Politics
Apologies, resignations and state of emergency declarations: 2021 in N.W.T. politics – CBC.ca
What can we say about this second pandemic year in the Northwest Territories? It was kind of a drag.
We wore masks, shrunk our social circles and kept kids home from school — again.
We tried to be good all year long, and still got a lump of coal called Omicron.
But COVID-19 wasn’t the only story driving news in 2021.
N.W.T. lawmakers also fed our feeds with scandals, resignations and state of emergency declarations.
What follows is a by-no-means-exhaustive rundown of political stories that made N.W.T. headlines in 2021.
An apology and some allegations
The year in politics got rolling in February, when the Legislative Assembly reconvened, with a high-profile apology.
Premier Caroline Cochrane expressed regret over a handful of senior government officials who travelled outside the territory during the 2020 Christmas holidays after residents were urged to stay put to avoid importing COVID-19.
Cochrane apologized “to the public who have been hurt by this,” adding she hoped all members of the Legislative Assembly would “also be role models and not leave the territory until COVID-19 is done.”
Also in February, one of the territory’s most powerful bureaucrats, Legislative Assembly clerk Tim Mercer, was thrust into the public eye when allegations emerged that he bullied employees and created a toxic work environment.
Mercer said the accusations came from a small number of disgruntled employees, and that an investigation in 2018 dismissed claims against him.
In August, an independent review determined complaints that Mercer bullied and harassed colleagues were unfounded. One complaint, that Mercer breached confidentiality rules, was found to have merit.
COVID anniversary, more pandemic spending
March marked one year of the global COVID-19 crisis, and the start of N.W.T.’s campaign to inoculate the general population.
It was also when MLAs accepted a $2-billion budget, with $117 million in new spending.
Ahead of the budget’s approval, senior finance officials warned the “current fiscal plan is unsustainable,” with tax revenues expected to fall by almost $40 million, due to COVID-19.
In her speech on the proposed budget, Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek defended her fiscal plan, which she said avoided cuts and new taxes.
Wawzonek said the territorial government is a major player in N.W.T.’s economy and “Budget 2021 has no reductions because right now the economy needs support.”
A public inquiry, a threatening Facebook message
In April, Act One opened in what would become the N.W.T.’s stand-out political drama of 2021.
Late on a Thursday night, then-Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Steve Norn said in a statement he had tested positive for COVID-19.
The revelation set off a series of events in which Norn played the hapless lead.
First, he sent mixed messages to reporters about whether he’d broken isolation rules. Then, an integrity commissioner investigation reported that Norn breached public health orders when he visited the Legislative Assembly and the Yellowknife Racquet Club before the end of his mandatory, post-travel isolation period. The commissioner kicked the matter up to a sole adjudicator.
In a public inquiry held over nine days (and costing more than $800,000), that adjudicator found that Norn violated several sections of the Legislative Assembly’s code of conduct and recommended he be removed from his seat.
The inquiry also brought to light a threatening Facebook message Norn sent to his caucus colleagues in which he swore at them “for making my loved ones cry,” and wrote “I’m coming for you.”
Norn said his message was “in no way meant to be a physical threat,” and apologized to his coworkers.
In November, MLAs stated they would accept the adjudicator’s recommendations, but as they prepared to expel Norn, he apologized for pain he had caused, and resigned. (Speaker Frederick Blake Jr. later clarified that Norn’s resignation was invalid.)
Floods and a cabinet shuffle
The spring of 2021 brought devastating floods to the Dehcho and Beaufort Delta regions, with an estimated 700 people displaced in Fort Simpson. Some couldn’t return home for weeks or months.
Community members and MLAs expressed frustration over the government’s response, eroding public confidence in the minister in charge of disaster relief, Paulie Chinna.
In early June, the premier stripped Chinna of the Municipal and Community Affairs portfolio, handing it to Minister Shane Thompson.
It was the second time Chinna was taken off MACA. The first was in April of 2020, after COVID-19 snowballed into an international public health disaster. She was re-installed the following July.
Legislature becomes majority women
June also saw a noteworthy exit from the Legislative Assembly.
Then-Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty announced his resignation after 16 years representing the Tłıchǫ region, and his intentions to run for Tłıchǫ Grand Chief.
A by-election installed Jane Weyallon Armstrong in the Monfwi seat.
Not only was Weyallon Armstrong the first woman elected to represent the riding, but she tipped the gender balance of the Legislative Assembly, making it majority women — a first among Canadian legislatures.
Lafferty was elected Tłıchǫ Grand Chief in November.
Marching for lost children
June was also a month of mourning.
Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in B.C. announced in late May it had located unmarked graves of an estimated 215 children near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. On June 4, hundreds marched in Yellowknife to honour children who lost their lives at residential schools.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear, but it’s not shocking,” Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler said about the Kamloops grave sites. “As an Indigenous person, many of us have heard stories of what our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents have told us and what they’ve had to endure.”
Semmler also remarked upon Indigenous people’s determination to combat racism “so that this is never forgotten and never repeated.”
In the fall, Cochrane said the government could help Indigenous communities “in developing strategies for recording unmarked burial sites at residential schools” and “leveraging federal funding and resources.”
Day shelter debated, again
In 2021, Yellowknife was again embroiled in a dispute over where to put an additional day shelter.
