Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I do appreciate the opportunity to speak to this question. I do hope that the members of the public and business are paying attention because, again, I know this can be a time with a lot of uncertainty. When there's uncertainty and volatility, it may mean businesses aren't making the investments that we want to see them making to have a robust and diversified economy in the North. So, again, I'll say something that I was saying a lot more back when the pandemic was in full force, which is that the public sector is larger in the territories than what it may be in some provincial areas. Now, there's downsides to that but one of the upsides to that it gives us a bit of stability. So we are certainly monitoring, again, not just as an academic way but to look at certain indicators, make sure that we are responsive and reactive where we need to be but, again, really it's at this point, Madam Speaker, I there's not a set plan because there's not a set emergency to which we need to respond. We are keeping an eye on what's happening and, again, trying to do things like pass a capital budget which would hopefully help support the small business sector through any times of uncertainty. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Members, we're going to take a short recess.
SHORT RECESS
Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madame la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. First, I'd like to get some clarity on the basic principles of the new minimum wage approach announced in August. Can the Minister tell us how poverty and a living wage were considered in the development of this new approach to a minimum wage? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Minister of ECE.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So a living wage reflects what an earner or earners would need to bring home to pay the bills in any given community. The minimum wage is the lowest possible wage that you can pay someone, and its purpose is to protect vulnerable workers. So they're two different things. So our minimum wage, it's similar to minimum wages across Canada. It's on the higher end. And the changes that we are making or that we have made would put us on an even playing field with the rest of Canada. And I will note that given the climate in the Northwest Territories, the employment climate, it's pretty rare to find someone earning minimum wage. And the Member himself said that it's hard to attract employees if you're only paying the minimum wage. So this minimum wage is a bare minimum that you are legally required to pay but the market is dictating higher wages than that. Thank you.
Merci, Madame la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for recognizing that the minimum wage is not a living wage, and it keeps people in poverty. So through the work of the minimum wage committee and ECE analysts, you know, there's a lot of information that's been compiled. I also put together this percentage. 90 percent of our workforce received a page topup program because of how low our minimum wage actually is here. So can the Minister commit to developing and regularly update an actual living wage for each of the 33 NWT communities? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can't commit to that. I know there are organizations who do look at the living wage in different communities, and we're going to let them continue to do that good work. Thank you.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for recognizing the work of lowly NGOs and getting them to do the work of government again. So one of the reasons the Minister keeps giving for a minimum wage keeping minimum wage so low is the impact of a higher wage on small businesses, and the Minister just said that few businesses pay the minimum wage. So can the Minister tell us whether this government is considering a further package of wage topups for low income workers to lift these people out of poverty? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. No, the wage topup was primarily driven by the federal government and we are not considering that. We are trying to get people out of poverty through employment programs, through education. And I will say that we do actually have a number of labour programs, some of which provide wage topups. So we are doing a bit of what the Member is talking about but we are not looking at rolling out the large scale program similar to the ones the federal government funded in the last couple years. Thank you.
Thank you. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. Well, let's talk about some systemic change here, then. So in our current inflationary situation, price increases have been highest on mandatory costs, including food and shelter, rather than discretionary purchases, meaning poor people suffer more from inflation. So will the Minister take this affordability crisis as the opportunity to construct lasting measures, like a guaranteed basic income, that directly addresses the cost of living? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And we won't be implementing a guaranteed basic income during the life of this Assembly. We do have a number of very expensive initiatives that we are currently working on and will be bringing forward. So we are making investments in this area, making investments to reduce the cost of living. But a guaranteed basic income is not one of those. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI who is responsible for our beautiful 33 camps and parks campgrounds and parks across this territory. And my question is whether she's going to let me go winter camping this winter? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister of ITI.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would be very happy if the Member would like to go winter camping. I'm not a barrier to him going winter camping. What I can't do is necessarily open up a park, bring in park staff, bring in cleaning staff, bring in the enforcement and monitoring officers to make sure that parks don't get wrecked, although I'm sure the Member wouldn't do that. I can't commit to doing all of that and to expending those resources on his behalf. But I'd be very happy to hear if he goes out into the wilderness, onto the land, and takes pictures to promote tourism in the North. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm actually not sure that's legal, and I believe the Department of Lands is working on temporary guidelines when temporary structures can be set up on public land. But they first have to evict 900 people. So I'm not too sure about that. I guess my question is, I assume that we own some wall tents. We own a company that makes them at the very least. I assume we own a few cabins in the territorial government. Is the Minister willing to look through all of our parks and campgrounds and see whether there is some sort of infrastructure that could possibly be rented out under the NWT Parks banner? I think it would be a great tourism activity. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I certainly can make a commitment to go and see what might be available. What I might also suggest, though, Madam Speaker, is perhaps an opportunity for the Member, who I know is passionate about this particular issue, to check in with myself and with the department and perhaps also NWT Tourism. There are a number of private operators would like to get into this space. There may be access to parks facilities but, again, they may require further capital costs to be where the Member wants them to be. But let's get to the heart of what the issue and what the barriers are. I'd like to not be a barrier to the private sector. But if there's a way to get more people accessing the lands, then I'd be thrilled to find a way to do that. So, again, perhaps a takeaway isn't just for us but it's to go with the Member and see exactly where are the gaps that we aren't filling for this sector. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Maybe I'll be able to score points since my colleague from Kam Lake could not. Madam Speaker, can the Minister explain how the What We Heard report encouraged him to choose a phase 2 approach to modernizing the Education Act? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of ECE.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So first, I'd like to correct a few of the statements that the Member made in her recordsetting five and a half minute Member's statement today.
