Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has world-class mineral potential that could bring economic benefits to the residents of the Northwest Territories, industry players, and Canada.
In fact, nearly $1 billion of our economy comes from mining and exploration. It is the primary generator of wealth in the Northwest Territories and the reason why our government has made the commitment to support mineral exploration and the mining sector by implementing the Mineral Development Strategy, capturing opportunities to build transportation infrastructure that enables resources to get to market, closing the skills gap in the mining sector, implementing the Mining Incentive Program, developing and introducing a Mineral Resources Act, and supporting Indigenous governments to build capacity in dealing with the mining-related activities.
Mr. Speaker, last month our government was represented at the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in Vancouver and used our attendance there as an opportunity to promote the importance of mining and the benefits mining brings to the residents of the Northwest Territories, industry players, and Canada. This was also an opportunity to increase awareness, knowledge, and understanding of our world-class mineral potential and to profile our partnerships with Indigenous and community governments.
Today, I would like to share with Members some observations about the trip, a "roundup of roundup" if you will, and why I continue to believe that our attendance at this annual event is critical.
Mr. Speaker, I was joined in Vancouver by some of my Cabinet colleagues, Members of the Legislative Assembly, Indigenous leaders and representatives, Government of Northwest Territories staff, Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty, and a number of other representatives from the Northwest Territories organizations and businesses. Our enhanced presence at roundup left no doubt that our territory stands united in support of mining and I have the full confidence that the message was received throughout the event.
The Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup is an excellent opportunity to showcase just how much is going on in our territory, celebrate some of our successes, and generate interest in the Northwest Territories as a great place to invest in mining. It gave us the opportunity to meet with investors, exploration companies, and industry leaders. It also connected us with six junior exploration companies, some who have already begun work in the NWT and others who are seeking more information.
Mr. Speaker, the rich potential of our territory was confirmed early in the week with good news from Evrim Resources and Newmont Mining regarding surface sampling results from their Astro gold project, a discovery that could result in an entirely new gold deposit type for our territory and establish a new gold district in the Sahtu.
Our government was also able to share news. The Socio-economic Agreement signing that took place on the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup tradeshow floor between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Fortune Minerals marked an important step on the road to the NWT becoming home to Canada's first primary cobalt mine.
The Impact Benefit Agreement between NorZinc and the Nahanni Butte Dene Band was another well attended event and demonstrated how, together, the Government of the Northwest Territories, Indigenous governments, and industry can achieve mutually beneficial success.
Avalon Advance Materials' announcement of their small-scale project with a new partner Cheetah Resources PTY Ltd. was also welcome news.
At NWT Night, I was happy to announce the Government of the Northwest Territories' intention to partner with the Government of Canada to market the Mactung deposit and Cantung mine, as tungsten prices are on the rise. Together, they offer as close to a turnkey project as exists in our northern territory. I look forward to getting this project off the ground and finding the right partner to help us get there.
Mr. Speaker, our attendance at the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup is just one way our government is working together to seek out opportunities to meet with mining and financial companies to increase awareness of the Northwest Territories' significant mineral potential and investment opportunities. With guidance from our Mineral Development Strategy, our government executes a full suite of marketing and outreach activities to tell our story on the global stage.
While many jurisdictions have immense mineral potential, few can boast the holistic, inclusive approach we take to managing and encouraging responsible mineral exploration and development in our territory. This means that, when we tell our story, we get to say our territory offers a low-risk investment jurisdiction that is setting the bar for Indigenous partnership and contributes to improved outcomes for northern communities and meaningful opportunities for Northerners.
As I've said before, it's a good story, one that the mining market is increasingly seeking when making decisions on where to invest.
I will continue to use every possible opportunity to share our story and demonstrate that, when responsible developers invest in our territory, they can have the confidence in moving world-class projects forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from February 15 to March 3, 2019, athletes from the Northwest Territories will be representing our territory at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alberta. This event is an important celebration of Canadian sport and culture. It will be the largest event of its kind ever hosted in Red Deer and central Alberta, and one of the largest in Alberta since the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
During the past year, our northern athletes have been preparing themselves physically and mentally. Our athletes will be competing in archery, badminton, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey, judo, short-track speed skating, squash, and table tennis. All 93 athletes have spent countless hours training hard in preparation to compete in what will be one of the formative moments of their sporting careers.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the hard work and long hours put in by the athletes and coaches in preparation for the Canada Winter Games. Not only will our athletes represent the Northwest Territories on the national stage, but they are also outstanding healthy-lifestyle role models for the entire North.
