I want to thank the Minister for that. Why I'm raising this is: back on April 11th, just at the beginning of the pandemic, I contacted the then Minister of Justice by email suggesting that our government look at the possibility of an omnibus bill to make sure that we have the right kinds of things in place to properly deal with the pandemic. We've seen a few of these things roll out over the last few months now, but can the Minister of Justice tell us whether there's further changes, legislative changes, that are being contemplated to better allow us to respond to the pandemic?
As the committee is aware, we are taking a lessons-learned approach, so we're looking at what have we learned over this last little while and moving forward. What do we need to do with the legislation? In some instances, it was clear. For example, with employment standards, there were some changes that were required in order to allow people to access federal benefits. Those ones are quite easy, but I don't have a comprehensive list of what changes departments have identified to date. That work is being undertaken right now, and at some point in the future, we will have that sort of lessons-learned that we can make the Members aware of.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that response. If this comprehensive review has been going on for months, can the Minister commit to share some of that information with this side of the House so we have a better understanding of what legislative changes the Cabinet is looking at making to better allow us to respond to the pandemic? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wouldn't characterize what's been happening as a comprehensive review. That indicates that there are working groups and there's a lot going on. We are working through this pandemic, which is still ongoing. We haven't gone through an entire season yet. We haven't gone through an entire fiscal year. We haven't gone through an entire budgeting cycle, so there's still a lot to be learned. As we learn things, we're making note of them. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Last week, I and a colleague questioned the Minister of ITI in regards to SEED funding. As I was thinking about different constituents in my riding who had spoken about their experience with SEED funding and the Minister's responses to questions about SEED funding, I was looking to see where the discrepancies were from what I was understanding. Where I think they are is that there's no market disruption clause, or it's been suspended rather, within the COVID stream of SEED funding. In the entrepreneurial stream of SEED funding, there still exists the market disruption clause. I'm wondering if the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment would be willing to suspend the entrepreneurial support of SEED funding market disruption clause for the fiscal year of 2020-2021 so that businesses that currently exist within the Northwest Territories are able to also use that stream of funding in order to pivot or evolve their businesses in the wake of a pandemic? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I had noted last week, we are committed to doing an internal review of the SEED policy, and included within that will be the market disruption clause. The larger communities versus the smaller communities in different regional centres have different views on whether or not market disruption is beneficial or necessary, with those opinions going very strongly one way or another. In the middle of a pandemic is not an opportunity to wholesale change that, but that is why there is the COVID-related stream that doesn't have the market disruption clause in it so that for those businesses that want to make use of those funds, to make those pivots that are in a COVID-related sense, that they do have that opportunity to do so. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I definitely have had this conversation with constituents of mine, and I understand where the polarization lies. That's why I'm asking for the Minister to consider existing businesses right now in the wake of a pandemic. It's not an opportunity for multiple other businesses right now in the middle of a pandemic to all of a sudden turn around and access this funding. It's targeted towards existing businesses who are already established within our communities who are having, basically, cash-flow issues in the middle of a pandemic to turn around and pivot their businesses. My concern with waiting for a review is that these businesses will already potentially be going out of business by the time the government is able to do their review and come out with recommendations. I'm wondering what timeline the Minister is working towards on these changes.
I am certainly not one to shy away from the fact that we need to react quickly to what's happening with COVID-19 and react quickly to what's happening in the business community. However, at the same time, I am also determined that we have to maintain our due diligence before making a policy change that is to a program that has been long-standing, so I am not going to take a position here on the floor today that we will significantly alter that program going forward.
The Member has certainly given me an interesting way of approaching business relief. There are a lot of programs that are out right now, perhaps even some that might solve the problems on an individual basis for different businesses. At the moment, Madam Speaker, the best that I can suggest is that the individual businesses, if they are not already contacting ITI to ensure that they are accessing every available source of funding, that they certainly continue to do that through the MLA. She has mentioned several examples. In turn, what I will do is go back and look to see whether or not, relying on due diligence, we can find another opportunity within the SEED policy to ensure that we are doing everything we can to support businesses.
The SEED program also had a micro-business funding stream that is open to and is an exciting opportunity for artisans and crafters. What this program does is it provides people with up to $5,000 in order to go out and purchase supplies that they might need in order to complete some projects. Especially with Christmas coming up, this might be of interest to our local artisans. However, some people do not have the equity available to fulfill the equity requirement of 30 percent that is involved for people within the Yellowknife region, for example. Is ITI willing to set up a payment fund for artisans and crafters who may not be able to float the 30 percent equity required so that they are able to increase their production coming up to Christmastime or afterwards and be able to work together with the GNWT to access that funding?
Again, I am very confident the department is listening carefully to the ideas that are coming through on the floor. However, as far as coming up with new streams of funding, I can also say quite confidently that the Minister of Finance does not want me to make commitments around funding, short of using my due diligence to do that. I will go back. We will put some due diligence to it, see if there are some other options here. There certainly are funding options right now through COVID, and I realize it's not a perfect system. Nothing is. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have in the context of COVID relief. The business development, the BDIC certainly has changed their loan programs to try to increase access to equity, make it easier to access that equity, which may well be the best and most expeditious way for businesses to access equity.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. It's a very exciting time because, when we are faced with stuff like a pandemic, people start to get very creative out there. While it is nice for us to be the leader of the pack, sometimes we are not, and we get to look to what other provinces and territories are doing in order to respond to the pandemic. Right now, within the Government of Saskatchewan, they have given a million dollars to their Chamber of Commerce to support a "shop local" campaign. Then, if we look all the way over to the Atlantic provinces, PEI has done another "shop local" campaign where they have taken gift cards; they have sold them at $40 to PEI residents, but they are actually worth $50. That effort is supported by the Government of PEI. I am wondering if the Government of the Northwest Territories is looking at doing a similar initiative for a "shop local" campaign. Thank you.