She stated the Education Act had not changed in 30 years. It was changed last year, unanimously by this House; changes to the Education Act were approved. We changed in 2017, 2014, 2013, 2006, 2005, and so on. And so this is not some unprecedented change that's happening. There are always amendments to the Education Act as are required by operational realities.
She stated that Indigenous governments have been provided no details on proposed changes. They've been provided the same details I've been provided.
She said we're not working with Indigenous governments. I've had meetings. I've discussed this with the council of leaders. I've discussed this at bilateral meetings with Indigenous governments. There's meetings with education bodies and ECE occurring. And so that includes the TCSA. There's a meeting this week between ECE and Tlicho government officials.
She said I don't know what changes that we need; I don't know what changes that we want to make. What we don't have is the exact wording of the changes, and that's because we have to work with the education bodies to determine that.
She said we're making governance changing by clarifying authorities of the Minister. We are not. We're clarifying the authorities of the Minister so that the Ministers can't go and do things try and do things beyond their authorities.
And she stated that the twophase approach is divisive and recalls a path driven by privilege. And I'll say that's partially right. I'm privileged to be an Indigenous person who gets to make these changes for Indigenous students. So I'll say that, Madam Speaker. I don't think we need to lose sight of that. And this Assembly as well, you know, there's a lot of Indigenous voices in this Assembly that are involved in this process. And that's why we're making these changes. And I'm not going to, you know, abandon making changes for Indigenous students just because it's unpopular. I have an opportunity to do it, and I'm going to do it.
And so in terms of the Member's direct question that she asked, why we went out with a twophased approach, the reason is because we realized that and I realized, that we can't do this alone. We need to work together. We need to work with the Indigenous governments and the education bodies if we're going to revamp the Education Act. And that's what we're doing. In the meantime, I want to make some minor amendments so that things can operate more efficiently, and we can provide better services to students. And to do that, we'd have to get it done right away. Everyone here knows how the legislative process works. We have tight timelines, and we don't have the kind of timelines that would allow codrafting. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you for the information. 1984 Alberta curriculum was introduced, because I know, I was there. So that's where I was referring to this as over 30 years, that it hasn't been it hasn't been changed. And then just recently last year, I know they were talking about it and this year they're we are adopting BC curriculum. So that's where that's what I was talking about, the legislations. So all the changes that he referred to he should share with us, put it in writing, and let the small communities in the region know about this because I just ask him a questions. Yes, I know he had the chance to say that so I guess that is okay. But this modernization Education Act is very important for us, and we've been saying it. It's not just me that's saying that here. Our leaders and other Indigenous leaders, and I'm surprised none of these from the outlying communities, the regions, MLAs are not saying anything. And the leaders have been saying it. Dene Nation have been saying it. That's why I am expressing. That's why I really do have a I do have an issue with this modernizing the Education Act. It would be nice if there were more MLAs that was speaking out. And I know some of the education system in the regional centre are better, are good. Like Fort Smith, they have the best education systems. Like Yellowknife, they have the best education systems. But not in the small communities. This is why I am really frustrated with what he said.
So with that, according to the NWT update of July 6th, 2022, phase 1 of the Education Act modernization address issues identified in the Office of the Auditor General audit, can the Minister explain how he prioritized the topics identified by Ottawa's Auditor General and those identified by the Indigenous government? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. I know discussions can get very heated and very personal in here Member. Order. I would like everybody to just keep your discussions respectful and your questions and comments to each other and direct them through me. Thank you. Minister of ECE.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So the changes that are being proposed, which have been shared with Indigenous governments and education bodies, were chosen because of the recommendations of the Office of the Auditor General, internal evaluations that ECE did, and discussions with education bodies. These are many of these are longstanding issues that, you know, we have an opportunity to clean up. Thank you.
