Debates of February 5, 2025 (day 38)

February
5
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
38
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek.
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 17: Municipal and Community Affairs Statutes Amendment Act
Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Names Act
Committee Motion 54-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Prayer (Chapter Four), Carried
Committee Motion 55-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Prayer – Rule 5.4(2), Carried
Committee Motion 56-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Acknowledgements – Rule 5.8(2), Carried
Committee Motion 57-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Consolidation of Rules, Carried
Committee Motion 58-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Restrictions on When Replies to the Commissioner’s ...
Committee Motion 59-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Motions Location on Daily Orders, Carried
Committee Motion 60-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Returns to Oral Questions, Carried
Committee Motion 61-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Oral Questions, Carried
Committee Motion 62-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Follow-up Information to Oral Questions – Rule 7.2(...
Committee Motion 63-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Follow-up Information to Oral Questions – Rule 7.2(...
Committee Motion 64-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Sitting Hours – Rule 2.2(1), Carried
Committee Motion 65-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Sitting Hours – Rule 2.2(2), Carried
Committee Motion 66-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Ministers’ Statements in Committee of the Whole, Ca...
Committee Motion 67-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Ministers’ Statements in Committee of the Whole –...
Committee Motion 68-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Short Titles for Bills, Carried
Committee Motion 69-20(1): Committee Report 17-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Prayer, Carried
Member’s Statement 430-20(1): Support for Northwest Territories Residents
Member’s Statement 431-20(1): State of the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 432-20(1): Request for Support for the Town of Norman WElls
Member’s Statement 433-20(1): Improving the Land Use Permitting Process
Member’s Statement 434-20(1): Respite Care and At-Home Care
Member’s Statement 435-20(1): Welcome Back Message
Member’s Statement 436-20(1): Tariffs
Member’s Statement 437-20(1): State of the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 438-20(1): Hay River Curling Team Success
Member’s Statement 439-20(1): Celebration of Life of Avery Julianna Burke
Minister’s Statement 87-20(1): Minister Absent from the House
Minister’s Statement 88-20(1): Sessional Statement
Question 424-20(1): Canada-USA Tariffs and Trade
Question 425-20(1): Arctic Sovereignty and Investment
Question 426-20(1): Public Lands Act Regulations Update
Question 427-20(1): Out-of-Territory Care, Supportive Living and Respite Care
Question 428-20(1): Out-of-Territory Care, Supportive Living and Respite Care
Question 429-20(1): Green New Deal and Critical Minerals
Question 430-20(1): Quarrying and Land-Use Permits
Question 431-20(1): Changes to the Government of the Northwest Territories Affirmative Action Policy
Question 432-20(1): Naming of Government of the Northwest Territories Buildings
Question 433-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Employment Satisfaction Survey and Action Plan
Question 434-20(1): Northwest Territories Carbon Taxation
Question 435-20(1): Aspen Building Project Update
Tabled Document 241-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Tabled Document 241-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Season Planning
Tabled Document 251-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 423-20(1): Carbon Tax
Tabled Document 257-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 397-20(1): Overdose-Related RCMP Calls
Tabled Document 271-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 419-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Operational Concerns
Tabled Document 272-20(1): Documents Compiled by Town of Norman Wells regarding the Town’s Declaration of a Local State of Emergency for Humanitarian Reasons
Statements

Question 426-20(1): Public Lands Act Regulations Update

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. On the Public Lands Act, last spring I brought this forward. Today I'm asking questions on the progress. My first question there, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister share what regulatory drafting progress has been made to date? Mahsi.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Public Lands Act was passed in the 19th Legislative Assembly. Regulations are required to bring the Act into force. This government is committed to working collaboratively with our Indigenous government partners through the Intergovernmental Council on the development of the lands and resource legislation and regulation. The Public Lands Act and regulation is one of the pieces of legislation that is moving through the process right now. There's currently a technical working group under the Intergovernmental Council Secretariat which includes representatives from NWT Indigenous governments and organizations and the GNWT working together collaboratively to develop regulations under the Public Lands Act. There are a few issues that still remain outstanding to the technical working group, and they are being discussed and considered by the group at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that update. My second question on the same subject on the Public Lands Act, can the Minister update the Assembly on the next steps on the process? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Our hope is to reach consensus with the technical working group very soon which will allow us to proceed to the next steps in the process. Once the technical working group has reached consensus, the next step would be to reengage with the technical advisory panel made of interested public stakeholder groups, and the proposed regulations would be discussed at that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that information. I'm sure our audience are listening.

My third question is on the timeline for the completion of this; can the Minister share that. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we work through this process, like I said at the technical working group level and as we move on to the final stages, our hope is to have this work completed and have the draft final regulations prepared by the late to end of summer of 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.