I would also like everyone to recognize that Team NT's athletes could not reach the Games without the "behind the scenes" effort and support from members of their communities. The hours of preparation, fundraising, organizing, and encouragement from family, friends, and communities are critical to our athletes' successes.
In addition to Team NT, Municipal and Community Affairs will be supporting 32 Youth Ambassadors and staff from 13 communities as they travel to the Canada Winter Games. I have full confidence that our Youth Ambassadors and their chaperones will be exceptional representatives of our territory throughout the event. The Youth Ambassadors will be placed in many different roles to help support our athletes at the Games.
As ambassadors, they will demonstrate that youth from across the North have incredible strength, great character, and will be strong future leaders for their communities. Our youth will benefit greatly from this unique experience. Friendships will be formed, and our young people will return to their communities with many lasting memories.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the efforts of Chef de Mission Bill Othmer and Assistant Chef de Mission Damon Crossman, along with their mission staff, responsible for supporting Team NT leading up to and during the Canada Winter Games. These two individuals and the mission staff work with the Sport North Federation and the territorial sport organizations. They are responsible for selecting and managing their respective teams. The efforts of these individuals are significant contributions to a healthy future for the Northwest Territories.
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is proud to support members of Team NT and the Youth Ambassadors, as part of our commitment to supporting healthy lifestyles for youth and promoting a healthy, stronger North. As Team NT and the Youth Ambassadors prepare to travel to Red Deer, it is my great pleasure to recognize Team NT's 149 athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff, who will be participating in the 2019 Canada Winter Games. To all of those behind the scenes, the volunteers, parents, staff, schools, and community governments, we acknowledge your contributions and thank you for supporting our athletes' success at the games. On behalf of the government and residents of the Northwest Territories, I would like to wish our athletes a safe and successful Canada Winter Games. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. The Honourable Premier.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The community of Yellowknife was forced to rely on the Yellowknife River as a safe and clean source of water due to arsenic contamination from local mining operations, particularly the Giant Mine. The federal government confirmed its liability for these expenses when it paid for the 1968-1969 construction of a pumphouse and a submarine water line from the Yellowknife River to another pumphouse south of Yellowknife. The Yellowknife River pumphouse also serves the Yellowknives Dene First Nations community of Detah.
The submarine water line is in need of replacement. The City of Yellowknife tried unsuccessfully to have this issue addressed during the environmental assessment of the Giant Mine Remediation Project from 2008 to 2013. The federal government and the GNWT would not provide any assistance.
After much discussion, the city contracted a detailed evaluation of two source-water options, replacing the current line or using water from Yellowknife Bay with additional treatment capability. The evaluation considered the possibility of an accidental release of arsenic from Giant Mine, at least until the chambers are completely frozen around 2050.
A set of weighted criteria were developed with city council to evaluate the two options, and these criteria included susceptibility to raw water quality changes, constructability, reliability of water supply, ease of operation, and 25-year life cycle costs.
Thirteen different scenarios were evaluated, and, in nine of them, the Yellowknife River source with a replacement water line came out on top. The Yellowknife River with pipeline option would cost $33 million, and the Yellowknife Bay water source would cost about $18.2 million. The recommendation is to go with the Yellowknife River and a water line.
The city has approached our government for funding and support. I will be asking the Minister of Infrastructure about these matters later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government is very proud of its support for the "Big E," the economy, of the Northwest Territories, and yes, diamond mines and new roads are important, but, from the small community perspective, the situation really is "no business, as usual."
Let's take a look at Enterprise. It is a small community right on the highway into the NWT from the south. It has always been a business community, and there is a strong "enterprising" spirit.
On the other hand, our government is fostering economic uncertainty by neglecting the community. Residents are interested in commercial land to expand or start businesses, but they just can't get it.
This is a long story, Mr. Speaker, a tale of bureaucratic to-and-fro, frustration, and woe that goes back to at least 2009. I will spare you the details. The bottom line is that the hamlet wants to be able to approve commercial leases of land within Enterprise and enable residents to obtain title to the land that they live on.
Half of our Cabinet, Mr. Speaker, visited Enterprise in May of 2018, and all seemed well. The Minister of Lands promised to reply within two weeks to concerns raised about uncertainty related to land use, leasing, and title. Since then, no land has been turned over to the Hamlet of Enterprise.
