the situation.
Just to clarify, I am not asking that the Minister of Health and Social Services commit to fulfilling the requests. I am asking for a commitment that each of them be responded to, and it can be a "yes," a "no," a "we will get back to you." Is the Minister willing to do that?
Yes, this Minister will respond to what the Member is asking.
Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the appropriate standing committee also be updated regarding the status of the ongoing disputes and issues and the responses to requests that have been raised by the NWT Foster Family Coalition?
Yes, this Minister will provide information to the Standing Committee on Social Development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. While we are on a roll and we are getting all these yeses, I think it's a good time to go back to the liability caps in the Oil and Gas Spills and Debris Liability Regulations that I raised with the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment a couple of days ago. I would like to know when the Minister is going to complete that review of the liability caps. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know when that will be complete.
Does the Minister expect to complete this review before the end of this Assembly? Could she give us some idea? The Minister has a Petroleum Resources Strategy in place that includes spending for a million dollars over three years and, as I understand it, some of that is to review the regulations and framework that we have in place. Can the Minister commit to completing that review before the end of this Assembly? It's a one-page regulation; I don't know what the problem is.
There is no problem, other than departments are very busy. I do commit to finishing this review before the end of the Assembly.
I want to thank the Minister for that. I would like to know from the Minister whether the department has looked into the issue of whether these liability caps are going to impede our ability to recover any funds or carry out the remediation work that is going to be required at the Cameron Hills field?
I will have to get back to the Member with a written response to that question.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Waste Reduction and Recovery Program 2018-2019 Annual Report." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that the Legislative Assembly request the Office of the Auditor General of Canada to undertake a special audit of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal Project, and report thereon to the Legislative Assembly; and further, that this special audit investigate the actual project costs and long-term financial implications of the partnership arrangement, compliance with the Financial Administration Act and the financial policies of the Government of the Northwest Territories, value for money considerations, appropriation authority, reporting, and adherence to standard public procurement practices and processes; and furthermore, that the Auditor General investigate and consider any other factors that, in their opinion, is relevant; and furthermore, that all employees and officials, respecting the broad powers of investigation granted to the Auditor General under the Auditor General Act and confirmed under the Northwest Territories Act, actively cooperate with the Auditor General in providing all appropriate documents, papers, and information requested by the Office of the Auditor General; and furthermore, that the Government inform the Boreal Health Partnership and all relevant contractors of the nature and purpose of the special audit; and furthermore, that the Office of the Auditor General is requested to complete the special audit as soon as practicable and provide a report to the Legislative Assembly; and furthermore, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the content of our proceedings in relation to this motion to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada for their consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Notices of motion. Item 16, motions. Item 17, notice of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Members, we will call a short recess. Thank you.
