Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Colleagues, I wish to table the reorganized Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories dated December 7, 2021.
Tabling of documents.
Pursuant to section 31.1 of the Legislative and Executive Council Act, I hereby table the 2021 Review of Members' Compensation and Benefits prepared for the Independent Commission to review Members' Compensation and Benefits dated August 5th, 2021.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I give notice that on Thursday, December 9th, 2021, I'll move the following motion:
Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that the following Members be pointed as alternate members of the board of management: Mr. Rocky Simpson, the Member for Hay River South; and Mrs. Caroline Cochrane, the Member for Range Lake;
And further, that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Government Operations: Mrs. Lesa Semmler, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes; Ms. Caitlin Cleveland, the Member for Kam Lake; Mrs. Frieda Martselos, the Member for Thebacha; and Mr. Rylund Johnson, the Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Notices of motion. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, December the 9th, 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 Thursday, December the 9th, 2021, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February the 2nd, 2022.
And further, that any time prior to February the 2nd, 2022, 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 into business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker,
WHEREAS section 40.2(1) of the Public Service Act provides that the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, shall appoint an Equal Pay Commissioner as an officer of the Legislative Assembly, who is responsible for exercising the powers and performing the duties set out in the act;
AND WHEREAS the position of Equal Pay Commissioner became vacant on November 30th, 2021;
AND WHEREAS the board of management was tasked with recruiting an Equal Pay Commissioner and as recommended an individual to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Ms. Bronwyn Watters be appointed as the Equal Pay Commissioner in accordance with the Public Service Act by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly;
AND FURTHER, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of the appointment to the Commissioner.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is a carried.
---Carried
Motions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021, Committee Report 2219(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Telecommunications was read into the record.
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member from Frame Lake, that the Committee Report 2219(2): Standing committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Telecommunications be received and referred to the Committee of the Whole for their consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. 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
The Report 2219(2) will be moved into Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 41, Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time.
This act amends three statutes administered by the Department of Justice. It amends the Jury Act and the Summary Conviction Procedures Act to reflect changes made to the Criminal Code of Canada. It further amends the Summary Conviction Procedures Act to clarify the role of the Attorney General for the Northwest Territories under that act. It also amends the Partnership and Business Names Act to recognize the authority of an Indian Band to be a limited partner in a limited partnership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order and is nondebatable. 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 41 has had second reading and is referred to a committee.
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 43719(2), Capital Estimates 20222023; Committee Report 2219(2), Report on Telecommunications; Committee Report 2019(2), Report on Bill 30, an Act to Amend the Aurora College Act; and Bill 30, an Act to Amend the Aurora College Act. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Does committee agree?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and start with the first item.
---SHORT RECESS
I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to resume consideration of Tabled Document 43719(2), Capital Estimates 2022-2023. We have previously considered and concluded all the departments. To begin our consideration, I will go to the Minister of Finance for some comments. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I do have some closing remarks I'd like to make. I wanted to begin, Madam Chair, by thanking the Members for their consideration of the capital estimates and for the productive discussions we had in advance of seeing these estimates I hope move forward later today.
Capital estimates certainly are an important part of the budget for our territory’s economy, and I do appreciate Members’ challenging questions and their testing of this budget.
Madam Chair, I also very much appreciated the wholeofterritory approach that was clearly applied to the capital estimates. I believe that Members of the Legislative Assembly recognize that when one community or one region are strong, that we are all stronger together. As a result, our discussions of these estimates was not about advancing one region's projects ahead of another but of ensuring strategic infrastructure investments continue to be made across the Northwest Territories.
Madam Chair, earlier today, MLA Martselos mentioned cohesion, unity, and trust and, in my view, the discussions that we had with respect to this budget reflect those values.
There was a focus on getting the strategic work done and, in doing so, maximizing benefits to Northerners. Members were strong advocates on several points, and I have made a commitment before coming today that my ministerial colleagues and I will work to ensure that small capital projects are prioritized for attention, knowing that these projects are likely to provide employment and income to Northerners and northern businesses. This will also include messaging to all departments and regions to ensure annual small capital allocations are effectively utilized and maximized to achieve not only the goal of strategic infrastructure but of economic support across communities.
I am also committed to ensure MLAs, including our regional and community governments, are aware of upcoming projects anticipated for their region.
Members have also remained consistent in their advocacy to continue to improve the availability of housing across the Northwest Territories. This is a priority clearly shared by all Members of this Legislative Assembly. I have heard committee's concerns regarding the presentation of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's capital estimates, and I am committed to work with the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation to ensure that these concerns are addressed in future capital budgets. I've also committed to provide information to MLAs about the longterm cash flow on strategic housing projects, including the RCMP housing.
I acknowledge committee's concerns about the length of time required for the proposed procurement changes to be implemented. I have committed to provide more details for MLAs about the procurement review critical path, and have done so. The next steps for us are to follow through on work that is happening right now with Indigenous governments to ensure that our future policy incorporates specific provisions for Indigenous procurement. These consultations and ongoing analysis of the recommendations will continue through the early part of 2022 with a view to seeing at least some fruits of these labours implemented during the 2022 calendar year. I am committed to remain focused on these improvements to the GNWT's procurement policies, and I assure committee that we have dedicated resources allocated to this work that will allow us to continue to expedite these efforts.
For example, Madam Chair, I am pleased to inform and confirm with committee that vendor performance management is included in the Department of Finance's annual business plan, and that work has already started to implement this program.
In June of 2021, phase 1 began on construction contracts greater than $250,000 and a system change to allow for the entry of actual and planned Business Incentive Policy, or BIP, obligations on contracts. This change allows the GNWT to track contract information within its financial system instead of being done on paper. The goal of this change is to ensure that contractors are aware of their obligations under BIP and can be held accountable to those obligations with better reporting.