Meanwhile, a major industrial project for wood pellet manufacturing has been fast-tracked by our government. Aurora Wood Pellets' application for 350 hectares of land took less than a year from start to finish. There was no consultation with the Hamlet of Enterprise.
I raise this because it shows our government's zippy service to big business and zip for service to small local business and community aspirations. My understanding is that Enterprise has met the terms of applicable legislation and done all that the GNWT has asked of the hamlet. Government officials have been invited to council meetings. Since last October, the community has been unable to get a representative from the lands department to explain the process of turning over land to the hamlet or the residents.
In the three years of the 18th Assembly, many of my colleagues have spoken about the importance to small communities of a few jobs and a little bit of business. What we are trying to say is that this is a big problem, not a small problem. This is the Northwest Territories' problem.
We need to change our ways, Mr. Speaker. Let's start by making some land available in Enterprise. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal Sports Circle of the NWT Awards Program is to recognize and give credit to exceptional community members in the NWT sport system. The individuals who have continually shown dedication and hard work and have made significant contributions will be honoured for the positive difference that they are making in their respective communities.
A yearly awards dinner is being held to celebrate the awards recipients' involvement in a number of categories. One of those categories is coaching.
The award is presented to an individual who demonstrates the commitment, success, and dedication necessary in the development of their athletes and program, at any level of competition in the NWT.
The 2018 award winner was Jonathan Tsetso. Jonathan is a coach from Fort Simpson who is deeply involved in the Fort Simpson Minor Hockey program, as well as being involved with the recreational hockey program in his community. John is the recipient of the coach award due to his continuous commitment to the youth of the community, encouraging them to participate and practice on a regular basis. Jonathan constantly exhibits his passion to help the youth by running quality youth hockey programs.
Jonathan is always looking to improve his coaching skills so that he is able to provide his community with the best program. Jonathan is reliable, hard-working, and always happy to be there. Along with the skills of the game, Jonathan also implements and is a huge proponent of fair play and sportsmanship in his coaching style. He has a strong desire to create a fun and safe environment for everyone.
Jonathan has played a major role in revitalizing the Fort Simpson Minor Hockey program. With his assistance, Fort Simpson has been able to send teams to the Fort Smith hockey tournament for two years in a row for their first time in over a decade.
As a grandparent, I have witnessed firsthand the impact that Jonathan has left on the youth as their coach and mentor. I am proud that the Aboriginal Sports Circle of the Northwest Territories recognized Jonathan with the 2018 Coach Award.
Congratulations to Jonathan. Your efforts with our youth do not go unnoticed. Thank you for the positive mentorship that you provide to the young people of our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the welfare of animals in our communities. Specifically, I want to talk about the NWT SPCA, an organization that serves 31 communities in the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, most of us have had pets in our lives. Dogs, cats, and other animals become part of your family, an integral part of our lives. I got my dog, Hogan, from the SPCA almost 10 years ago, and, of course, he has been an important part of my life ever since.
Mr. Speaker, it concerns me greatly that the NWT SPCA, an agency dedicated to the humane treatment of animals, has to regularly plead for financial support. It employs nine to 12 people. It spends $30,000 a year providing dog food and straw to NWT communities. It spends $50,000 a year on medical supplies. It fundraised to buy its own piece of land and build its own new facility. It relies heavily on volunteers, including its board members, people who volunteer their time because they care about the welfare of animals.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, the NWT SPCA receives no ongoing financial support from this government. The City of Yellowknife supports the SPCA to the tune of almost $20,000 per year. Individuals and businesses contribute thousands of dollars per year. However, our government, despite numerous appeals, has only been able to provide a small one-time grant, and, when the SPCA appealed for support last fall, the Minister's reply was simply that "we don't see any fit" with funding programs. I suggest that this isn't a good enough answer, Mr. Speaker.
MACA has a program to offer stabilization funding to NGOs, but, to qualify, the NGOs have to already be receiving $50,000 per year in government funding. The SPCA isn't, so it doesn't qualify for the stabilization funding.
Mr. Speaker, 31 communities count on the services that the NWT SPCA provides. The demand is growing. The more they do, the more services people want. Without them, problems of canine overpopulation, strays, neglect, and inhumane conditions would become much worse, but its essential work is just not sustainable with current funding.
The SPCA has achieved a lot, and we need its services, but it is warning us that it can't continue. Our government needs to step up and help relieve the burden.
