Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are updating the funding policy to incorporate recommendations from the review. The work is being planned and will be completed by 2023. MACA continues to seek funding during the annual business plans that reduce the gap and adjust for inflation at all levels. And the Member talked about it. It's all levels. Whether it's federal, territorial, or municipal, we have a role to address this.
As well, the department is always looking for solutions to help reduce municipal costs. And when the Member talks about the, you know, federal government, as soon as the federal government comes out with a new program, our department and our staff are reaching out to the federal government to ask them how we can actually get into this program to help us, municipal communities, improve their infrastructure.
One of the problems is it's only onetime funding; it's not ongoing basis. So sometimes the federal government is only able to give us a program that's earmarked for a certain amount of years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government, because of the pandemic, opened the door to stimulus funding. Once that money's gone, that door's going to be closed, and we're not going to have an opportunity to go back for a while. So, you know, I think it's important that this government sits down, comes up with a real plan to go and request the funds to get rid of this gap. Because like I said, the communities are the backbone of the Northwest Territories. Without them, we wouldn't be here.
So, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what, if any, requests have been made to the federal government for financial support to eliminate the current funding gap? If not, when can we expect something like that to take place? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn't agree more that the communities are our backbone. I totally agree with it. I spent 23 plus years with the department, that kind of aged me, and I understand the importance of it. And I understand the department, and I've seen the work that my colleagues and now the department has been doing.
So as the Member said, the federal government has been an important partner in municipal funding infrastructure.
The gas tax agreement provides $17 million annually on a permanent basis. $17 million. Could we get it more? Yes, we reach out to them all the time for that. The clean water and wastewater funds provided was $52 million from 2016 to 2023 for the communities to make improvements to their infrastructure.
The GNWT has been working closely with our federal counterparts on their current Investing in Canada Plan to ensure that it is responsive to community needs. The program provides $117 million over the term of 2018 to 2028 for a variety of municipal infrastructure purposes.
And we are working with the federal government, we're talking with them, and I've introduced myself to the new federal Minister as well. And we'll be having those conversations. We want to be able to help move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Oral Question 881-19(2):
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in June of 2021, this House passed a housing motion called Action for Improved Housing Outcomes. On November 22nd, the government's response was tabled in this House. But the government's response wasn't any different than the answers I generally get from the Minister anyway. It didn't have any specific change or timelines associated with it.
So, Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the Minister of Housing can let us know, or let this House know, when the Standing Committee on Social Development can expect to see a draft of the revised motion for the Housing Corporation? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation anticipates that the revised mission and value statement will be available during the February sitting of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I can say that the Standing Committee on Social Development is very much looking forward to that document and being able to hopefully participate in some feedback from especially small community members that sit on that committee.
My second question, Mr. Speaker, is when the Housing Corporation joined us for the Committee of the Whole review of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation capital estimates, the deputy minister committed to bringing together information to address the end to core need in the Northwest Territories.
So I'm wondering if there is a timeline for that one as to when Standing Committee on Social Development can expect to see some kind of a draft plan to end the housing core need in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member, and thank you to the standing committee as well, too, that housing is the number 1 priority of this government, and I appreciate the work that's done by the Members as well too.
The Housing Corporation has listened to all conversations during our committee review of the capital estimates and identified additional analysis that they must do to present the comprehensive plan to the committee as requested. The corporation anticipates to have this work done and ready and presented to the committee prior to February sitting of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm starting to feel like it's my birthday, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister just said something pretty amazing. She said that housing is the number 1 priority of this government, and I think that's a pretty incredible statement and one that I hope that I can capitalize on for my third question.
So I'm wondering, Mr. Speaker, has the NWT Housing Corporation asked the GNWT to replace the lost CMHC funding for O and M; and if so, why is Cabinet expecting these lost federal funds to be found internally if this is their number 1 priority? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation has had this funding decline on the radar with both the GNWT and conversations with Canada, and has continuously engaged on this issue since the declining began in 2003. There have been some contributions from the GNWT but those have not countered the full impact of the declining funding.
The Housing Corporation has also developed some mitigation measures that are set out in the Housing Corporation's business plan and main estimates. The conversations continue as part of both the federal engagement and the internal process for the annual business planning cycle. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Kam Lake.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. So over the course of the last 18 years then, we've been slowly watching a decline happen, but there hasn't been a response then from the GNWT to actually address what we now understand to be and quite thankfully, I'm going use this one probably quite a bit the number 1 priority of this government. And I might get a talking to from some Ministers after that, but I'm going to run with it.
Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the NWT Housing Corporation intends to bring forward new legislation specific to public housing, because right now the NWT Housing Corporation's legislation speaks largely to the corporation's ability to be a corporation, to borrow money, and to spend money, or to lend money. But it doesn't speak to the Housing Corporation's responsibility to keep Northerners housed as housing is a human right.
And so I'm wondering if the Housing Corporation will make a commitment to bring forward a legislative proposal in the life of this Assembly for public housing? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As part of the renewal strategy, the Housing Corporation anticipates a comprehensive look at the Housing Corporation's role and relationships with the partners to addressing housing in the territory. Coming out of that conversation, we anticipate being able to identify what legislative changes may be necessary moving forward. The renewal strategy identifies the changes to legislation but would be identified as part of the current work. But that, the legislation proposal and advancing the legislation, would be advanced in the next Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In my June 4th, 2021, statement, I noted the old name of the museum here in Yellowknife. I've been raising this issue now for about six years in this House. I don't understand why we just don't change the name to something that embraces reconciliation and our northern reality.
