Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by the Member for Tu NedheWiilideh, on May 31, 2023, regarding Federal Indian Day Schools.
Mr. Speaker, as I acknowledged yesterday in my Return to Written Question response on the issue that has been raised by the Member, the Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to engage with Indigenous governments and communities to learn more about how they choose to proceed with the investigation of this still upsetting chapter in their past and how they believe the Government of the Northwest Territories can assist them. We will work with the Government of Canada to determine how we can continue to advance housing and health initiatives along with a suite of other social programs to try to alleviate the intergenerational trauma these schools have inflicted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, I got permission to recognize somebody. I'd like to welcome my wife Bette, my daughter Chelsea, and my granddaughter, Inaaya; that's the one I've taking to her first day of school since kindergarten. And I'll continue that on into university. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn't get permission but I'm still going to recognize them anyway. I'd like to recognize my mom in the gallery as well as my sister Chelsea and my niece Inaaya. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I might get in trouble for this one, but I'd like to recognize Kevin Whitehead who started as a Kam Lake resident, moved to Yellowknife South, and we just got him back. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we've missed anyone in the gallery, I'd like to welcome you all. It's always good to have an audience with us. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Finance have any timelines for when a new collective agreement will be signed between the Government of the Northwest Territories and UNW? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the collective agreement between the union and the Government of the Northwest Territories did expire in March, March 31st of 2023. I don't have a set timeline. We go through the bargaining process which is not necessarily a strict timeline in and of itself. But it is a priority, certainly for the Government of the Northwest Territories, I'm confident for the union one as well. Obviously, the wildfires and evacuations have made some challenges to everyone's schedules, but it does remain a priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, according to a July 2023 UNW press release, the Government of the Northwest Territories has expressed desire to have a new collective agreement in place before the territorial election this fall. Does the Minister anticipate that a new collective agreement will be signed before election day on November 14th? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the parties did begin the negotiations in March of 2023. Again, this summer season has brought quite a number of unexpected challenges and emergencies to everyone's feet. But, again, I do want to assure that the GNWT and the union do continue to have discussions. They've been in contact even throughout the evacuations. I know the department has appreciated the opportunity to be engaged, not necessarily about negotiations, but even just as a resource to be able to maintain the contact and the line of communications. All that said, though, I don't expect an agreement will be possible before election day, again, just given some of the disruptions that we've had. But there's a process in place now, and the parties are, I'm confident, certainly from the part of the GNWT, confident to pursue a collective agreement in due course. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide the House with an update in general terms on the status of negotiations for a new collective agreement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm always a bit hesitant to say too much in the House, and it's not for want of wanting to reassure the public service of the importance of this and certainly of their value. Right now more than ever, many public servants were asked to do much more over the last few months under very difficult circumstances. They really are what makes a lot of what anything the government does possible. So certainly wanting to give that reassurance. There is at this point, the stage we're at, Mr. Speaker, is that the parties are going to have a mediator appointed to the process and meeting with going through that process of having a mediator, meeting with the mediator and, again, once that there is a process for that. Everything is done in accordance with the Public Service Act. It may seem a bit slow but, again, at this point, I am confident that the process is being followed, that everyone is committed to it, both sides are committed to it, and we really do want to see a positive outcome. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm that the forthcoming new collective agreement will be fair and favourable to ordinary workers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that really does go to the real heart and the purpose of having the process that we're in, of having that process laid out as it is, to ensure that it does bring us to a place that we have agreements that are fair, that do, you know, reflect and respect the role of the public service and the Government of the Northwest Territories and that ensures that we have a sustainable contract to provide to our public servants over the longterm and in a way that is reasonable. So all of those ideals and all of those values remain unchanged. Again, I believe we are we're committed to seeing this process through fairly and, again, I am confident that with the process that we're underway and that both parties will be able to reach an agreement. You know, Mr. Speaker, we certainly have monitored closely the challenges over the last year and many public service agreements that have been reached across the country. It's been a difficult year. But, again, we've been watching that closely, and I'm confident with that in hand that we'll be in a position to come to an agreement in due course. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on September 20th, 2022, after meeting with residents individually, MACA shared their process document entitled Process to Rebuild or Purchase a Home on a Different Property for Residents of the Town of Hay River and the Hamlet of Enterprise. In early March 2023, some residents, not all, were advised the GNWT was no longer pursuing a buy back or property acquisition option as originally explained by MACA staff.
