Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the course of this Simpson government, they will be moving forward with probably hundreds of direct appointments. Previous governments have been known as if that's their hallmark to be proud of, these secret appointments.
My question for the Premier is how is the Premier going to bring some level of transparency to direct appointments that nobody knows about where they give permanent fulltime jobs to time we know nothing about until one day they just show up at work? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I don't think this House is aware of people who are hired through the normal channels, let alone people who were direct appointed. So informing the Assembly of every individual that comes on board and is employed by the GNWT isn't something we do. We don't do it when someone enters a competition and is brought on or when someone is direct appointed. When terms of direct appointments, the only direct appointments I've seen come across Cabinet for quite some time are direct appointments through three programs: The Indigenous gateway program, the internship program, and regional recruitment program. And I actually just this morning had a conversation with the secretary to Cabinet about whether or not there are things we can do so those don't have to come to Cabinet. They are established HR processes. There's checks and balances in place. And we don't really need a political lens on those types of programs. So I'm looking forward to the day when we don't deal with any direct appointments. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the current policy, which they operate on, allows any Cabinet Member to bring forward recommendations for appointments, and it has been used quite generously in the past and there's no way of suggesting it isn't going to be used generously in the future. That said but there's no transparency on what it does. And to get to the question in the context of the point, at least there's a public process for when the public service goes through a regular hiring process. That said, there's no public transparency on the number of people they hire or who they hire or when they hire. That's the transparency I'm asking for.
Thank you. So when someone is hired through the internship program, it's because there has been an expression of interest put out and I'm sorry if that's not the proper term, but it has been advertised, and then people who have enrolled in the internship program can then apply. So that's public. The regional recruitment program is similar. I see ads for the regional recruitment program around my community. It's a way to ensure that local people are given the opportunity for employment. And so sometimes there's a sheet up in the drug store on the bulletin board saying that there's an advertisement. And in terms of the Indigenous gateway program, it's similar. It's also advertised. And those are the three programs that we see direct appointment come to Cabinet on, as well as deputy ministers. I should clarify that as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, he's talking about the public process. I'm talking about the direct appointment process that falls under the Executive Council ability to do so. And it's a bunch of recommendations all framework; I won't go through them today, we don't need to hear them, they know them, Mr. Speaker. But there's no public transparency on when they say a lady, you know, Joe Schmoe, whatever it is, is all of a sudden being recommended to a department. Do you agree? Agree. There's no transparency on it being done. There's no transparency on any potential accountability when it comes to conflicts, friendships, relationships, etcetera. That's the type of transparency I'm asking for, Mr. Speaker, not about an application process that someone can duly apply for.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard a lot of the comments. I don't know if there is a question at the beginning of those comments but if there is, I'd ask the Member to repeat it. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I keep saying the same question different ways, but the Premier doesn't want to answer it, which is what type of transparency process can he bring to the Cabinet direct appointment process? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I know that the Member is saying I don't want to answer it. I've answered the best I can. I don't know what people think is happening, and I guess that's what the Member is talking about. We don't have a bunch of direct appointments for our buddies coming through Cabinet. I can assure the Member of that. We have the direct appointments coming through these three programs. And if they're not coming through those three programs, I can assure you that Cabinet Ministers will have questions. Cabinet Ministers are still MLAs. They're still residents of the territory. They have the same feelings about direct appointments and about nepotism that everyone has. And I can't imagine what would happen if something came through across our desk, there was a conflict of interest and it wasn't declared, and it was clearly, you know, some shady dealing. That Minister would they would hear it at the Cabinet table. So I can assure the Member that the direct appointment process is not being misused by Cabinet, and that is going to be the case going forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary from Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's really tough to hear from a public justification, I assure you is the answer. I mean, that may work for a spiritual advisor that I can accept on that basis but that said, when it's from the government it needs to have some transparency. Mr. Speaker, how do we know that that's the truth? That's the problem. It's not I'm saying he isn't telling the truth, it's how do we know it's being a fair transparent process and what level of reporting can we see in this Simpson government? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So there's a number of steps that need to be taken before there's a direct appointment. There's guidelines laid out for the department, how they're supposed to work through this. There is an assessment by the Cabinet secretariat, which is independent from the departments. There's the Ministers. So if the Member has some examples of things that we can do, I'm happy to hear about it. But from what I've seen, the direct appointment process works very similar to a normal HR process that we have in the GNWT. Thank you.
Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I talked about a motion that was passed on March 8th, 2023, for the government to stop garnishing elders and Indian residential school survivors' pension to pay for arrears. My first questions, Housing NWT collection policy states any tenant whose rent is overdue by two months should be filed with the rental officer for an order to pay arrears. Can the Minister explain the process Housing NWT follows when an elder on a fixed income has fallen into arrears? Thank you.
Member from Monfwi. Minister of Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An explanation on the process that Housing NWT would follow, it would be the local housing association or organization would reach out to the elder or the tenant whose house has fallen into arrears through the tenant relations officer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's good to know. Can the Minister explain what supports are in place for elders to avoid their files being handed to the rental officer. Are there any extra supports in place for elders on fixed income? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have a number of programs available to tenants whose housing payments have fallen into arrears. There's a list of programs that I can provide the Member to provide constituents if they do have questions. But we also have a local housing association or organization and the district offices that can provide that information as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. If the district office was situated in Behchoko or in one of the Tlicho region, we can really access their services. So can the Minister explain what happens to elders, especially those elders who are living on fixed income who are in arrears with Housing NWT, what happens to those elders when their files are handed over to the rental officer? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Elders whose houses have fallen into arrears, their files would go to the rental office. The rental officer will try to mediate the situation and provide some sort of remedy at the time and will counsel the tenant to provide some sort of payment plan so they could pay back the arrears. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
From the rental officer, I think it goes to the court. The collection policy states that arrears should be given where collection is not possible, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister explain why elders living on pensions or retired fixed income who are behind on payments cannot have their arrears forgiven?
Sorry, Mr. Speaker, I misheard the question again. If that could be repeated; I apologize.
Member from Monfwi, can you please re
Thank you. Will the Minister explain why elders living on pensions or retired fixed income who are behind on payments cannot have their arrears forgiven?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT works very hard to consolidate the arrears and work with the clients to enter into a payment plan to pay back some of those arrears and give them that opportunity through the tenant relations office. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the Minister's passionate about the issue of early child care, and I know that because I know the Minister. But the reality is that the Children's First Society in Inuvik are now using their contingency funds to make payroll. So I'm looking for a commitment from the Minister to say that they will provide at least up until up to the amount that they were provided through last year's financial statements to ensure that they can continue moving forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that the department is doing their best to work with stakeholders in the sector in order to determine what those numbers are going to look like. I know that in some instances, the department is actually working through individual numbers with individual organizations and actually sitting down with people and comparing so that they know exactly what the other is talking about, what the other is going through and what one another's goals are, because there's a real desire both not just with myself but within the department to see not less child care providers but more across the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the department is working on that. From what I've heard from speaking with Children's First in Inuvik that they've asked or requested timeline. They don't have the funding numbers, nor do they have a timeline to when that funding will be provided. Can the Minister provide a timeline when they expect to find out when that funding will be available.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. And I think it's a fair question. And in acknowledgement of the fact that the sector and stakeholders are working with the department, I want to say absolutely as soon as possible with a target of early March so that they have that information before going into the next fiscal year and renewed kind of funding agreement piece is there. But I want to be respectful of the fact that they're still in conversations together, still working through it and want to give them that time to really be able to come those agreements together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank the Minister. One final question. I'm assuming this is in there, but I'll ask the Minister that are they taking into account obviously inflation and inflationary factors as they move forward for annual funding as years to come? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, inflation was not something that was built into the original agreement, and this is something that we are hearing across the country from all jurisdictions that have and share the same concerns. The funding agreements were signed before we saw record inflation across the territory, and unfortunately, we are all all jurisdictions are in the same boat with this one. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on questions asked by my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre to the Honourable Premier around the switching portfolios. So prior to that change, there was one point of contact for our most vulnerable citizens, seniors, the unhoused, and persons with disabilities. So can the Premier just confirm that now there's multiple Ministers that these groups need to go to instead of just one onestop shop? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There may have been a Minister responsible for seniors, but that didn't encompass ECE and all of ECE's programs that are geared towards seniors. So there was never a onestop shop. There was a Minister responsible for something, and that Minister did not have authority over all of the programs delivered by the GNWT, all of the funds expended towards that group. And so I wouldn't say it's accurate to say there was a onestop shop. There may have been the impression of that but by no means was that the reality of it. And so I was happy to hear that earlier this year the Minister of Health and Social Services and ECE met jointly with the seniors' society, and I think that's evidence that this is a this is a way to work together going forward and not just focus on titles that have no nothing behind them, no substance. Thank you.
