NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 18th Assembly Mid-Term Review Committee Thursday, October 5, 2017 Pages 1 – 58 Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly Speaker Hon. Jackson Lafferty (Monfwi) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hon. Glen Abernethy Hon. Bob McLeod Mr. Kevin O'Reilly (Great Slave) (Yellowknife South) (Frame Lake) Government House Leader Premier Minister of Health and Social Services Minister of Executive and Indigenous Minister Responsible for the Workers’ Affairs Hon. Wally Schumann Safety and Compensation Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and (Hay River South) Commission Intergovernmental Relations Minister of Industry, Tourism and Minister Responsible for Seniors Investment Minister Responsible for Persons with Hon. Robert McLeod Minister of Infrastructure Disabilities (Inuvik Twin Lakes) Minister Responsible for the Public Hon. Louis Sebert Utilities Board Deputy Premier Minister of Finance (Thebacha) Minister of Environment and Natural Minister of Justice Mr. Tom Beaulieu Resources Minister of Lands (Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh) Lead Responsibility for Infrastructure Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Minister Responsible for Public Mr. Frederick Blake Mr. Daniel McNeely Engagement and Transparency (Mackenzie Delta) (Sahtu) Mr. R.J. Simpson Hon. Caroline Cochrane Hon. Alfred Moses (Hay River North) (Range Lake) (Inuvik Boot Lake) Minister of Municipal and Community Minister of Education, Culture and Affairs Employment Mr. Kieron Testart Minister Responsible for Northwest Minister Responsible for Youth (Kam Lake) Territories Housing Corporation Minister Responsible for the Status of Mr. Michael Nadli Mr. Shane Thompson Women (Nahendeh) Lead Responsibility for Addressing (Deh Cho) Homelessness Mr. Herbert Nakimayak Mr. Cory Vanthuyne Ms. Julie Green (Nunakput) (Yellowknife North) (Yellowknife Centre) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Officers Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mr. Tim Mercer Deputy Clerks Committee Clerk Law Clerks Mr. Doug Schauerte Mr. Michael Ball Ms. Sheila MacPherson Ms. Sarah Kay Mr. Glen Rutland __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Box 1320 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Tel: (867) 767-9010 Fax: (867) 920-4735 Toll-Free: 1-800-661-0784 http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories TABLE OF CONTENTS CALL TO ORDER ................................................................................................................. 1 PRAYER ............................................................................................................................... 1 REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF AGENDA ............................................................................. 1 CHAIR'S OPENING REMARKS ........................................................................................... 1 PREMIER'S STATEMENT .................................................................................................... 2 MINISTER'S STATEMENTS ................................................................................................. 3 Minister Glen Abernethy .................................................................................................. 3 Minister Caroline Cochrane ............................................................................................. 4 Minister Robert C. McLeod .............................................................................................. 5 Minister Alfred Moses ...................................................................................................... 6 Minister Wally Schumann ................................................................................................ 7 Minister Louis Sebert ....................................................................................................... 8 MEMBERS QUESTIONS FOR MINISTERS ......................................................................... 9 MEMBERS QUESTIONS FOR THE PREMIER .................................................................. 49 ANNOUNCEMENT OF BALLOT RESULTS ....................................................................... 58 CHAIR'S CLOSING REMARKS ......................................................................................... 58 October 5, 2017 Mid-Term Review Committee Page 1 YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Thursday, October 5, 2017 Members Present Hon. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Blake, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Ms. Green, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. McNeely, Hon. Alfred Moses, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. O'Reilly, Hon. Wally Schumann, Hon. Louis Sebert, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Vanthuyne proceedings televised or radio or Facebook Live. In The committee met at 9:00 a.m. a few minutes we will begin statements by Premier Robert R. McLeod. The Premier will have up to 10 Call to Order minutes to make a statement on his leadership and performance, as well as leadership and CHAIRPERSON (Mr. Lafferty): I will call to order performance of Cabinet as a whole. Following the the Interim Mid-Term Review of the 18th Legislative Premier's statement, each Minister may make a Assembly, and I would like to ask Member Beaulieu statement of up to five minutes on his or her to lead us into a prayer. leadership and performance. The order for Ministers will be alphabetical by surname as Prayer follows: Minister Glen Abernethy; Minister Caroline Cochrane; Minister Robert C. McLeod; Minister MR. BEAULIEU: [Translation] Marsi. I'd like to say Alfred Moses; Minister Wally Schumann; and Minister Louis Sebert. Following the statements by thank you while we're here together. Two years all Ministers, we will commence Members' now we've been working together, since we've questions to Ministers. Each Member will be been elected. So that's why we're here: to do a permitted to ask up to two questions to each good job today, and we're here to talk about that Minister. Questions must not be longer than two today. So that's why I want to ask for prayers. minutes; responses from Ministers also must not be Thank you. [Translation ends.] longer than two minutes. No extension of time limits ---Prayer will be permitted. Members are not required to ask their full allotment of questions. Review and Adoption of Agenda As chair, I will recognize Members wishing to ask questions as they catch my attention. I will not CHAIRPERSON (Mr. Lafferty): Masi, Member recognize the Members wishing to ask second Beaulieu. Members, the agenda before you today is questions or subsequent questions until all one that we have all agreed in Caucus. Do Members have had the opportunity to ask their first Members agree with the agenda that is before us questions. Supplementary questions will not be today? permitted. However, second questions on a same topic are acceptable. The chair and the clerks at the SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. table will maintain a tally of how many questions CHAIRPERSON (Mr. Lafferty): Agreed. Masi. each Member has asked, and to whom. Once recognized, Members may ask a single question to one or more Ministers. If a Member asks a question Chair's Opening Remarks to multiple Ministers, it will be counted as a question to each Minister. CHAIRPERSON (Mr. Lafferty): Masi. Just some of the opening remarks from the chair. As chair of the When there are no further questions to Ministers, or Mid-Term Review Committee of the 18th Legislative when Members have each asked two questions to Assembly, I would like to take some opening each Minister, we will proceed to questions to the comments before we proceed today. Premier. No questions to the Premier will be permitted until questions to the Ministers have All Members have been provided with the concluded. Each Member will be permitted to ask guidelines and also procedures for the Mid-Term up to two questions to the Premier. Questions must Review Committee. We have reviewed these not be longer than two minutes. Responses from guidelines and procedures in Caucus and have the Premier must not be longer than two minutes as agreed to follow all of them throughout our well. proceedings today. I will review these guidelines and procedures as a reminder to all Members and Once questions to the Premier have concluded, to explain our process to those joining us here Members will be called upon to cast their secret today; as well, for those who are following our ballot in an open forum. The ballot will inquire as to Page 2 Mid-Term Review Committee October 5, 2017 whether each Member does or does not have my third term representing the people of confidence in the performance and leadership of Yellowknife South and have been chosen by my Cabinet as a whole, the Premier, and each Minister colleagues to serve on Cabinet in all three terms, individually. A ballot box will be placed in front of including the honour of being selected Premier the clerk's table and two voting booths will be twice, the first person in the history of our territory placed on either side of the clerk's table to return as Premier. My small community roots and immediately prior to balloting. Each Member will travels throughout the territory have helped me receive one ballot from the clerk's table. Members learn what the people care about the most. They