Thank you. There are additional information items on page 103 to 114. Are there any questions from Members on those? Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. The environment fund on page 103 and I had some involvement with the waste reduction and recovery advisory committee for a number of years. There was a lot of concerns raised about the need maybe for a second depot in Yellowknife. You folks, I think, went out and looked at this. Where are we at with having a second depot in Yellowknife? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you. Yes, so we're working with the City of Yellowknife to identify a spot, and there will have to be some zoning changes as well. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Okay, thanks, Madam Chair. Any sense of timing on this? I think the last time I raised it with the Minister it was like kind of going to be sometime late last year that there might be something happening, and here we are about five or six months later and I don't think anything's happened. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you. So we were trying to find the location and that's one of our priorities there, working with the city on that, and we're hoping by the early fall 2023. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Over on page 106, Inuvialuit Water Board, zero. What's happening? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.
Thank you. Deputy minister.
(audio) before the main estimates so it's not included in here. This was something that committee brought up as being confusing, and we're working with finance to see how we can address it in future main estimates. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Sorry, you started talking before the light, so I couldn't hear the first part that something wasn't approved or?
Sorry, Madam Chair. The budget has not been approved yet when the main estimates was developed. So the budget is still there but it hadn't been approved so it's not in the document itself. This was something that came up that committee brought up as being confusing, and we're working with finance to see how we can address that for future main estimates. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I assume, then, that we've actually got the money in the bank for this? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I love those answers. Over to one of my favourites, the Northwest Territories Surface Rights Board, can I just get confirmation from the Minister that they haven't dealt with any disputes in the last year? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
The Member is correct.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. These folks haven't dealt with a dispute their entire existence, and this was never really needed. This could have been handled through the existing dispute resolution mechanisms and with the land rights agreements. Look, this is not a comanagement approach. The Minister appoints everybody here. I think the Indigenous governments don't get a say in this. This is ancient legislation that we inherited from the federal government. We've reviewed a good part of the other resource management legislation that we have in place. When is the Minister going to review this legislation and the board? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you. So it meets Canada's obligations and they provide the funding, so we don't have any visions of dealing with it presently. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. It may be federal money but this is our legislation, and I think we last time I think I raised this, the Minister said, well or maybe it was the former or whatever deputy minister that raised this, that maybe there might be some opportunity to review this through some other renewal process or government renewal initiative or some other regular renewal or review provisions that the GNWT has. So we're just going to let this thing sit here, continue to spend money, and not do any work. I just don't get it. And there doesn't seem to be any interest on the part of this Cabinet to actually review this even though it's our legislation. Is there any process by which this can be reviewed? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
So presently we have other priorities and that's where we're focusing our energy and time on. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. I kind of feel like I should be a zombie and I'm going to come back and continue to hammer on this one because this should never have happened in the first place. It's not needed. It doesn't do any work. And it's not a comanagement approach. It just doesn't fit with the way that we do other comanagement here in the Northwest Territories. I don't know what else I can say, Madam Chair. This needs to be reviewed. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Are there any further questions under the information items from Members? Seeing none, thank you, Members. Please return now to the departmental summary found on page 73. Review with information items on page 74. Any questions? Seeing none, committee, I will now call the department summary.
Environment and Climate Change, operations expenditure, total department, 20232024 Main Estimates, $124,309,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Environment and Climate Change at this time. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Consideration of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, 20232024 Main Estimates, operating expenditures, total department, is deferred. Thank you, Minister. Minister.
Thank you. First of all, I'd like to thank committee for the work they did and questions they asked today. But I'd also very much like to thank the department. I know it's been very challenging as we do the amalgamation, but I have to agree with the Member from Thebacha. Amazing staff are working to better serve the residents of the Northwest Territories, so I'd like to thank the staff that work together to provide this nice little binder and all the work that they have done to this date. So thank you very much.
Thank you, Minister. And thank you to the witnesses, all the witnesses for appearing before us. And those are not little binders. I didn't even know they came that big.
Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.
What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
Thank you. There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
Carried
I will now rise and report progress.
May I please have the report of Committee of the Whole. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 81319(2), 2023-2024 Main Estimates, and I would like to report progress with two motions passed. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Do we have a seconder? Member for Nahendeh. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
Carried
