Debates of December 8, 2021 (day 91)

December
8
2021
Session
19th Assembly, 2nd Session
Day
91
Speaker
Frederick Blake Jr.
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Diane Archie, Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge, Hon. Paulie Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Hon. Julie Green, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Martselos, Ms. Nokleby, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson:, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Ms. Weyallon Armstrong
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 30: An Act to Amend the Aurora College Act
Bill 45: Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2022-2023
Bill 45: Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2022-2023, Carried
Committee Motion 177-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Analysis of Performance of Mining Fiscal
Committee Motion 178-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime –Government-led Revenue Transparency, Carri
Committee Motion 179-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Maximizing Government Revenue, Carried
Committee Motion 180-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Analysis of Net Revenue Benefits, Carried
Committee Motion 181-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Mining Revenues to Benefit Future Generat
Committee Motion 182-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Indigenous Governments’ Economic Benefi
Committee Motion 183-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime –Public Information and Engagement, Carried
Committee Motion 184-19(2): Committee Report 22-19(2): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Fiscal Regime – Government Response to Recommendations, C
Committee Motion 184-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts – Public-Private Partnership (P3) Classification for Old Stanton Refurbishment Project, C
Committee Motion 186-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts – Reporting of Contingent Liabilities from Claims and Litigation, Carried
Committee Motion 187-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts – Review of Fiscal Responsibility Policy, Carried
Committee Motion 188-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts –Enhancement of Financial Statement Discussion and Analysis Section, Carried
Committee Motion 189-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts – User-Friendly and Accessible Public Accounts, Carried
Committee Motion 190-19(2): Committee Report 23-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Review of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Public Accounts – Government Response to Recommendations, Carried
Member’s Statement on Eulogy for Archie Kaglik
Member’s Statement on Housing
Member’s Statement on Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19
Member’s Statement on Municipal Funding Gap
Member’s Statement on Priorities of the 19th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
Member’s Statement on Regional and Community Decision-Making
Member’s Statement onMember’s Statement on Student Outcomes
Minister’s Statement 197-19(2): Ministers Absent From The House
Oral Question 875-19(2): Mental Health Impacts of COVID‐19
Oral Question 876-19(2): Regional and Community Decision‐Making
Oral Question 878-19(2): United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Oral Question 879-19(2): Emergency Solutions
Oral Question 880-19(2): Municipal Funding Gap
Oral Question 882-19(2): Future of Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Recorded Vote
Tabled Document 532-19(2): Public Accounts 2020-2021 - Sections I, II, III and IV
Tabled Document 534-19(2): What We Heard: 2021 Anti-Poverty Roundtable
Tabled Document 538-19(2): Motion 20-12(5): Condemnation of Continuation of Cruise Missile Testing – Excerpts from Hansard dated March 2, 1994
Statements

Member’s Statement on Regional and Community Decision-Making

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of the 19th Assembly is to increase regional decisionmaking authority. That is something that I have always been a strong proponent of. I believe that decentralization of government, wherever possible, is a good thing. In fact, that's what we should be doing. Our government needs to continue to empower the regional centres and small communities with greater autonomy to make their own decisions.

Mr. Speaker, devolution is a well-known concept in this Assembly. On one hand, there is a delegation of powers and responsibilities from the federal level on to the territorial government level. However, on the opposite side of the coin, there's also the further devolution of powers and responsibilities that the Government of the Northwest Territories must continue, which is granting greater autonomy to the regional centres, smaller communities, and Indigenous governments.

Mr. Speaker, our government needs to continue engaging administrative decentralization. We must enable regional centres and small communities with the ability to make decisions at the local level as much as possible. Far too often have I seen decisions being made from the capital rather than from the communities themselves. That, in my view, is backwards and should be the other way around.

Is a regional approach to decisionmaking authority not considered the best approach by our government?

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the content within the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories document could have been stronger than what the government committed to do to improve regional decisionmaking authority. There is a commitment to ensure that staff have adequate training so they're aware of their decisionmaking authority; however, that commitment is vague and doesn't grant any further delegation of powers to regional centres, small communities, or Indigenous governments to enhance their regional decisionmaking authority. I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Applause

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Hay River.