The next phase of vendor performance management is to develop and implement a policy with penalties for contractors for noncompliance with their BIP obligations. Once the policy has been developed, the department can extend the project and the program to more contracts.
And, again, committee has made it clear that ensuring adherence to contract requirements for northern hiring is a priority. I commit to continuing to monitor these efforts closely and will commit to provide Members updates as progress is made.
Another area of the consistent advocacy of Members has been in regards to ensuring support for community governments, especially as a result of ongoing expenditures by these governments in response to COVID19.
In September 2021, communities received a letter from the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs that provided information on funding provided to communities with respect to COVIDrelated expenditures. The Minister of MACA had previously committed to reviewing the financial impact of community governments' COVID19 pandemic response as part of the 202122 yearend financial process. So although we recognize this is not an issue for the current capital estimates, I commit to continuing to work with the MACA Minister to ensure an informed funding request can be considered.
Further, and last, the GNWT's response to the burden currently imposed on health care workers as a result of the COVID19 pandemic has been a focus of strong and consistent advocacy by MLAs. There are a number of things happening right now to respond to the situation, including two items being worked on by the GNWT; the first of which is a market adjustment policy, to provide parameters within which a department, including Health and Social Services, may determine whether additional pay should be temporarily used to recruit and retain staff whose work is essential to preserving the health or safety of the people of the Northwest Territories.
And the second is an additional childcare support for frontline healthcare professionals who may have had to report to their work sites during periods when schools or day homes were closed due to outbreaks.
Madam Chair, this concludes my remarks. Again, I do want to thank Members for their review of the 202223 capital estimates. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Members, are there any comments? Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. And I do want to sincerely thank the Minister of Finance for her concluding remarks. I don't have anything nearly as eloquent, or prepared. But I certainly do appreciate, you know, the work that the Minister does on behalf of Cabinet in the review of the capital estimates. I've been here six years. I want the public to know that this kind of collaborative discussion did not happen in the last Assembly when it came to either the capital or the main estimates. And it's certainly very much appreciated. I think it's a different way of doing business compared to the last Assembly. So I want to give full marks to my colleagues on the other side of the House for, you know, we have a Cabinet that is interested in working with Regular MLAs, and I think this is proof of that again.
You know, people often wonder what happens in this place. I don't think I know half the time either. But I think this is clearly an example of the kind of work that Cabinet and regular MLAs can do together in the interest of all of our residents and budgets, one of the most important things we do as MLAs is, you know, decide where to spend money. And it does involve tough decisions, it does involve setting priorities, and I don't always agree with those necessarily but I think this was an example of the kind of collaborative work that can and should be happening here. So of course, you know, we have given our colleagues on the other side a heads up that we do want to see more investment in housing for our residents, and we'd like to find ways to close the municipal funding gap as well. But I think that the Minister has laid out a number of other policy commitments here that I think really do start to raise the bar and set a good precedent for how we can work together on the capital estimates.
And of course, we do look forward to further details, particularly on the market adjustment that the Minister has committed to with regard to support for our health care workers during the pandemic. And clearly, I think this is really an example of how consensus government can and should work. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Do we have any other general comments? Seeing none, committee, do you agree that this concludes consideration of Tabled Document 43719(2), Capital Estimates, 20222023? Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 43719(2), Main Estimates 20222023, be now concluded; and, that Tabled Document 43719(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Motion is in order. To the motion?
Agreed.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
Carried
Tabled Document 43719(2) will be reported as ready for consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.
Committee, we have now agreed to consider Committee Report 2219(2), Report on Telecommunications. I will go to the Chair of Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for any opening comments. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories continue to invest in publiclyowned backboned internet infrastructure in the Northwest Territories, and further specifically, the Government of the Northwest Territories should prioritize the opportunity to create fibre redundancy in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 2019(2), Report on Telecommunications. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, I just wanted to relay very quickly my thanks as a Member of the committee for the work that was done on the report. We did hear from a number of different internet service providers and from the Department of Finance that tends to have responsibility for information technology within our government and manages some of the projects related to access and affordability of telecommunication services in the NWT. So I know committee spent a fair bit of time listening to different people and interests on this issue. There was a submission made to the Canadian Radio Telecommunications Committee in Ottawa as well, in their proceeding, and now what you see here are a series of recommendations from the committee to try to increase access and affordability for all of our residents in the Northwest Territories. And I think this can and should be a much higher priority for our government moving forward and should be a priority in terms of securing investment from the federal government to support the work that's needed to ensure that we have the same sort of internet telecommunications services, or at least access to them, as most other Canadians enjoy. So I'm happy to support the recommendations from the committee that are going to be moved as motions. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I too do support this bill. It was one of the first or sorry, this report and recommendations is one of the first ones that I worked on with this committee, and one thing I've noticed with the pandemic it is really highlighting the division in our territory of the have and have-nots and the need for infrastructure. I'm often pushing for the road infrastructure, which I think is just as critical, but the internet infrastructure and the telecommunications is key as well. If we don't address this issue now, we're only going to have our havenots fall further behind. They won't be able to access the same level of schooling, the telehealth. It spans all of our departments, and if there's one area besides roads I think we should be investing in, it's definitely our telecommunications. So thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Seeing no further comments, Mr. Jacobson.
Madam Chair, I move that the committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories ensure fibre optic in the home is made available for Tuktoyaktuk residents at the completion of the InuvikTuktoyaktuk fibre line installation. Thank you, Madam Chair.
We're going to go back to Member for Nunakput.
Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories continue to invest publiclyowned backbone internet infrastructure in the Northwest Territories;
And further, specifically, the Government of the Northwest Territories should prioritize the opportunity to create the fibre redundancy in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member for Nunakput.