At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of MACA. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Mr. Speaker, Resource and Energy Development Information, or better known as REDI, the promotional initiative and developments of our NWT resources through this marketing publication: Mr. Speaker, on February 21st, next week, in Norman Wells, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is sponsoring a REDI session, an open-house engagement to better understand public awareness of resource and energy development.
This, Mr. Speaker, is truly the first step in community and regional consultations for all stakeholders to develop meaningful discussions on regulatory and co-management issues.
Mr. Speaker, 32 percent of our NWT economy is driven by the resource development. This realizes the revenues for public and private sectors. Complementing this economic sector means collaboration with community stakeholders on a fair and transparent regulatory regime.
Mr. Speaker, the devolution agreement, which sees the transfer of resource responsibilities from the Government of Canada to the Government of the Northwest Territories, is real and now in the process from mirrored legislation to a made-in-the-North, new Mineral Resources Act.
Mr. Speaker, after decades of negotiations with our federal counterparts on the issues of independency over responsible resource development, we arrived at our destination.
Mr. Speaker, since the 2008 Neil McCrank report on regulatory reform and after the latest "what we heard" consultations, committee is tasked with the responsibility on legislation community engagements.
Mr. Speaker, as mentioned, as legislators, we look through the lens of legislation and policy. It is my sincere hope that our previous deliberations and publication reflect the collective wisdom of all stakeholders who were consulted while drafting a system of efficiency, effective, and responsive.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the hard work of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the public's valued involvement. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the Business Incentive Policy, which states:
"The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to encouraging local production as a foundation for the Northwest Territories economy and will, when purchasing goods, services or construction, provide an incentive in favour of NWT-manufactured products." Further, the Manufactured Products Policy has the stated objective to "encourage local production as a means to diversify the NWT economy; and foster and maintain the investment, jobs, and income produced by local manufacturing."
These policies are very clear. Yet, our research shows that, when it comes to housing, the GNWT has not had the most successful record of keeping NWT tax dollars in the territory. Local manufacturers have been awarded contracts where scope and required cash reserves would be better suited for large companies from Toronto or a multinational. With these expectations that any one company here in the NWT can be sitting on larger amounts of cash to be able to float the whole manufacturing process, labour costs, delivery, and an inevitable mountain of paperwork associated with GNWT contracts, it is no wonder that we find ourselves in this situation now.
Many who have reached out have expressed the hope that the GNWT would split up the deliverables to accommodate for our smaller manufacturing capacities here. This would also help alleviate the limited cash flow that many businesses deal with to help keep locals employed and money flowing throughout our territory.
We have been made aware of a recent RFP where only one internal component of the requested industrial modular structure was awarded to a single Northern company, with the rest going to out-of-territory manufacturers. Northern business owners have pointed out that the inconsistencies between policy, legislation, and the reality of how this contract went out to tender. I wonder: will the policies and legislation be updated to reflect the standard operating procedures of the GNWT concerning procurement, or will this government continue down the path of awarding RFPs at its own discretion, ignoring the approved NWT Manufactured Products Policy?
Mr. Speaker, there is a policy in place to help ensure GNWT-collected tax revenues stay in the North and help to boost manufacturing and our local economy. I wonder if the Minister responsible for Infrastructure will be able to explain the reasoning as to why the Manufactured Products Policy was ignored in this specific case and if the government has proposed changes that I and our manufacturing community are unaware of. I look forward to his answers later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, throughout the Northwest Territories, the wolf population has exploded. This has taken an effect on our caribou populations as one wolf kills on average 35 caribou per year. For all we know, this may also be the reason why the Porcupine caribou are mostly staying in Alaska and the Yukon. It is difficult to say because we don't have people living on the land throughout the fall and winter like we used to.
At the moment, the Department of ENR is doing a pilot project with a wolf bounty to help the Bathurst and Bluenose-East caribou herds. Hopefully, we have interest in the incentive program.
Mr. Speaker, this fall, in all three communities I represent, we have had problems with wolves killing dogs, and we even had one wolf attack on one of my constituents in the community. It is pretty clear we need to open up the bounty at the same level as it is here around Yellowknife.
We also have many wolf packs in the Delta and the Richardson Mountains. Let's act now to bring down the wolf population throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for members of the public, dealing with government can be a very frustrating experience. The government is generally designed and operated with a focus on ease of administration rather than end-user experience.
