Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Timber Bay is a very traditional place for the community of Lutselk'e Dene First Nation. They have been using this area since time immemorial for hunting, trapping, fishing, wildlife; it's their way of life. And, you know, they've been doing it long before the Canadian Constitution ever existed. Same thing with treaties, the NWT Act 1967. And in September of this year, the camp was raided. If you could imagine the camp having elders, families, children, guests, up to about 80 people. And then all of a sudden the chopper comes into the community, wildlife officers come out with bullet proof vests, making demands on to the camp and everything else, is very concerning. So after that happened, I issued a press release asking for a public apology and also an investigation into the wildlife officers' conduct.
So, Mr. Speaker, yesterday the court made a decision to quash the permit search permit for going into the camp. So my question is to the Minister of Wildlife and Natural Resources, can the Minister apologize sincerely to the Lutselk'e Dene First Nation for the unlawful activities of his officers and the trauma it has caused for the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and again I thank the Member. He's been very active on this file, and I appreciate his work for it.
Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Minister's statement, the officers landed, they waited for an hour and a half an hour and 20 minutes before they could actually get in to do the work. They offered the opportunity to go directly to the source where it was, and it was denied. So, Mr. Speaker, I've reached out to the chief and asked to arrange a facetoface meeting to discuss how we can continue to work on our collaborative efforts to work together to support the caribou. As I said in my Minister's statement, the herd used to be 470,000 where now it's 6,200, and that is a huge issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So basically the Minister's refusing to apologize to the people in Lutselk'e and Lutselk'e Dene First Nation for their unlawful raid into the community, so. I'm shocked, I mean, I I don't know what to say. This is something that's I expect from the Minister to apologize, and I'm kind of want to hear it here today. And if not, then I have other questions. Thank you
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it hasn't been proven it was unlawful. We were given a tip. There was two illegal hunts in the mobile zone. There was caribou wastage. There was carcasses left behind. There was impact that was 6,200 caribou minus. To put it in perspective, last year on the winter road we had illegal harvests. That was just almost half in those two hunts. So I'm more than willing to work, reach out and have those conversations with the chief, and I offered to go right into the community to have these conversations. I'm willing to work together on this. But again, it's interesting that do you want to look after the caribou? Do you want to get rid of them? Do you want them to disappear? We have the opportunity to go into the Beverly herd, and so we're willing to do this. We're willing to have those conversations. And it's hard. And I understand the importance of caribou for Indigenous people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mean, the courts were very clear yesterday, that in Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, that this permit was quashed so therefore, I mean, there's no evidence, no proof, showing that there was any caribou wastage. So I'm still I'm going to ask for an apology here, and I'm not hearing it from the Minister so I'm going to ask again.
Is he sincerely going to apologize to the community of Lutselk'e for this raid? Thank you
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've already said it once, I'll say it again. I actually said it twice. I'm more than willing to meet with the chief and the First Nation in the community of Lutselk'e to have that conversation on how we can do the recovery on that. That's what I made my commitment to. There is an investigation still going on, and I don't know what's going on with that. So I'm more than willing to work on how we can support the recovery of the caribou. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Final supplementary. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister work with Lutselk'e Dene First Nation to develop and implement a shared enforcement protocol to ensure this kind of thing will never happen again? At the same time, if he wants to work with the community in the spirit of reconciliation, then I'd like to have a commitment here today by the Minister to say that he is willing to go into Lutselk'e to work with chief and council and if need be, then that's where he should apologize because I'm not hearing it in the House here today, because the court Supreme Court decision is final; it's done. Thank you
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've made a commitment to the chief in a letter. The GNWT's committed to continue to work on commitments made in Thaidene Nene established agreement including the development of mutually agreedupon procedures and practice for the enforcement response to be used within the Thaidene Nene. I'm more than willing to work with chief and council. I'm more than willing to have the Member be there and go into the community and work forward on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cost of living in the North has always been high. Mr. Speaker, it's becoming unbearable for many families in my riding and I'm sure everyone else's. My questions today will focus on what we as a government are doing to help our citizens cope with the rising costs that are occurring. And I'm going to direct my questions to the Premier because it seems like we tend to not have to direct our questions to her a lot. So Mr. Speaker, they end up always going over here and over there. Can this government look at freezing increases, as a government as a whole look at some of the things that are a rising cost for our everyday homeowners, like power, heat, and you know, because those are all getting passed on to the consumers, which went on our groceries and everything are expensive. So as a government and as the leader of our government, will she look into freezing some of these costs to make sure that our citizens, our residents of the Northwest Territories, can make it through the winter months? Thank you
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I don't answer every question is because otherwise I wouldn't need to have so many Ministers, Mr. Speaker. But in seriousness, Mr. Speaker, this is a huge issue for the residents of the NWT. It's always been really expensive to live here and with what's going on postCOVID, I mean it's even more so. I have given direction to all Ministers to look within their programs and see what they can do. I didn't give specific direction that said "freeze increases." What my direction was is to look and to see if there's anything that they can do within their departments to help people with inflation. And, Mr. Speaker, I do have to clarify one of my directions, because I do believe that low income people are suffering will be suffering from inflation the hardest, so I did say specifically around people that are lower income. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of my colleagues alluded to this today, and I know if another Member was here he would have alluded to it today too, but, you know, we're coming up to the end of our term and in April, we're supposed to be, you know, possibly seeing an increase in carbon taxes to our residents. And so can this government commit that to the end of this government, at least, and go to Ottawa, making sure that we're not increasing any more taxes to our residents? We are seeing people leave the territory because they cannot afford it. We are seeing people born and raised and lived their life here leaving the territory because they can't afford it, and we don't want people to leave. We don't want our own people to leave. We want to bring everybody back home. We want more people to live here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The conversations with the federal government, I mention their name as well because I think the Member's right, every time we mention their name somebody pays attention and I do think that those conversations need to be ongoing, not only in this government here but carrying on. We've experience some of the most highest cost of living in Canada, and I have constantly told the federal Ministers that we deserve to have the same standard of living as every other Canadian. I'll continue that message as far as we go on.
