The Member is absolutely right: the secretariat was not in our priorities or mandate, and COVID-19 was not in our priorities or the mandate. I think, if it was, we might have changed our priorities and our mandates. However, we have what we have, so we go forward. Mr. Speaker, again I take ownership because some things we were trying to get off, we were trying to do, everybody was scrambling to make sure we had services in place, and we knew that some of the services on our side were breaking down. Things were coming really fast. The structures were not as good as we were used to. I made the wrong assumption and assumed on the other side that the structures were still the same, so we did offer to standing committee -- in fairness, it was buried between a letter that said, "This is what we're doing, if you'd like to see more about how we need to reorganize the structure." I take ownership for that; that's true, but we did offer one. It said, "We don't have a lot of stuff. We don't need this briefing." When it came back to me from my staff and they said, "We don't need the briefing," I said, "That doesn't make sense. How can they not need the briefing?"
Again, I would say it was buried in a letter, and I think it was misinformed. So we sent another offer to standing committee. At that time, standing committee accepted it and we presented. The normal process back in the day used to be that we would go to standing committee; we would provide the documents; they would give us feedback; we'd take it back; we would work on it; we would go back to standing committee, give the details, give and take; and then we'd go public. We didn't have the benefit of that. The first instance of going to standing committee, it was live, so we didn't have a very good communications plan. We didn't go to the public yet out of respect, due process, is that we usually work with our MLAs first. Again, I take ownership on our side, but I also say that we tried.
"Tried" is not good enough. The Minister of Finance made a statement earlier today talking about not directly benefiting all NWT businesses. We can have direct benefits to all NWT businesses if we are open-minded to boost our economy. I'll give you an example. There are 3,000 businesses throughout the Northwest Territories. Out of the $87 million, $87 million in my language is [English translation not available]. That is a lot of money. Seriously, just imagine granting $29,000 to each business in the Northwest Territories. That will cover all Northwest Territories businesses to boost our economy. That's what we should be focusing on, not this secretariat. MACA has been doing well since March. Creating another 150 positions; the Premier is saying, "It's not new positions." Obviously, it's new positions, newly created bureaucracy. This, I don't think, came in August or September. I'm sure it's been talked about, but just the lack of engagement and consultation with the public just boggles my mind.
The next question I do have is: how does the Premier reconcile this massive expense with an urgent, unfulfilled needs of our business sector that I spoke to earlier, that can boost our economy, that can do a lot more than what we are proposing here as a government?
I said that you will see that the supps will be coming later, and if the Members don't decide to support it, then we have to go back to doing what we can. Yes, we could give $29,000, I think the Member said, to every business and not have border controls, not have isolation units, not give out PPE to our students, to our kids at most highest risk. We can do all that, but does it make sense? COVID-19 is raging in the South. They're in their second wave. The numbers every day are increasing. Should we not put our isolation units and our border controls and our enforcement and our PPE for people first? That's the question. If MLAs think that I should stop everything else that the secretariat is doing and give $29,000 to each business, tell me that.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, I am not getting anywhere with this. The Premier and the government need to start listening to the people of the Northwest Territories and the Members around the table, here. We are here to make a difference. We have identified 22 mandates. We are not here to dictate and say, "This is good for you." I, for one, feel that our Premier is doing that to our Northwest Territories, that this is good for you and we need to do this. I totally disagree with that process. Again, I'd like to refer back. This Assembly identified 22 priorities to be pursued over the next four-year term, priorities such as increasing graduation rates, which is badly needed. It's a huge challenge in our communities, small isolated communities especially. Increasing affordable housing is another one. I can go on and on with the list of the 22, but I do have a last question: what consideration has the Premier given to the effect of this $87-million expenditure on the prospects of advancing those critical priorities? How will the Premier account for these massive expenditures if they set back those 22 priority areas? Masi, Mr. Speaker.
I hear the MLA. We do have priorities that we have to get on with. We have normal business that we have to get on with. When we first started with the COVID response, you're right, we did not go to the public when COVID-19 hit and the Chief Public Health Officer said we're shutting things down, we're tightening up. We didn't have time to do proper consultation with the public, to do proper consultation with Indigenous governments, municipal governments, all applicable stakeholders. We need to have those border controls now. I am all about stakeholder engagement. Ask any Minister here. I say it all the time, but in this case, we did not have time to do proper consultation. The best we could do was ask all the Indigenous and municipal governments to come together and work as governments together to define how we went forward.
Yes, there are other priorities. At this point, we have not said we're cutting any from the other priorities. That hasn't been a discussion that I've heard at our tables. We are still on track. We're still trying to do business as normal. Again, if that is the reason that they will say, "Take her out," then take me out because health and safety is priority. I have an obligation as the Premier of the Northwest Territories to make sure that the health and safety of our residents comes first, and I will hold that to my end. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: "Capital Estimates 2021-2022;" "NWT Liquor Licensing Board 66th Annual Report 2019-2020;" and "66th Annual Report 2019/20 Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: "2019-2020 NWT Water Stewardship Strategy Progress Review Summary;" and "NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program 2019/20 Annual Report." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I give notice that, on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Tabled Document 165-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 166-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; and Tabled Document 167-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. Mr. Norn, what is the wish of committee?
Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
I will rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, and would like to report progress.
Report progress. The motion is in order. Do we have a seconder? Member for Yellowknife North. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.
---Carried
Orders of the day for Monday, October 19, 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 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
Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Officers Standardization Act
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Mr. Clerk, this House stands adjourned until Monday, October 19, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
