Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 597-19(2): A New Day Program." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 641-19(2): Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation." 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, a letter dated February 9, 2021, from the YWCA to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding a request for change in garnishee interpretation; and a letter dated March 8, 2021, from the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to the YWCA on the same topic. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Tabling of documents. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a letter from the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, "Transparent Process for easing Restrictions within the Northwest Territories." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Tabling of documents.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Wednesday, March 31, 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 Wednesday, March 31, 2021, it shall be adjourned until Thursday, May 27, 2021. And further, that any time prior to May 27, 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 given 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.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion. Mr. Speaker, I will not be seeking unanimous consent, and I will give this motion on Wednesday, March 31st. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Notices of motion. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Mr. Sheldon Toner of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment as a member of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel, effective immediately for a term of four years; and further, that Lou Sebert of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and Jay Sengupta of Hamilton, Ontario, be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment as members of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel, effective immediately for a term of four years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Revolving Fund Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Bill 24 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Bill 25 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 26, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Bill 26 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 27, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 26, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 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, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. 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 26 has had second reading. Second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 27, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2020-2021, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. 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
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider the following documents: Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, and Committee Report 8-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2), Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020. Marsi cho, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Committee, we will take a short recess and resume with the first item. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2) Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Minister of Finance have any opening remarks?
Yes, Mr. Chair. I believe I do have some opening remarks. Mr. Chair, over the past few weeks, the Legislative Assembly has been considering the 2021-2022 Main Estimates. In our system of consensus government, Cabinet does not pass the main estimates without at least three supporting votes from Regular Members of the Legislative Assembly. I know there is, at times, a perception that getting these votes would involve deals made one-by-one with individual MLAs rather than through a process that considers the collective priorities of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, it is to the credit of every Member of this Assembly, this was not how we have arrived at a point in the consideration of the 2021-2022 Main Estimates where I now offer several commitments in response to negotiations. The last few weeks have involved several conversations between myself and the chair and deputy chair of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, to which all of the non-Cabinet MLAs belong. Several areas were identified where more work needed to be done for the good of the people of the Northwest Territories. In some cases, that work is policy-based, such as seeing the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation go through the government renewal process as soon as possible and confirming that targets will be part of the Department of Finance's Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework.
Discussions of policy do not necessarily require financial additions to the main estimates, but they are key to the work of government and were a very positive addition to these discussions. In other cases, issues or challenges were identified on behalf of committee, but it was helpful that committee members allowed departments to explain what tools are, in fact, available, rather than insist on solutions that might not be a best fit. As a result, the investments I am committing to can be more strategic. Finally, this process was aimed at remaining fiscally responsible, so that, with these increases, we are also looking for decreases, rather than simply continuing to grow expenses without significant new revenues.
Mr. Chair, I want to thank every Member of the 19th Legislative Assembly for making this a consensus process that was not only possible but, indeed, productive. With that, Mr. Chair, I have several commitments that I would like to go through. We have arrived at the following:
With respect to midwifery, there will be a $600,000 addition to the Department of Health and Social Services to enable their commitment to move the Northwest Territories midwifery program into phase 2 of its implementation, further to the 2017 Midwifery Stakeholders Report.
With respect to after-care facilities, there will be $1.4 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to support after-care and community-based addictions programs and services by, first, establishing a $750,000 community-based addictions and after-care fund for external organizations to access funding to hire counsellors, both traditional wellness and community counsellors, in support of specific community needs, and second, $650,000 to fund community development resources as follows: $150,000 to fund the senior advisor for Indigenous knowledge and wellness coordinator and $500,000 to additional community development activities, including the development of standards and a toolkit to help communities work through policy decisions to determine what will work best in their communities, help adapt program parameters to reflect community needs, and help guide the selection of appropriate infrastructure or programming for each community.
With respect to the anti-poverty fund, there will be $935,000 for the Department of Health and Social Services to support efforts towards reducing poverty in the Northwest Territories. This funding includes $750,000 to the anti-poverty fund, $110,000 to increase funding for the roundtable advisory council, and $75,000 to increase core funding to the Hay River shelter.
With respect to Indigenous patient advocates, there will be $743,000 for the Department of Health and Social Services for four positions to pilot a new approach to assisting with improving cultural safety and patient experience; supporting Indigenous patients in having their concerns, complaints, and questions resolved; and bridging cultural and language barriers. The Indigenous patient advocates located in the NWT's acute care facilities would work to ensure patients receive culturally safe care and also help deal with the impact of illness and hospitalization; provide cultural, spiritual, and emotional support; and help make connections with family members, elders, and community organizations. Four Indigenous patient navigators will be staffed by the health authorities and located in Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Yellowknife. Indigenous cultural awareness is an important criterion for these positions. Job descriptions will, therefore, include consideration in equivalencies so that the focus will be on navigation rather than counselling.
With respect to travel reductions, the Department of Finance will be working with departments to implement reductions to travel budgets totalling $4.03 million. We will ensure that nondiscretionary travel that varies by department will not be adversely affected.
There are several other commitments, Mr. Chair.
$500,000 for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to increase the childcare infrastructure fund
$100,000 for the Department of Health and Social Services to increase the Child and Family Services contribution
The Department of Justice agrees to maintain the court clerk position in Hay River.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has funding available in 2021-2022 to provide resources to the Hay River homeless shelter to support its operating costs. The Housing Corporation will bring forward a funding request during the 2022-2023 business planning process for ongoing funding for both the shelter in Hay River and in Fort Simpson.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources commits to completing the caribou survey work that was not completed in 2020-2021 in 2021-2022. The department will commit to bringing forward a supplementary appropriation to re-establish the cash flow that would have been lapsed from 2020-2021 and which will be required to complete this work in the fiscal year.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will continue to support the town of Fort Smith with its tourism priorities to a total of $130,000 over two years. In addition, the department will commit to support seven community tourism coordinator positions, each at a value of $50,000 annually in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. This increases the number of funded community tourism coordinator positions up from four.
In addition, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will reach out to the community of Fort Providence regarding their interest in and readiness for a community tourism coordinator position for the community for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. If the community applies for this funding, the department will provide $50,000 from within existing resources for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 so that the CTC positions can include Fort Providence.
The department does not have dedicated funding for a visitor information centre, but the department further commits to consulting with all Northwest Territories visitor information centres on their future priorities and projects.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will continue to fund the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk with funding to retain the economic development officer position in the community. The department will fund this support in 2021-2022 with existing funding and bring forward future requirements through the business planning process.
The Department of Finance will commit to providing standing committee an options paper that discusses the review process for the Affirmative Action Policy by March of 2022 and the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework prior to the start of the 2022-2023 business plan review process.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's mandate review will examine the corporation's strategic objectives to ensure the organization is meeting the requirements of its establishment policy and the priorities of the Legislative Assembly. This work is planned in 2021-2022. In addition, I will commit that the Department of Finance's government renewal process on the corporation will examine and measure the effectiveness of specific program delivery in meeting the corporation's mandate objectives.
I will commit to including the additional funding and the reduction to departmental travel budgets in 2021-2022 Supplementary Appropriation, No. 1, Operations Expenditures, to be considered during the June 2022 sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