There is actually a Buy North campaign already that the department of ITI has been sponsoring. It's free for all businesses to participate in the program. It's being advertised around the Northwest Territories, though, given the question, it seems that perhaps the knowledge about the program needs to be looked at again. As for what might be done to increase or enhance the participation in the program for businesses and what we can do, I will certainly go and see if there are some best practices from my colleagues in other parts of the country, that we can employ here in advance of the Christmas season. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was glad to see the release of the Aurora College transformation to a polytech that had a strong focus on trades and technology. That document said many of the right things but did not go as far as saying some of the specifics I would like to see. Specifically, I would like to see us build an NWT trades curriculum built and designed for the North. My question is for the Minister responsible for Aurora College. Can we develop a northern-oriented trades curriculum? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The trades curriculum is based on nationally approved trades standards, so there is not a lot of wiggle room in there to develop our own if we want our journeypersons to be certified across Canada. We do have one trades program that is not national, that is unique to the territory. That is the housing maintainer program. That is one that is currently under review and being updated in a way the Member is referencing. I also want to point out that, with the transformation to a polytechnic university, there are opportunities for research and trades-related research, things like building methods for the North, the type of innovative things that the Member is talking about that would attract people from the rest of Canada, and hopefully around the world, to the polytechnic. That type of work, it is possible. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I look forward to that work. I find it's truly exciting. One of the other issues that we have seen is: it has been very difficult for apprentices to find journeypersons and journeypersons to find apprentices, such that, if you are in a community and you want to be an apprentice, you often have to leave. Four years away from home can be a long time. If you are a journeyperson in that community, it can be hard to find an apprentice. However, I think some of the steps we have taken with putting Aurora College online really can be used in the future to pair journeypersons and apprentices up together, even if they do not happen to be in the same location all the time. Is the Minister willing to re-examine some of our apprenticeship things, processes, to increase that accessibility?
Absolutely, I am willing to re-examine that. I have heard from a lot of journeypersons and a lot of business owners over the years, and it is difficult to find journeypersons and apprentices. When you have an apprentice, it's hard to find someone to apprentice them. We do have the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Strategy, and part of that strategy is focused on improving access. I am not sure about some sort of distance model that may be done virtually. I don't know if that would fly because we do have to have a certain level of supervision, but there are other innovative ways of doing this. It could include a journeyperson who maybe is not tied to a specific business, maybe a roaming sort of journeyperson. That is just one idea. I am looking forward to being able to implement some of those changes during the life of this Assembly because we do need to react to the situation here in the Northwest Territories.
Yes. The idea of a roaming journeyperson is really an idea that excites me, and I recognize that some of the theory can be moved online. At the end of the day, there needs to be a practical, hands-on, in-person portion to getting any apprenticeship. Another area I would like to see the Minister focus on is: we employ a number of tradespeople in the NWT. I know they often try to get apprentice people, but I really think some more effort can be done in this area. Is the Minister of ECE willing to work with his colleagues in infrastructure, Housing Corporation, other departments that have journeypersons and mandate that they have to take on apprentices and work with them to make sure we are fulfilling that goal?
I am willing to work with them. There is already a lot of work going on between the Housing Corporation and ECE to try to figure out how can we leverage the journeypersons who work at the Housing Corporation with the LHOs across the territory. That type of work is ongoing. I'm not sure about mandating. I think that we could probably get there by cooperating. We can use a carrot instead of a stick in this situation.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. One of the other ways that we presently attract apprentices and encourage our journeypersons to take on apprentices is there is a subsidy for the first couple of years of any apprenticeship. That allows or encourages a tradesperson to take on an apprentice. However, I have heard from a number of constituents that, as that subsidy expires and it's not for their entire term, they struggle to keep on those apprentices. Then sometimes, people do not finish their ticket. Is the Minister willing to look into increasing the amount and length that we subsidize apprentices for? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Absolutely. I will look into that. The last time that subsidy program was updated was 2018, and that was done in consultation with the ATOC Board. We heard people around the territory, and we tried to think about how we can take this pot of money that we have, that would only cover about a quarter of what we would need it to if we wanted to fund everyone. The decision was made to spread it out over the early years. That being said, I am aware that there is a desire to change that and possibly expand it, so I am more than happy to look into that and hopefully expand this program in the future. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: "Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021." Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to move the motion for the establishment of a special committee on reconciliation and Indigenous affairs.
WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly agreed upon a priority to settle and implement treaty, land, resources, and self-government agreements;
AND WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly also agreed upon a priority to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
AND WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly believe that a special committee could seek and encourage discussions and recommendations on the opportunities and challenges in meeting these priorities;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that, pursuant to Rule 92(1), the Legislative Assembly hereby establish a Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs;
AND FURTHER, that the following Members be named to the special committee:
Ms. Lesa Semmler, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes;
Mr. Steve Norn, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh;
Mr. Rylund Johnson, the Member for Yellowknife North;
The honourable R. J. Simpson, the Member for Hay River North; and
The honourable Caroline Wawzonek, the Member for Yellowknife south;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs is an ex-officio non-voting Member of the committee:
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs be established by the terms of reference identified as Tabled Document 211-19(2);
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs table its final report no later than the first day of the final sitting of the 19th Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am happy to move this motion. Throughout Assemblies, special committees are established, and they really do show the priorities of that group. I believe this committee has lots of work to do in this area, and I believe a committee comprised both of Regular Members and Cabinet can truly move this forward as a priority of this House. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 17 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Justice.
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 18 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? Opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