However, Mr. Speaker, no segment of government can compete with the legal system in terms of its opaqueness, inaccessibility, and dizzying complexity, particularly in regards to civil- and family-law matters. While it is convenient to blame everything on Cabinet, I have to admit that the Kafkaesque nature of this system isn't their fault. The system of common law that we adopted has taken hundreds of years to tangle itself into a procedural and administrative equivalent of a pile of wire coat hangers.
My heart always drops when a constituent comes to me for assistance navigating the legal system, especially when children are involved, because I know the uphill battle that they are fighting. I am not even referring to the battle for a resolution to the case. I am talking about the difficulties they will face simply understanding how to make their way through the system.
For example, not long ago, a constituent came to my office because she was told by a court worker that, to begin an action, she needed to file an originating notice. She didn't know what that was and surely didn't know that to find it she had to look in the Judicature Act, then make her way to the rules of the Supreme Court made pursuant to that act, then navigate to part 2, then look in annex B, then find form 4, and then fill it out and hand deliver it to Yellowknife.
In many instances, the only one who can navigate this system are lawyers. If you are unlucky enough to need a lawyer, you could easily rack up a bill in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. However, just finding a lawyer has become a tricky proposition. Today, we have lawyers in Yellowknife and Hay River, but at one time you could also find them in Fort Simpson, Inuvik, and Fort Smith. All across Canada, the days of small-town lawyers are coming to an end and access to justice is diminishing. As the world changes and the situation becomes increasingly dire, the need for government action intensifies.
I will give credit where credit is due. The GNWT offers generous legal-aid coverage in comparison to other jurisdictions, and it funds a spectacular legal-aid outreach clinic. Unfortunately, more is needed. There is no reason that accessing a government service should be so complicated or costly that it is out of the reach of much of the public, especially when it is such a fundamental service.
I will have questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituent assistant, Corrine Ferdinand; and Adele, best known as Adele Tatti; and the page, Jon Tatti, joining us here today. Mahsi.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Adele Tatti. Adele Tatti was one of the bridesmaids at our wedding here at the Legislative Assembly. Welcome to Adele. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two of my pages, Colton and Kobe Alexie. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly, and I hope you are having fun this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I spoke about the NWT SPCA and the critical and vital services that they provide to 31 of our communities in the Northwest Territories. I'd like to start by asking the Minister: does the Minister understand the degree of these services and believe that the NWT SPCA plays a critical role in providing these services to 31 communities in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and yes, I do agree with that statement and that the SPCA does play an important role throughout the Northwest Territories in managing dog control. In Inuvik, we have a very active SPCA group as well that does a lot of good work in the region and for the communities. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, I do have to say that I do believe that our community governments also have to play a very important role in terms of managing dog-control issues that are local to the communities and that we all have got to work together to address the issue that the Member has raised in his statement.
I appreciate the Minister's comments, and most certainly every community government has a responsibility to manage dog control and loose pets. I'm not sure that that actually falls onto the responsibilities of any SPCA organization. That said, Mr. Speaker, the NWT SPCA has had a number of repeated attempts to apply for funding to the Government of the Northwest Territories, and it seems like they've been either rejected or we can't find a spot for them every time. I'd just like to ask the Minister: why does the SPCA continue to get rejected for support?
As the Member noted in his statement, the GNWT has provided the SPCA with one-time funding back in 2018. I appreciate the Member bringing this up, and we did respond late last year in terms of some of the questions that he's bringing up again today. I am not aware or certain of any of the areas or departments where the SPCA has applied for funding. Unfortunately, through my department, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, we don't currently offer any funding programs that would either offer core funding to the SPCA, nor do we currently see any fit with other application-based programs that we offer funding for any kind of one-time funding.
The SPCA was told last year that, in order to qualify for NGO stabilization funding, an NGO based in Yellowknife had to already be receiving $50,000 in government funding. What kind of funding would that be? What departments might that come from? Can the Minister maybe suggest programs that the SPCA might qualify for to unlock that funding? I mean the SPCA might be happy to receive that funding and not require stabilization funding if they knew where it was and how they could access it.
In most cases, the organizations that do apply for and receive funding through the NGO Stabilization Fund are receiving core funding through social envelope departments such as the Department of Health and Social Services, in some cases Education, Culture and Employment. Really, in most cases, these are programs aimed at providing direct support for our residents across the Northwest Territories, through my department, Municipal and Community Affairs. As I mentioned, right now, we don't see any type of funding programs that would offer any type of core funding to the organization in question.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
