Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.
---Carried
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Employment Standards Act to provide an entitlement to unpaid emergency leave for employees who are unable to perform their duties because of an emergency; definitions that in apply in respect of emergency and extend the definition of care to apply in respect of emergency leave; establish regulation making authorities in respect of emergency leave and provide that regulations made under this authority may have retroactive effect; establish confidentiality requirements in relation to leave; provide an exception to the periods of notice required for group terminations that applies in the case of an unforeseeable event or circumstance; clarify that a notice of termination for group termination may be given to concurrently with an individual notice of termination; and correct inconsistencies and errors identified in the act. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madame la Presidente. I support part of this bill. I support the emergency leave provisions that are being brought forward. In fact, I think it probably can and should have been done as part of an omnibus bill as part of our response to the COVID pandemic.
The part of the bill that causes me great concern is the exceptions to that it may provide for large layoffs. Currently, in the Legislation, if an employer has more than 50 employees, four weeks' notice is required, eight weeks if it's between 50 and 100 employees, 12 weeks between 100 and 300, 16 weeks if it's 300 or more employees. Clearly, the intention of the legislation was to ensure that, the larger the employer, that there is some advance notice given to their workers so that we don't flood the labour market with people being laid off. Larger employers, I think, are also better able to provide notice of this nature, given the greater size of their business.
I will be asking questions around what kind of cross-jurisdictional analysis has been done, what kind of consultation was done with organized labour in the preparation of this legislation, because I think that this will affect workers' rights. I will ask what kind of additional costs may be incurred by our government when a large employer lays off a large number of the employees and they come into the workplace and they may require income assistance, other kinds of support. I think there is going to be a cost for our government with these particular provisions.
I think it's also important that decisions around exceptions need to be made by a Minister. A Minister needs to be making that kind of decision, and the Minister should be held accountable. It should not be delegated to a staff person, and I think that we also need to look at what kind of appeal provisions may be required for this kind of a process. I certainly have a number of concerns with this bill. I look forward to a very thorough public review for the Standing Committee on Social Development, and I certainly will be encouraging organized labour to express their views on that part of the bill, as I would all members of the public, as well. In short, Madam Speaker, I am very support of the emergency leave provisions but providing exceptions to the advanced notice for larger employers, that's something that caused me great concern. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. To the principle.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 20 has had second reading and will be referred to standing committee. Second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed. Motion is carried.
---Carried
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the will of the committee? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. The committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, the deferred departments and the concurrence motion. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Norn. Committee, we will take a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
I call the Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to resume consideration of Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022. We will consider those departments that have previously been deferred by this committee. Before we return to those departments, we will go to the Minister of Finance for some opening comments. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As this Legislative Assembly did back with the 2020-2021 Main Estimates, we came together collectively and worked collaboratively on an approach to commit to investing in much needed infrastructure that is one of the priorities for this Legislative Assembly and for NWT residents. There are some commitments that arise, some that approach. They are as follows:
Federal Housing Co-Investment Fund - Northern Carve Out
Communities in the Northwest Territories are in need of new construction of mixed-income, mixed-use affordable housing. To provide eligible organizations the equity needed to apply for and start drawing down the $60 million carve out from the Co-Investment Fund, I will commit to providing the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation a contribution of $5 million in each of 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024, a total of $15 million. The funding for the first year will be included in the annual funding contribution from the Department of Finance to Northwest Territories Housing Corporation through the 2021-2022 Main Estimates that will be considered at the February/March 2021 session.
Community Infrastructure
As I indicated during my fiscal update, COVID-19 will continue to have an impact on the government's fiscal situation. While I am confident the federal government will continue to help mitigate that impact, it will not be 100 percent dollars. However, reducing the municipal funding gap is a priority for this government, although it needs to be done in a fiscally responsible manner. I, therefore, commit to providing municipalities a one-time top-up of $2.5 million in 2021-2022 towards that municipal funding gap. The funding will be included in the 2021-2022 Supplementary Appropriation No. 1 (Infrastructure Expenditures), to be considered during the February/March 2021 sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Other Commitments
The Department of Infrastructure will be advancing 20 kilometres, from kilometre 70 to kilometre 90, of chipseal overlay on Highway No. 6 to Fort Resolution in 2021-2022. The department anticipates the project will start in May 2021 and be completed by the end of September. The total estimated cost of this project is $900,000. The Department of Infrastructure will also be reviewing options to improve the access road to the Thebacha Campsite in Fort Smith. These additional chipseal projects will be funded from within the department's annual chipseal overlay program and do not require additional funding in the 2021-2022.
As Members all saw during our tour of the Northwest Territories Fire Centre during the caucus retreat earlier this year, the existing leased building is old and no longer meeting operational needs to ensure the GNWT is able to effectively manage forest fire activity in the Northwest Territories. I have, therefore, directed the Department of Finance to work with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to undertake a feasibility study by early 2021. This study will outline potential options that the Assembly may consider for a potential new fire centre.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee, we will start with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 10. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Education, Culture and Employment, $30,148,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 15. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Environment and Natural Resources, $2,159,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Finance. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 25. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Finance, $9,254,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Finance is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Health and Social Services. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 29. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Health and Social Services, $61,120,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 34. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Industry, Tourism and Investment, $14,250,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Infrastructure. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 40. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Infrastructure, $292,766,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Infrastructure is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move onto the Department of Justice. The committee has previously considered the activity summaries for the department. We will return to the departmental summary on page 50. Are there any questions or comments from the committee? I see none. I will now call the departmental summary. Capital Estimates 2021-2022, Justice, $1,541,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of Justice is completed?
Agreed.