As for specific on the carbon tax that Minister Wawzonek will be attending; we're actually planning on going back to Ottawa again, talking about the next budget, hoping that we get increases to the Northwest Territories. I can't say what we will be doing in the future. I do know that we've done increases to help people such as the home heating. I know that we haven't raised taxes in this government yet. And it's tough, because I hear every day, and I want to help too, saying increase programs, increase money to programs. And I want the same thing. But, Mr. Speaker, if we don't get money from the federal government and we don't increase taxes and we don't have any income, then we also have to say do we stay with what we have? Because I'm not happy with that either. I don't have the answers, Mr. Speaker, but I do hope that everybody's part of the solution. And like I said, my direction to Cabinet is to look at those most vulnerable to start with, look at those who are going to suffer the most to start with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I wrote these questions, and then as I'm writing them and then knowing what's going on and some of the conversations that are happening in this room, with carbon tax I think the one thing that boggles my brain as somebody who sits in this legislature as the Northwest Territories. As my colleague from Nunakput can clearly show you pictures in front of his home, you know, that it's deteriorating. And, yes, carbon is very important. But, we are not the big emitters and we are having to pay our tax dollars to meet this federal government dream, you know. So maybe it's time when we go back, you know, that's the thing, is we are not the emitter. We should be compensated by them to be paying for all of these costs and not passing them on to our residents.
So will the Minister or will the Premier and the Minister, you know, commit to making sure that this message is passed on and don't leave the room until they commit to it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say yes as much as I can, but I do have to say no on some things in here.
I agree. My understanding is that greenhouse gas emissions from the NWT are 0.02 percent, yet we're feeling the effects four times as the rest of the world. So that's not okay.
I do know that we brought up that discussion many times to the federal government. I will say that we will go again. We are going right after session, and we will bring it up again. Mr. Speaker, I don't like to say no, but I have to say no. I cannot promise to stay in the current prime, minister's office until I get a yes because I know he's got way more security than I do, and he will literally take me out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, this government, will they commit to some of these things that we're doing, like, you know, and I would have used the project like the wind project where we're supposed to save $4 million to pass on to residents but from my understanding that it's going to be delayed, over budget and delayed. So where there is savings found, how is this government going to make sure that I can get food, you can get food, our residents can get food, you know, like, and that's I think that is the part where people are really afraid, is they can't afford the heat, the power, and the food. And it's getting really scary, and some people do not want to you know, there's even within the levels of income are struggling. So that will be my question, and maybe it's more of a comment, but how is this government going to ensure to our residents that they can make it through this winter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This isn't a joking matter; this is pretty serious. It is a concern that we want all residents to make sure that they make it through the winter. We're doing our part. I know that Cabinet is working on the government renewal that makes sure that we're looking at all of our programs, department by department, to make sure the programs we're providing are still applicable. That work may result in some change of programs. We know we're trying to address the issues as much as possible, like I said, with the home heating fuel is one thing.
Mr. Speaker, any resident who cannot afford a standard of living, if they can't afford to heat their homes, if they can't afford to put food on their tables and they're trying, then please visit the programs we have in place. That is the reason we have the seniors home heating subsidy; that's the reason we have income support, Mr. Speaker, is to help residents when they can't get by.
Recognizing it's all based on an income base but that's what the programs are there for. So, please, if you're suffering, please reach out to the supports we have in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Aurora College Corporate Plan 20222023; and, Operating Plans for the Northwest Territories Education Bodies for the 20222023 School Year ending June 30th, 2023, Volumes 1 and 2. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 23, 29, 48, 52, and 53, Committee Report 3319(2), Committee Report 3419(2), Tabled Document 52319(2).
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, committee wishes to deal with Committee Report 3319(2), Bill 52, Bill 48, and Tabled Document 72319(2), Infrastructure, Housing NWT, Environment and Natural Resources, and Lands. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item.
SHORT RECESS
I now call Committee of the Whole back to order.
Committee, we've agreed to resume consideration of Committee Report 3319(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Bill 52, Elevators and Lifts Act. Members, last week we concluded general comments, voted on the first motion and the second motion had been called. There was a motion to report progress before debate had begun as it was brought to the chair's attention that the wrong version of the committee motions were before committee. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Pursuant to Rule 6.2(13) that allows the motion to be withdrawn before debate with the consent of the seconder, the Rule 9.1(7) which allows the motion to be moved into Committee of the Whole without a seconder, I wish to withdraw the Committee Motion 30319(2). Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair, I move that the Committee Motion 30219(2) be rescinded. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm rescinding the motion as the wording is not the same as the recommendation included in the committee report. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member for Nunakput.
I move that the Government of the Northwest Territories make the report as described in section 68 of the act publicly available, including details not limited to a number of permits issued and in good standing, a number of approvals, orders issued, prosecutions, fines, and inspections, etcetera. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? Motion is carried.
Carried
Member for Nunakput.
