Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to continue questioning the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation with respect to RCMP units. I would ask the Minister: how many housing units currently occupied by RCMP members in Hay River could be available to the NWT Housing Corporation after the RCMP members move into their new units? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have that number with me on hand, but just for the Member's information is that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is seeking to acquire all federal housing units throughout the Northwest Territories and looking at if we would be able to administer and if those units would be able to be transferred over to the Housing Corporation for our program delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That is good news. At least they are moving ahead trying to get some units, even though they may not be new. These units were to be acquired. Has the Minister or the department identified a use for them, whether it be public housing, market housing, or home ownership?
The Housing Corporation has a variety of rental and home ownership opportunities and home repair programming, as well. Once we are able to determine what we are able to acquire from the federal government, we will be able to determine the type of programming that we will be offering once the units possibly can be transferred.
If these units were to be acquired, can the Minister confirm if the department knows the condition of the units currently occupied, or would they come over retrofitted?
Once we do, if we are able to acquire the units from the federal government, we will be able to make further determinations.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I am trying to do is: I would like to get some units for Hay River before my term is up, so if the repairs or upgrades on those units seem to be cost-prohibitive, would the department look at demolishing them and using the properties to build new units? We gave up six pieces of property, I think it was, for the RCMP units, so I would like to see that land at least be used to build new public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It would be determined once we are able to acquire these units. I do hear the Member. I am trying to see what I could get in the community of Hay River, and I do realize that we have not had any new builds in that community, as well. Also, I am looking at addressing the seniors issue, as well, for the community. So far, the Housing Corporation has addressed the homelessness issue, but we are looking to work further. Once we get a final answer from the federal government, I will be contacting the Member and looking at specifics for the housing programming in his riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not get any of these questions prior. I am just writing them as I am sitting here. I am trying to stay awake. Anyways, I would like to ask the Minister if her department has considered looking at the Mackenzie Place high rise to possibly purchase it and do a retrofit and use it for public and market housing or if any work has been done in that area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is a strong advocate for the high rise in Hay River. Looking at that building, we are in conversations with the owner presently, and those are ongoing, as well, and we are looking at the co-investment funding applications, as well. The rapid rehousing and looking at federal programming that would best suit the conditions of that high rise. However, we also realize that there are a lot of additional issues with that building, but going forward, I will provide an update to the Member as to where the owner had left off, on the last status of the building. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister mentioned additional issues. I would ask the Minister: what amount of work has gone into assessing that building on the engineering side, the health side, the fire, electrical, and mechanical? How much effort has this government or her department put into making an assessment of that building?
I haven't received a current status as of today, but I do know that this is a collaborative approach that does affect a number of my colleagues' departments, as well, to acquire the current status. Also, there were some deficiencies within that building. There was a fire that destroyed one floor of the building, as well, but also the structure was aged. However, in the time being, I will provide an update to the Member because we have been in contact with the owner of the building.
My concern is that, when we lost the high rise, it displaced a number of people, and when people get displaced in Hay River, they are either on the street or they may not tend to move to Yellowknife or other northern communities; they tend to move south. That means that we lose some federal funding. The cost to accommodate people who are on the street is probably between $8,000 to $12,000 per month per person, which, if we took that, we could house four people. I am asking the Minister: what is her plan to ensure that we find some public housing units and rental units in Hay River for displaced persons from the high rise and also other people who are on the wait list and cannot find a place but are forced to move?
The Housing Corporation has been in talks with a couple of the non-profit organizations in the Member's riding. I just wanted to reiterate again that the Housing Corporation did act on the homelessness initiative in Hay River, and we were able to provide a portion of funding to that initiative that they wanted to work towards. Also, I wanted to just express that, when COVID-19 had hit last year, there was a huge need to address the homelessness issue throughout the Northwest Territories, and we did acquire a motel, as well, to help alleviate and accommodate the most vulnerable population in the Member's riding.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to thank the Minister for answering those questions without prior knowledge of them. Thank you.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My written question is regarding assessing and managing conflicts of interest in the government. The Code of Conduct Respecting Conflict of Interest and Oath of Office and Secrecy for the Employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories formulates the ethics and values that public servants are expected to follow in their behaviour and describes the consequences of failure to observe the code. In light of the high number of activities Government of the Northwest Territories employees undertake in the voluntary sector, in their communities, in other governance, private and for-profit matters, my question to the Minister of Finance is:
How many GNWT employees currently have approval to undertake outside activities, broken down by whether the activity is outside employment and/or self-employment; service (with or without remuneration) on boards, councils, or committees; and volunteer activities;
What is the number of GNWT employees who have been found to be in conflict of interest at any given time, broken down by year for the past 10 years;
What responsibility does the deputy head have if an employee is found to be in a conflict of interest;
Are there any appeal mechanisms in place if someone feels a conflict exists that has been dismissed by the deputy head; and
New forms of partnership between government and the private sector and more public engagement by governments mean that conflicts of interest may take new forms. What kind of training is the GNWT providing to ensure that those providing approval to outside work have a good understanding of when conflicts of interest may arise; and that all employees, including those who have left the service, understand the appropriate interplay between their employment and any outside commitments, and in fact comply with the codes of conduct?
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 11-19(2): Creation of a Northwest Territories Elders' Strategy." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 589-19(2): Fort Smith Regional Airport;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 606-19(2): Access to Internet for Students." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Thursday, March 11, 2021, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Friday, March 12, 2021, it shall be adjourned until Monday, March 29, 2021; and further, that, any time prior to March 29, 2021, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than the scheduled resumption of the House, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, for the Legislative Assembly and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Marsi cho.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with Legislative Assembly.
---SHORT RECESS
I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Speaker have any opening remarks?
Yes, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for the Legislative Assembly. Overall, the Legislative Assembly's estimates propose an increase of $1,723,000 or 7.6 percent over the 2020-2021 Main Estimates.
These estimates represent the important work we will undertake during the upcoming fiscal year and focus on the following four overarching priorities:
addressing the need for additional office space within the Office of the Clerk as a result of an increase in staff;
being responsive to our statutory obligations with the establishment of the independent commission to review Members' compensation and benefits and the electoral boundaries commission;
continuing to expand our language and interpreter services within the Legislative Assembly; and
supporting the developing needs of our statutory offices.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This concludes my opening remarks. I look forward to answering any questions the Members may have.
Thank you. Do you wish to bring witnesses into this House?
Yes, I do, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Mr. Speaker, would you please introduce your witnesses?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Directly behind me, we have Ms. Kim Wickens, director of corporate services, and also Acting Clerk Glen Rutland. Thank you.
Thank you. Committee has agreed to forgo general comments. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
