Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, I will move that Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Employee Standards Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Invuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 15, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020, be read for the second time. This bill corrects inconsistencies and errors in the statutes of the Northwest Territories. The bill also deals with other matters of a minor non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the statutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. To the principle of the bill.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 15 has had second reading. Minister of Justice.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 73(2) to have Bill 15 moved directly into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The Minister is seeking unanimous consent to have Bill 15 moved into Committee of the Whole. Are there any nays? There are no nays.
---Unanimous consent granted
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the will committee? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to deal with the following items: Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, for the departments of Infrastructure and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Next item, Committee Report 4-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2018-2019 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report, and also Committee Report 5-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-2019 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a break.
---SHORT RECESS
I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we will resume consideration of Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, with the Department of Infrastructure. We are on programs and services on page 46, with information items on pages 47 through to 49. Do any Members have questions or comments for the Minister? Sorry. Minister, do you have witnesses?
Yes, I do, Madam Chair.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses to the Chamber. Minister, will you please introduce your witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me today Steve Loutitt, who is the acting deputy minister. I also have Robert Jenkins, who is the ADM for energy and environment.
Welcome. Members, do we have any questions or comments under programs and services? Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Chair. [Translation] When we say infrastructure, we are talking about things that are going to be built in our community. This is the item that we are on. I have one item. We've been talking about Whati, and also the elders have been mentioning this over the years. They have been talking about having hydro to their community. When did they have a change of decision? I want to know what the department is doing on this topic, regarding electricity to Whati. [End of translation]
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Whati transmission line is a key initiative under the 2030 Energy Strategy. Just to put this in perspective, the project would displace 500,000 litres of diesel energy currently used for power generation in Whati and reduce greenhouse gases by 1.4 kilotonnes annually. The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to partnering with the Tlicho Government to advance this Whati transmission line. Madam Chair, that's where we're at with this project right now. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Chair. This particular one used to be mini-hydro; now, it's a transmission line. The Minister talked about partnership with the Tlicho Government. I know there has been a lot of discussion over the years. We're still talking about it. A lot of elders have passed on. They have always stated that they can't even have dried fish hanging up outside because of the heavy black smoke out of the diesel generators in the community. This Whati transmission line, are we heavily dependent on a federal contribution, as well, or is this directly between the GNWT and the Tlicho Government? Masi.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to turn this over to Mr. Jenkins.
Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, the Whati transmission line is included within our 10-year notional plan. Federal support will be imperative to the successful implementation of this project. We will be working on an application for federal funding on this project that we hope to submit next fiscal year, and that would be on the 75/25 funding basis. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Chair. I'm just curious about the time frame. Since we have an all-weather road going through the community now, with this transmission line, obviously, it will be much easier to connect to the community. The submission of a proposal, I am very surprised that it's not in with the federal government yet. Like I said, we've been talking about this since mini-hydro, and now the transmission line. Once the submission is initiated, what will be the time frame? If all goes well with the federal government, shovelling the dirt, I'm just curious on the time frame itself, Madam Chair. Masi.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is correct. We did work on the technical study, the preliminary environmental studies, and a potential additional traditional knowledge of the land use studies. Once the routing and the feasibility work is completed, Infrastructure will work toward federal funding under the ICIP program. This would not likely begin until late 2021; that's the timeline. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Madam Chair. Since there was a big shift from mini-hydro to transmission line, one would assume that the community of Whati has been actively engaged. If so, I'd like to get more detailed information, probably from the Minister, not right now but later on. What kind of engagement have taken place from mini-Hydro until today? Just a comment to the Minister if she can follow up on that? Masi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Absolutely. We will get the Member a little bit more detail information and the specific timelines on where we're at with the project. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi? No. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi, Madam Chair. Just going through this long list here, I counted 37 items for the project listing, and again, I only see one. It's frustrating, very frustrating. I did have some questions on the one project here that's clearly listed here, Lutselk'e, the Lutselk'e Power Plant. I just want to ask the Minister when, this project, can we expect to see up and running and to completion and just give an idea, an update, to the House on when it's going to be started and finished. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will tell you in one second here. Actually, Madam Chair, I would like to divert this to Mr. Jenkins.
