Yes, that is actually the heart of the issue. We presently provide the vaccines, and they are free. Communities can use them. It's difficult to get someone to actually deliver those vaccines, and that is where the NWT SPCA really fills that gap. Another way that has been done is that multiple jurisdictions have hired or contracted a public health veterinarian. I believe we only have three veterinarians operating in the territory right now. Is this an option that public health has reviewed?
I am not aware that the department is looking at hiring a public veterinarian. We would certainly be working with ENR in the event that they are looking at hiring a public veterinarian so that we can work together on making sure that zoonotics do not proliferate in the NWT.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions, Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Presently, ENR has a wildlife veterinarian. They do lots of great work. It's essential work to making sure the population and health of our wildlife is there. I now learn that public health has a bit of a role in zoonotics and MACA seemingly has some of a role but seems to deny it consistently. My question for the Minister of health is: is it possible to work with those departments, see if there are some gaps here, and possibly create a funding pool to address them?
I am certainly willing to have that conversation. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Follow-up for Oral Question 242-19(2), Enforcement of Chief Public Health Officer's Orders in Apartment Buildings." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table to following two documents: "Northern Employees Benefit Services (NEBS) Pension Plan Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2019 and including updated information to June 2020" and "NWT Carbon Tax Report 2019-2020." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Minister of Justice.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Follow-up for Oral Question 363-19(2), Policing in Hay River and the Northwest Territories." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following two documents: "Letter dated October 23, 2020, from Association of Consulting Engineering Companies to MLA Frame Lake on Statements Regarding Companies Selected by the GNWT for the Lockhart All-Season Road;" and the second document, Mr. Speaker, is a press release, "Yellowknives Dene First Nation Press Release dated August 1, 2020, titled 'Yellowknives Dene First Nation retract support for the Slave Geological Province Corridor until the GNWT takes the action necessary to ensure that Northerners benefit from the project.'" Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Tabling of documents.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Thursday, October 29, 2020, I will move that Bill 15, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to deal with wishes to deal with Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, and deal with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item.
---SHORT RECESS
I will call committee back to order. We have agreed to resume consideration of Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2020-2021, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Minister, do you wish to bring any witnesses in?
Yes, I do.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses to the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Deputy Minister Erin Kelly and Director of Finance and Capital Planning Jessica St. Arnaud.
Welcome. Committee has agreed to forego general comments, so if committee agrees, we will proceed to the details contained in the tabled document.
Agreed.
Committee, we will defer the departmental totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning at page 16, with information items on page 17. Members, do we have any comments? Seeing no comments, I will call the activity. Environment and Natural Resources, corporate management, infrastructure investments, $399,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
We will now turn to environmental protection and waste management, on page 18, with information items on page 19. Committee, do we have any comments under this activity? Seeing none, I will now call the activity. Environment and Natural Resources, environmental protection and waste management, infrastructure investments, $399,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
We will now turn to forest management on page 21 with information items on page 22. Are there any comments? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I want to thank the Minister and his staff this summer. We had a tour of the forestry facility there. During the tour, there was a commitment there to have a couple of forestry vehicles on there. I don't see anything on this listing. I just wanted to see where that commitment stands? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, MLA Norn was correct. We did have the opportunity to meet with him in Fort Resolution. The two trucks that we were talking about, one was already there. The other one is being processed this year. It's under $50,000, so we're purchasing it through O and M. It will be done this fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, any further comments?
Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I'm very pleased to hear that. I'm very happy to see the Minister's staff follow through on that commitment and get it done. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Are there any other comments for this section? Seeing none, I will now call the activity. Environment and Natural Resources, forest management, infrastructure investments, $679,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
We will now turn to wildlife and fish on page 23 with information items on page 24. Are there any comments under this activity? Seeing none, I will call the activity. Environment and Natural Resources, wildlife and fish, infrastructure investments, $682,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
