Legislative Assembly Briefs
$1.66 billion budget bill passes
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, July 1, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
NWT deputy commissioner Gerald Kisoun gave ascent to the territorial government's budget bill after it passed third and final reading on Wednesday.
That was the last order of business before MLAs ended a marathon session which began on May 31. This session was dominated by debate and discussion of the budget. MLAs are now heading home to their ridings for summer break.
They do not return to the floor of the legislative assembly until Oct. 13.
The budget, which was presented in the assembly on June 1 by Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod, called for $1.66 billion to be spent over the next fiscal year on government operations while running a $54 million deficit.
According to cabinet spokesperson Andrew Livingstone, there is no difference between the document passed Wednesday and the budget that was posted to the finance department's website on June 1.
Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart said the budget passed because it was not the austerity budget that had been hinted at in the spring.
"Our system does not allow the government to be defeated on a money bill. Luckily it didn't come to that because our system of government does tend to work together on appropriations because (cabinet) knows that nothing is going to get done if a budget is defeated," Testart said. "What we are left with - it doesn't make me happy - but it's better than what we were presented with initially."
MLA cleared on point of order
The 18th Legislative Assembly dealt with its first point of order earlier this month.
A point of order is raised when at least one member of the assembly feels a colleague on the floor has used inappropriate language during debate. Government House Leader Glen Abernethy accused rookie Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green of that back on June 17 over her comments about sole source contracting in the NWT.
"Ms. Green also said ... these elevated amounts have increased the possibility of kickbacks and preferment. The member has raised some serious issues ... that could create doubts about the efforts and behaviours, not just of cabinet, but of hard-working public servants in the NWT business communities, in the minds of the public," he said.
Abernethy called for Green to withdraw the remarks and apologize.
Green was having none of that when she was allowed to respond to Abernethy's accusations.
"This complaint is frivolous and vexatious. I have not impugned any motive to any person, business, or employee of the government," she said.
"What I have said is that there is potential, with raised amounts of sole-source contracts, for improper conduct. The government does and has a responsibility to guard against the loss of public property or funds. Major funds are involved in sole-source purchasing, $41.6 million, according to the last available report from two-and-a-half years ago. Under the new guidelines, sums as high as $100,000 could be spent sole-source. It was not my intention, and nor did I say, that any individual is guilty of this action."
In his ruling in the assembly on June 24, Speaker Jackson Lafferty sided with Green but he did caution Green and all members to choose their words carefully.
Summer student program defended
The territorial government has admitted it is not likely hiring as many summer students this year as it did in 2015.
Human Resources Minister Glen Abernethy said 269 students have either been hired or will be hired this summer by the territorial government, including 151 in Yellowknife. That compares to over 300 across the territory last year. Abernethy said the department has received between 500 and 600 applications from students for summer employment and added that the government cannot just create positions in order to give them work.
"The departments have to have a need and the work has to be meaningful," Abernethy said, adding there may still be more than the 269 students hired before the summer is over. Abernethy also pointed out that the GNWT is not the only employer hiring students for the summer.
The federal government and the private sector also hire summer students and indeed the federal government has announced that more students than ever before are being hired under the Canada Summer Jobs Program in the North. The Liberal
government has approved funding for 436 jobs across
the three territories, compared to only 146 last year.
Premier misses last day of session
Premier Bob McLeod missed the final day of session Wednesday as well as the Order of the NWT ceremony earlier in the day but he had a pretty good excuse.
He was invited to the House of Commons in Ottawa at attend U.S. President Barack Obama's speech to Parliament.