Can the Minister tell us why the name of the museum has not been changed and what the obstacles are to moving forward with a name that reflects our northern realities? Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can't just change the name, as the Member says. And I think that if I would have started the process of changing the name on my first day in this position, it still wouldn't be changed because there has to be an extensive consultation process. I would not unilaterally change the name to something I thought was appropriate. There would have to be extensive consultation with Indigenous governments and the public.
The process of renaming the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is definitely on the radar. It is something that we are looking into. And it is being packaged together with some of the other work that's being done. We are looking at some big changes for the museum.
The Member knows very well that the building itself is in need of repair. It's in need of expansion for certain areas. And we are looking at the governing structure of the museum. And so I wouldn't want to go and just change the name outside of all of those as well. I think that we really need to look at this holistically and move forward in a way that makes sense. But it is something that is being worked on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I've seen so many documents calling for renovations or a new facility that it isn't even funny anymore. Some of us have visited the museum and seen the problems firsthand. If our government actually made culture and heritage our higher priority, I think we would have had a new museum by now. And that's exactly what the Yukon did, Mr. Speaker.
Does the Minister have a renovation or upgrade plan to address the museum's practical needs that he's going to bring forward for funding approval or when will such a plan be presented? Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If this government, as the Member said, made culture and heritage a higher priority it doesn't mean that we would have a new museum; it might mean that we have more resources in communities. Making something a higher priority for the territory isn't synonymous with making something a higher priority in Yellowknife. So there are people outside of Yellowknife who we want to be able to access culture and heritage resources as well. So this is not the only culture and heritage resource in the territory.
That being said, it is a very valuable one, and it does more than display artifacts. You know, children go there to learn. It houses the archives. And as the Member said, there have been a number of different documents stating that something needs to be done.
And when I first came into office, there was a building study that was nearing completion, and that was completed in 2020. We went back and said what other options can we look at, because while we would like the Cadillac of museums, we really need to be realistic here. So that work is being done, and we are looking at it in consultation or at the same time as this revenue study and the governance study which is sort of handinhand with that.
So all that to say that the Member will be the first to know when I come across new information. I will call him personally because I know how passionate he is about this. And I expect that to happen early in the new year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I look forward to a call on New Year's Day from him, a personal call. But, yes, look, we can do a lot more on heritage.
You know, I've mentioned that there's a revenue review underway, and I'm just not sure that it's actually going to result in any significant new funding. You know, I think the much more likely route for us to get more funding is go to the federal government and build on COVID relief or a tourism product development.
Can the Minister tell us the status of this revenue review and whether there's any likelihood of raising enough money to fix up the museum? Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The revenue review will be completed by the end of this fiscal year.
The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is unique. Most museums aren't 100 percent funded by a province or territory. It's generally run by a third party who can then access federal funding. There is not a big pot of money that the GNWT can access to just build a new museum. But that being said, if we look at other ways to operate the museum perhaps we can find some of that funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. And I'm really happy to try to help him get the money but I'm sure that he can work more closely with his Cabinet colleagues. But I'm still just not convinced that culture and heritage gets all the attention it deserves, especially when it comes to federal relations and opportunities.
Can the Minister describe the department's recent attempts to secure federal funding for culture and heritage and how this relates to our efforts to towards reconciliation; and, more specifically, what this means for the museum? Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've had a number of conversations with Minister Guilbeault when he was in the role of Canadian Heritage but he's no longer there, and so I have to build a new relationship with the new Minister. And that was typically around the COVID-related funding.
As for funding specifically for the museum, there is money through Canadian Heritage through the museum assistance program, I believe it's called, and they have funding for discrete projects, so minor upgrades, exhibits, things like that. And we have been successful in getting some of those funds.
That funding is something that doesn't flow through us. So any organization in the territory, any Indigenous government who would want that, would have to apply directly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents: Changing the Relationship: Draft Action Plan in Response to the Calls for Justice on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples; Grants and Contribution Results Report 2020-2021; Northern Mineral Sector Investment Study Final Report, August 2021; and, Public Accounts 20202021, Sections I, II, III and IV. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Government House Leader.
Tabled Document 533-19(2):
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Northwest Territories On the Land Collaborative 2021 Report; and, What We Heard 2021 AntiPoverty Roundtable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Government House Leader. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following four documents entitled Motion 483(2): Testing of Cruise Missile in Canada Excerpts from Hansard dated September 2nd, 1983; Motion 1586(1): Cruise Missile Testing Opposition Excerpts from Hansard dated March 5th, 1986; Motion 1189(2): Low Level Flights in the Northwest Territories Excerpts from Hansard dated November 1st, 1989; and Motion 2012(5): Condemnation of the Continuation of Cruise Missile Testing Excerpts from Hansard March 2, 1994. Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 45: Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2022-2023, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order and is nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 45 has had first reading.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 45: Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2022-2023, be read for the second time.
This bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill?
Question.
