Thank you. Mr. Johnson.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Also I see here that, you know, some of the work is to identify changes for GNWT policies, and then there's a how we'll demonstrate progress as reporting on program changes provided.
I have yet to see any of that work, or I've yet to see, you know, us change a policy or, you know, change some sort of internal operations of the GNWT and say this is due to UNDRIP. Can I just get the Premier to speak to whether, you know, the federal and BC legislation kind of mandate a work plan that demands departments and agencies to review all internal policies and then make changes? Is it you know, is that our plan, and when will we see some reporting on programs and policies as a result of implementing UNDRIP? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know that we are working on the housing policies but for crossjurisdictional information, I'd like to turn it to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I can report that in addition to the work we're doing in collaboration with Indigenous governments, we are looking internally doing an inventory of our programs, doing a bit of an assessment of our own and where they align or misalign with the principles in UNDRIP and then the intent is to take some of that work back and have continued conversations with Indigenous governments when they're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Questions? Committee, we're just waiting for the Members that are virtual to get tabled documents. It'll just be a minute. Relax.
Members, are there any further questions on implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People?
Seeing none, Committee, we will move to page 26, increase regional decisionmaking authority. Questions? Are there any questions oh sorry, Ms. Nokleby.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm just looking at the implementation plans announced for the training programs there, and they're both saying that they're fulfilled and that we're going to be delivering at the beginning of early of 2022. Can the Premier speak to whether or not that those training programs have started? Thank you.
Thank you. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know that they're started. I'm not sure if they're completed, though. For that, I'll turn it to the deputy minister to expand on that. I know that we're also doing more work to because the job descriptions where similar training is happening, and then we're still looking for to identify from staff on what they see as issues. So the work is still ongoing. But as for if it's all completed, I'd like to turn it to the deputy minister.
Deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have completed some of the training but we've identified some components to that training, including training on the human resource manual and delegations of authority. That work's been done. That training's been complete. There's been training on Cabinet processes. That's largely complete. I think training on that began in December. And there's further training modules that are being developed, and the plan is to continue delivering those once the other training is complete. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Member.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for that answer. I guess my next question is just around is there no commitment here for the moving of jobs into the regional areas in order to increase that decisionmaking authority? I'm just wondering if I'm getting two mandates mixed up or two priorities mixed up. Thank you.
Thank you. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, this mandate didn't address moving positions. However, in saying that, I think Members are aware that the Minister of HR/Finance did release that people that are working at headquarters in Yellowknife, if their jobs allow they will be allowed to move into smaller communities outside of Yellowknife to be able to do their work if their job allows that to happen. And it's a oneway street. It does not people from the smaller communities that were communities outside of Yellowknife are not allowed to move in to Yellowknife to do their job. But I think that's a progressive move in in trying to attract people to outside of the Yellowknife as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Are there any further questions on increased regional decisionmaking authority?
Seeing none, Committee, we will move to page 27, reduce the municipal funding gap. Questions? Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the goals here is to refine the funding model to ensure continued fairness and transparency. And I know this work is, you know, actually on track, and I'm happy to hear that but I find it a little ridiculous that we're going to ensure transparency when the department refuses to publish how much we actually give specific communities. So there's no way for anyone to know whether their community is overfunded or underfunded. And I know the Minister of MACA has refused to answer that question. So my question is once we are done and we have a new funding formula, will we publish specific community breakdowns going forward? Thank you.
Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to defer that to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Mr. Thompson.
Thank you. We will look at it. And we will not make a promise but we will look at it. Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Johnson.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. And I think the other big fight with this one is that it there's they're reducing the gap by $5 million was initially interpreted to be reducing $5 million considering the way the formula works in total, so adjusting for inflation or, you know, the increased costs as the formula takes. It seems now Cabinet has switched to not be that target.
My question is, can we get an update on what the actual amount the funding gap will be reduced by. You know, adding $5 million to it if it if inflation went up by $5 million will actually be zero dollars. So we don't seem to be publishing by community and we don't seem to be publishing the actual closing of the gap. So can I get a commitment that we will publish what the gap will actually be closed by adding $5 million? Thank you.
Premier.
Thank you. Mr. Chair, I think that that will have to be something that we'll have to work with the couple of departments on. I don't think it's as easy as just making a commitment right here. It's really hard to tell. The commitment is to be able to address the reduce the municipal funding gap by $5 million. That was a decision made in the House. However, the Member's right. I mean, inflation hits, cost of living and, you know, things change all the time with communities so we won't know if if it's really affected that or not. We don't even know if that if the amount that was originally said was the gap is the real gap because as soon as you do that research, it's outdated. So what I can commit to is that we'll have that discussion at Cabinet and or in Finance I guess, and we'll get back to Members on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Nokleby.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm just looking at the line item where it says that MACA is going to provide new opportunities for the own source revenue through the transfer of lands to community governments. It's the last one on page 27. I'm just curious to know if we have a measurable amount of actual land transfer. Has this actually happened? Is this just talking about it at this stage?
I note that in the next part of this, it's talking about the tool being developed by the by April of 2023, which makes me concerned we wouldn't be transferring lands until that time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Premier.
Mr. Chair, I'd like to defer that to the Minister of Lands, please, Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Thompson.
Yeah, thank you. Yeah, so we've developed the tool. It has gone to the City of Yellowknife. They have it, approved it, and adapted it. We're working with them. When we talk to them about doing transfers of land, it's very specific to certain areas and certain things. So it's not one big bulk transfer. We were doing it working with them to do it I don't want to call it piecemeal but to do it as they feel comfortable taking on different tasks and what they need their land for.
We've also taken that very tool and given it to NWTAC and which will allow them to get feedback to their membership from their membership moving forward. We do have a number of projects on the go that we are looking at doing that from this bigger centres as of Yellowknife as into the small ones as of Enterprise. Thank you.
Thank you. Ms. Nokleby.
Thank you for that. Would it be fair for the Minister to characterize that the communities or municipalities are happy with this approach, or would they rather have seen a bulk transfer of land? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Thompson.
They're happy with it. We are actually working with them. We're working at their speed, their capabilities, and what they want to do and what they are trying to achieve. Again, it's you know, if you give them a bulk land, just a whole chunk of it, then you're really not expecting them to do a lot of work to certain areas. So like in the city of Yellowknife, we are looking at very specific areas that the community the city uses and they're looking at taking over. And then as we move on, then bulk land transfers will be moved to their at their speed. So we are relying on theirs. Thank you.
Thank you. Ms. Nokleby.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And just for the part of the rollout, then, for the rest of the territory after the city of Yellowknife, is there a plan to look at that individually by community versus having them all be sort of under the same umbrella or all at the same time; will it proceed based on community capacity? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Nokleby.
No, I think I'm good. I just want to always throw in the faster we can get land I think into the communities' hands, the better. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any further questions on reduce the municipal funding gap? Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yeah, the first item on page 27 is reduce the funding gap by $5 million. Do we actually have a formula to calculate what the funding gap is at any point in time? Is it transparent? Is it reported annually? Sorry, there's two or three questions there but I'd like to find out more about how this is actually calculated. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Premier.
Martin? Thank you, Mr. Chair, I'd like to transfer it to the secretary to Cabinet.
Secretary to Cabinet.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wish I had the answer, but I don't.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. That's great to hear that the deputy minister for the Executive doesn't have the answer but can I get a commitment, then, from someone who a Minister, to actually provide that information to me in a public fashion? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Premier.
I will either make a commitment to either provide it to the Member in a public fashion or to provide an explanation of why we can't give that to the Member either with a why we can't give it period; why we can't give it in a public manner. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
