Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll ask one more time. Will this Minister, who this project is going to be benefit be beneficial to our region, to Canada, to North America, so we don't delay any further, request a meeting of her department and National Defence and the contractors and sit down and have a meeting? Will she? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like I said, you know, we are this is an important project to my my region as well. And, you know, we have been going back and forth. And National Defence announced this project in 2019. So I mean, that was a number of years ago where we, you know, looked at infrastructure and, you know, it's taken some time to be able to look at the project and going forward on how you know, how we need to advance it. It is a fourphase approach. We have packages out. We're working with the contractor to ensure that, you know, we are on par. It's a fiveyear project, Mr. Speaker, and therefore, it's just something we need to continue addressing with all the parties involved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 3419(2) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on February 24th, 2022, to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs regarding the municipal infrastructure gap.
Municipal and Community Affairs acknowledges that there is a municipal funding gap of approximately $40 million, of which an estimated $23 million is related to capital; $10 million to general operations and maintenance; and $7 million to water and waste services. This is based on an estimated total of $3 billion in community government assets.
In 2014, community detail was shared with communities for information purposes to give councils awareness for their budgeting and future programming decisions. At the time of the review, there was very little information on the cost of piped infrastructure, solid waste sites and roads. These are significant municipal government assets; therefore, estimates were made to ensure costs for these assets were included.
Since the 2014 review, the department has been doing research for better costing of community assets. This is an ongoing process that takes time as communities replace these assets infrequently and historical cost information is not available for most communities.
For this reason, the department does not have updated community detail available at this time. An estimate error of $1 million is less than 1% of the total $3 billion. However, $1 million in a particular community would be significant and misleading. It is not in our interest to release what may not be accurate information.
Municipal and Community Affairs will be updating the community government funding policies during the 20222023 fiscal year and is committed to creating an advisory group with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities. Costing estimates, community details and an approach for regular community updates will be shared and finalized with the updated policies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 3519(2) asked by the Member for Monfwi on February 24th, 2022, to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding NWT Health Status Chartbook.
The NWT Health Status Chartbook was created to provide new and returning NWT legislators with a snapshot of the health status of the NWT residents at the beginning of the 19th Legislative Assembly. The Chartbook is intended to inform MLAs for the purpose of strategic planning and priority setting and for that purpose, is produced every four years to align with the strategic planning and priority setting cycle. The next update of the Chartbook is expected to be released in Fall 2023 before the first sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly.
One of the key goals of the NWT Health and Social Services system is Best Health. Work to advance this goal is about the health of the population and improving equity of health status across the population. This work includes frequent and regular interaction with organizations, such as nongovernmental organizations, community and Indigenous Governments and other relevant authorities. Some of the forums where this happens includes the Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between Indigenous governments and the GNWT where areas of shared interest are discussed; community and regional representation through the Regional Wellness Councils and the Leadership Council that provides advice to the Minister on strategic direction for Health and Social Services delivery.
More frequently produced reports that speak to the delivery of health services are the Annual Reports provided by the health and social services authorities that are tabled in the Legislative Assembly and publicly available. The Annual Reports for 20202021 will be tabled this Session. Annual reports provide an overview of the previous year’s operations and activities in support of our system’s goals to improve health outcomes for NWT residents.
The Department and the health and social services authorities continue work towards the mandate commitments to improve health outcomes of NWT residents. Activities to strengthen identified priority areas include the continued implementation of Primary Healthcare Reform initiatives aimed at enhancing culturally safe, relationshipbased care, work with Indigenous Government organizations to deliver on the land healing Programs, enhanced community mental health and wellness supports, strategic planning to allow for elders and Seniors to age in place with dignity and work to stabilize health human resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 39: An Act to Amend the PostSecondary Education Act.
Bill 39 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on November 25th, 2021, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. On March 24th, 2022, the standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and completed its clausebyclause review of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 39: An Act to Amend the PostSecondary Education Act is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act.
Bill 40 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on November 26th, 2021, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. Near the end of the Committee's review period, the Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Health and Social Services identified issues with the bill that could require substantial amendments. The committee is willing to work collaboratively with the Minister of Health and Social Services to try to make improvements to the bill.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Rule 8.3(2) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that the review period for Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act, be extended to May 27, 2022. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion? Oh, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to put it on the record that I support this extension. I believe that, as I understand it, the department requested this extension and it will also give the department more time to go back and work with the professional associations representing some of the medical professions that have expressed a number of concerns as there's work to be done with the committee, but the department also has a lot of work to do, I believe, with medical professionals, and I look forward to the results of those consultations. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. The 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 Standing Committee on Social Development's review of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Professions Act is extended to May 27th, 2022.
Report of committees on the review of bills. Member for Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 41: Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act.
Bill 41 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on December 7th, 2021, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development. On March 24th, 2022, the standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Justice and completed its clausebyclause review of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 41: Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents:
The letter to Prime Minister from Northern Premiers dated March 2nd, 2022, regarding Arctic Security; and the letter to Chair of the Council of the Federation from the Northern Premiers dated March 3rd, 2022 regarding Arctic Security. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents:
Plain Language Summary for Bill 47: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, No. 2; Followup Letter for Oral Question 97419(2): Policing; and, Followup Letter for Oral Question 99519(2): Maintenance Enforcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document:
2021 Annual Report to the Legislative Assembly Under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (1990). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the following five documents:
2021 Annual Report Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board; Followup Letter for Oral Questions 91619(2): Housing; Followup Letter for Oral Question 92619(2): Housing Land Transfer; Followup Letter for Oral Question 93019(2): Housing; and, Followup Letter for Oral Question 96019(2): ThreeYear Energy Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document:
Followup Letter for Oral Question 95619(2): People Parenting with FASD. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents:
Followup Letter for Oral Question 9919(2): Canadian Red Cross; and, Followup Letter for Oral Question 99819(2): Firearms Storage and Lessons Learned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document:
Government of Canada, Travel: Proof of Vaccination for Indigenous Peoples and Northerners in Remote Communities at December 1st, 2021. Thank you.