Thank you. I think the assumption from the public is that Ministers talk to each other, so what is the arrangement if a Minister gets a concern from an interest group that's not directly related to their portfolio, do they do nothing and wait for their colleague to jump in the game, or how does that work on the Cabinet side? I'm sorry; I'm not familiar. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is collaboration across departments; however, if I have an issue as an MLA and it involves a senior and it's about income assistance, I'm not going to the Minister responsible for seniors. I'm going to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment because that's where the authority and the money is. So if there's an issue, you should go to the Minister who actually has the ability to deal with that issue. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When this Assembly determines its priorities, will the Premier be willing to either change portfolios or create portfolios to better meet those priorities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not a fan of reorganization of departments unless there's a good reason and a good plan. It can be very disruptive. It can take away from actual work that needs to be done. You know, we don't need people spending time changing letterhead when they could be delivering programs. That said, I'm always happy to make changes that are for the benefit of the people of the Northwest Territories and if, based on the priorities, it appears that some reorganization or changes to portfolios or new portfolios are necessary, then I'm more than happy to entertain that. Thank you.
Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So these questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. In contrast to the perception that there are no alternatives in the Northwest Territories to heating oil or heating with fossil fuels, can you give us some highlights or insights on the steps the GNWT has already taken and is taking to help residents or businesses either use less heating fuel or switch to renewable alternatives for heating, including in public housing units? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is quite a lot that could be potentially said here, and I certainly while I don't want to speak for my colleague too much with respect to housing, I am able to happily say that there is already, as of this last year, the Housing Northwest Territories has its own energy strategy. There's also, of course, a variety of GHG grant programs administered by the GNWT. Arctic Energy Alliance has been a longstanding partner with the GNWT. Almost $3 million goes to them for a variety of programs that include rebate programs for folks to make changes in terms of what they're doing to support energy alternatives in their own lives. $12.9 million has gone through to Arctic Energy Alliance, and this is now where we're looking to the low carbon economy leadership fund. That's a federally a federal fund that we work with that also, then, again is helping to support energy retrofits to examine people's energy uses. A significant amount of money also flow into Housing NWT with respect to public housing. Our own capital asset retrofit program earmarks money to start to get our own buildings that the GNWT is responsible for off of more expensive forms of fuel. You know, and, again, Mr. Speaker, I know you're trying to keep us succinct here but there's actually a tremendous amount that is happening. Again, the core funding to Arctic Energy Alliance. And also quite a lot of work now happening as well with, you know, electric vehicle rebates, the bike the electric vehicle or electric bikes which, I think, people laughed at when we first talked about it here. Well, to my surprise, it's been overexpended if I'm not mistaken. So a lot is happening in this space. A lot more can be happening in this space. And I do think that is that's the direction that the conversation around carbon needs to go and carbon fuels is around what we're going to do to reduce our use and change our habits. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