Yes. If it wasn't if it didn't happen in that order, I would not have said anything. But what is the Minister's vision of how the Education Act will reflect the GNWT's commitment to reconciliation if Indigenous governments are left out from designing the legislation's modernization? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So I think I've laid that vision out. If Indigenous governments were left out of the modernization of the Education Act, it would be a disaster. So that's why we are making these targeted operational technical amendments in the life of this Assembly, and then we'll deal with the other 99.999 percent of the Education Act in the next Assembly. And the work to begin developing an MOU between the GNWT and Indigenous governments is going to happen in the life of this Assembly. So we should have a signed MOU that will ensure that this work does happen. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi. Final supplementary.
If he knows the detail, he should share it with us. That is why we are, you know that is why I am addressing this because there is something. They know something. They should share it with us. The Minister promises a phase 2 in which his department will collaborate with Indigenous government, education bodies, and stakeholders. How is the Minister going to ensure that phase 2 will take place and proceed in a collaborative manner? Thank you.
Thank you. So as I've stated, we did we have shared the details. The department is now working with education bodies to come up with the specifics, and you know, what the wording might look like, and then that information will be shared. I've already made that commitment. So that will be done.
And in terms of how we're going to ensure that we work together, I answer that already with discussion about the MOU.
I hope we don't lose sight of the fact here that generally what happens with the nonland and resources legislation, as required under devolution, most legislation is not codeveloped with Indigenous governments. This government took the step of saying look, the Education Act is so important that we need to have a codevelopment process. Even though it's going to take who knows, a decade, we need to do it. It's going to take a lot of money. It's going to take a lot of time. But we're going to do it. And I think that is a huge step forward for reconciliation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Settlement maintainers are important service providers for all small communities because of the increased scope of their work and the lack of access to certified tradespeople in these communities:
Will the Minister on Infrastructure confirm the current number of indeterminate settlement maintainer positions, provide the number of settlement maintainers working in small communities, identify each community, and identity communities with vacancies?
Can the Minister of Infrastructure also commit in writing to working with the Housing NWT to adapt their housing maintainers training program for settlement maintainers to enhance training opportunities for settlement maintainers seeking to work in remote communities?
Will the Minister of Infrastructure ensure that small community settlement and facilities maintainers have the option of receiving oil and heating technician training during their employment in order to perform basic heating equipment maintenance and repairs in situations where a steam ticket or other specialized certifications are not required?
Will the Minister of Infrastructure provide a detailed list of the current training opportunities offered to settlement maintainers during their employment as of November 2022?
Can the Minister commit in writing to ensuring new training is provided through an established institution such as at the Aurora College Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith, with theory classes as well as practical handson experience (for example, by adding onthejob training, job shadowing, and/or apprenticeship opportunities)?
Mahsi.
Thank you. Written questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to facility alternative energy.
The Northwest Territories Power Corporation is a Crown corporation that owns and operates the Northwest Territories' hydroelectric facilities and most of the Northwest Territories' diesel power plants. NTPC is tasked to provide an essential service to Northwest Territories residents and businesses by ensuring access to reliable electricity. The Northwest Territories' energy mix includes fossil fuel, biomass, hydro, natural gas, wind and solar installations. In 25 remote communities, local grids provide dieselgenerated electricity.
The GNWT's 2030 Energy Strategy and the NTPC's strategic and capital plans focus on lowering cost of power and increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy whenever possible. Implementing the 2030 Energy Strategy is a shared responsibility between the GNWT, the NTPC, and the Arctic Energy Alliance. The NTPC commits its 20222023 Corporate Plan to increase integration of renewable technology and use of alternative fuels and achieve a 25 percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction for electricity generation in dieselpowered communities.
I submit the following questions to the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation:
Can the Minister explain how the NTPC will invest in alternative and renewable energy with a net debt of nearly $366 million? Will funds be available to upgrade and purchase energy efficient diesel generators for communities when the increase in net debt for the one year alone is already about $42 million?
Can the Minister provide the NTPC capital investment dollars invested on alternative and renewable energy in Northwest Territories communities, by community and contractor, and identify which of these will be impacted by sunsetting federal funds?
During the life of this Assembly, has NTPC collected and reported on performance measurement results, and if yes, have trends been observed? And Can the Minister share the results, by community?
How does the NTPC increase alternative and renewable energy in housing? For example, what is NTPC doing to work with Housing Northwest Territories developers and Indigenous business development corporations? And,
The NTPC is governed by a board of GNWT deputy ministers who are familiar with the GNWT mandate and challenges. Can the Minister describe, with examples, how the change from an independent to a GNWT constituted governance board has improved or helped the work of the NTPC and what cost savings were realized as a result?
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents.
It's just one of those days. Sorry, lots going on today. Returns to written questions. Replies to Commissioner's address. Petitions. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Like déjà vu, Madam Speaker. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: The Plain Language Summary for Bill 60, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax Act; and, Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation 20212022 Annual Report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Tabling of documents. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the Framework for Diabetes in Canada, a publication of the Public Health Agency of Canada. And Madam Speaker, I wish to table Bill C237, An Act to Establish a National Framework for Diabetes. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