So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister responsible for MACA, has his department reconsidered its decision of not using property acquisitions as a mitigation tool for those areas of Hay River and Enterprise that have experienced flooding and now damage due to a forest fire? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Disaster Assistance Policy has been applied to both the 2022 flood and the 2023 fire season, and this tool that will continue to be used to help those who have experienced property losses or damages during these events. The DAP does not contain specific buyout or buy back language, but its provisions do accomplish similar results in supporting home and business owners to relocate if they choose to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements allows for innovative recovery solutions under section 3.4.1, a tool provided to help those impacted by disasters. What are the barriers stopping the Minister's department from using this tool? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs is using this section of the DFAA as part of its approach to the 2022 flood recovery and supports to those impacted. As part of its claim to eventually be submitted for reimbursement from Canada under its Disaster Assistance Program, the GNWT intends to seek reimbursement for mitigation costs used towards relocation as an innovative recovery solution under the DFAA section 3.4.1 to assist individuals with relocations where mitigation on their existing properties is not feasible. Like many others, department staff were impacted by the recent evacuation but are now again working on this file, working with those who were impacted by the 2022 flood and still have decisions to make regarding their next steps. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister if we are using the property acquisition option, has consideration been given on how the acquisition would be calculated. Would it be based on fair market value or like what is currently done under DAP? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the end of June 2023, I wrote to the Paradise Gardens residents to advise that the GNWT is not amending the DAP to provide for a different approach. The GNWT is providing the eligible claim under DAP. The government is also directing or directly paying for damage assessments, emergency work, structural assessments, mitigation assessments, and property appraisals. Finally, the GNWT is also providing mitigation funding of up to or of $75,000 per claim. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we're talking about, we're talking about Paradise, it's actually a flood plain and, you know, the damage there was significant and there's potential for it to happen again. So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister if he is prepared to offer the property acquisition option to residents in areas where rebuilding is not feasible due to the severity of flooding and fire potential, such as Paradise Valley, and if not, is he willing to step aside as the Minister responsible for MACA and allow someone who will? Thank you.
I'll answer the first question. If the Member wants to come sit over here and deal with these disasters, I'm more than willing to sit over there and ask the questions. But saying that, Mr. Speaker, we have been working with Paradise Gardens residents for over a year on their options under DAP and provide and prior to the fire wildfire event, I had written to them to clarify what is available to them under DAP. We are aware that people are in process of making their own personal decisions about their next steps, including whether or not they want to rebuild in Paradise Gardens. MACA staff are available as they have been over the past year to work with Paradise Gardens residents through a disaster assistance process. And, Mr. Speaker, I've had the conversations with the Member, and we do have some residents who were impacted by the flood and this fire season here, so we have reached out to the federal government and to talk to them about that situation. So we are working on these files, both files on moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project, it's an outstanding issue for Members in my riding and the constituent Members. In the early days when the project was started, I remember Canada undertook this project but there there was really no consultation or accommodations with the residents of Taltson, residents in Taltson River.
Mr. Speaker, the right now, last weekend, I went down to Fort Resolution and I went to Hay River. I paid my respects to my relatives at the graveyard. I go to Fort Resolution. We do the same thing. In Dettah, every fall, we meet and clean up the graveyard. We say rosary, and then we have a feast to honour our ancestors. Mr. Speaker, right now, we have a lot of graves that are under water as a result of this project, and the people and the families that are impacted when they pray, they pray from home. They can't actually go to the site and pay their respects. So that's why I brought this issue up. And this issue was brought forward to me by an elder from my community, Lawrence Casaway, and he was very instrumental telling me that this has got to be said.
So, Mr. Speaker, I have a question that I want to just bring to the Minister of Infrastructure. I believe it's the Minister of finance on this one here. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, additional funding will be required in order to proceed with the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project. What mitigation, traditional economy, and archaeological sites in the region have been developed by the Minister, and what consultation and accommodation has been done with all Indigenous governments on this issue? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the project has been designed to take advantage of existing infrastructure with no new flooding as an important design requirement. We are in the process, Mr. Speaker, of engaging with our Indigenous partners to define the project footprint as well as integrate traditional knowledge, land use, and areas of importance to our Indigenous partners as part of that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the GNWT's working closely with various Indigenous governments through engagement on the expansion. My question is about public consultation, particularly with elders, on the potential impacts for unmarked graves regarding the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT and interested Indigenous groups are working on a partnership that acknowledges legacy impacts from the original facility that was built in the 1960s, including Rocher River area. There was a report that on known impacts that had been prepared in regard to shared and was shared, including the ADFN leadership. Discussions are still underway, Mr. Speaker, to determine next steps as it's a very important issue to us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister. Can the Minister confirm if work has been done to identify potential unmarked graves in the former Rocher River community in an effort to protect these sites from potential development? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker and I do want to thank the Member for that question. I don't thank Members very often for their questions, but this one is a really important question that I want to acknowledge the Member for saying so. And I want to note that we have ongoing dialogue with project partners, and we are open to working with the on specific areas of interest that are identified at the steering and the working group level. We are aware that there is potential for archaeological sites in the Rocher River and are open to learn more about the archaeological sites or the grave sites that have been identified as part of that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. Given the history of the Rocher River, can the Minister confirm the involvement of the Akaitcho First Nations in the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project and what financial resources have been provided to them to into a meaningful participant in this work to help relocate the graves to drier land or to communities in the Akaitcho region? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the actual Deninu Kue First Nation, which includes the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Deninu Kue First Nation, and Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, are actively engaged in the steering committee as well as the working group levels on this project.
Mr. Speaker, to date, we have spent a collective $1.7 million to support the Akaitcho and the NWT Metis Nation participation. And we have also, which is really great news, committed to multiyear funding up to an amount of $1.2 million per year to support ongoing participation of this important project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for ECC minister related to my Member's statement regarding fire breaks. Can the Minister advise if the department has standards and layouts to develop fire breaks to communities in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change.