The previous year, the city’s day shelter cut capacity as a COVID-19 precaution. Without that space for people to go during winter, and with pushback from businesses that didn’t want a shelter in their backyard, then-MACA Minister Paulie Chinna took what she called an “extraordinary step” and declared a state of emergency in Yellowknife.
The move allowed the government to seize the downtown Mine Rescue Building for a temporary day shelter.
But the building wasn’t meant to be a lasting solution, and when temperatures warmed, the state of emergency lifted, and the temporary day shelter closed.
At the time, Health Minister Julie Green said she hoped to find an alternative space before Oct. 1, 2021. But when October arrived, a new spot had yet to be secured.
Green pleaded with residents to support a day shelter at the former Aurora Village building, but city council voted against it.
Ultimately, the government once again resorted to declaring a state of emergency so it could build a temporary day shelter where the city’s old visitors’ centre used to be.
Another apology and a high note
The year in politics closed out like it began: with an apology.
This one, from Green, who said sorry to families forced to leave the territory to have their babies after birthing services were cancelled at Stanton Territorial Hospital due to a staff shortage.
Beyond the disruption this continues to cause for parents, the closure is expected to drain the N.W.T. government’s coffers of more than $1 million.
It was admittedly difficult to keep one’s chin up this year. Good news would land — the vaccines, the loosening of restrictions — and then there’d be an outbreak, our loved ones would get sick, and we’d have to cancel plans.
As the territory braces for a tsunami of new COVID-19 cases, it will be hard to celebrate the dawn of 2022 with the ebullience of New Year’s Eves past.
But we’re determined to end the year on a high note.
So please, read this story and watch its extremely adorable videos of toddlers dancing the jig in Tuktoyaktuk.
And here’s to more small moments of pure joy in 2022.
With files from Richard Gleeson, Natalie Pressman, Hannah Paulson, Liny Lamberink, Loren McGinnis, Avery Zingel and John Last.
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David Pecker, convivial, accommodating and as bright as a button, sat in the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday and described how power is used and abused.
“What I would do is publish positive stories about Mr. Trump,” the former tabloid hegemon and fabulist allowed, as if he was sharing some of his favorite dessert recipes. “And I would publish negative stories about his opponents.”
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland don’t have a lot in common. But they do share at least one view: that governments could play a bigger role directing pension investments to the benefit of domestic industries and economic priorities.
Canadians, no matter who they vote for, should be worried that these two political heavyweights share any common ground in this regard.
It became clearer in the federal budget last week as Ottawa appointed former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz to lead a working group to explore “how to catalyze greater domestic investment opportunities for Canadian pension funds.” The group will examine how Canadian pension funds can spur innovation and drive economic growth, while still meeting fiduciary and actuarial responsibilities.
This idea has been in discussion since it was highlighted in the fall economic statement. In March, dozens of chief executives signed an open letter urging federal and provincial finance ministers to “amend the rules governing pension funds to encourage them to invest in Canada.”
Rewind to last fall, and it was Alberta’s plans that were dominating controversial pension discussions. As Ms. Smith championed Alberta going it alone, Canadians (including Albertans) were dumbfounded by her government’s claim the province could be entitled to 53 per cent of Canada Pension Plan assets – $334-billion of the plan’s expected $575-billion by 2027. The Premier has made the argument that starting with this nest egg, and with the province’s large working-age population, a separate Alberta plan could provide more in the way of benefits to seniors with lower premiums.
The main point of contention between the Smith government and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals has been what amount Alberta would take, should it exit the Canada Pension Plan. All parties are now waiting on Ottawa’s counter assessment; the Office of the Chief Actuary will provide a calculation sometime this fall.
But lost in this furious debate over that dollar amount is Ms. Smith’s desire to see the province have a say in how the pension contributions of Albertans are invested. The Premier has long expressed frustration that Canadian pension funds were being influenced by fossil-fuel divestment movements, and has suggested a separate Alberta pension plan could be a counterweight to this.
In addition, a key part of the promise for many supporters of the Alberta pension plan idea – including former premier Jason Kenney and pension panel chair Jim Dinning – has been the benefits that would accrue to the province’s financial services sector.
But just as the UCP government might see the potential of using the heft of pension assets to bolster the province’s energy sector, or to spur white-collar jobs in Calgary, the federal Liberals would like see more pension dollars directed toward Canadian AI, digital infrastructure and housing. These are some of the areas Ms. Freeland has directed Mr. Poloz’s working group to focus on.
Some would deem Mr. Freeland’s goals admirable. Tax dollars are already flowing to these sectors. It comes at a time of increasing concern about the housing crunch, Canada’s weak GDP numbers, and the fact that Canada’s economy is being carried along by strong population growth.
But many Canadians are already concerned with government priorities and federal spending. Many more would balk at governments picking winning industries with pension contributions. And governments change. A Conservative government, for instance, might have very different industries in mind for its own pension-fund working group – say, for instance, to make sure Canada doesn’t cede oil market share to Venezuela or the United States.
This pension working group is a convenient sweetener for a business community that has in many ways soured on this Liberal government. It comes at a moment when Ottawa is facing pushback – from technology entrepreneurs to doctors – to its proposed capital-gains tax hike.
It doesn’t appear Ottawa wants to go as far as recreating the CPP in the image of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which has a formal mandate that includes contributing to the province’s economic development. And this isn’t to say there’s such a thing as complete neutrality in pension management now. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board makes decisions open to debate and criticism. It should hear what governments and industry have to say, and setting up a couple of regional offices, beyond Toronto, could be helpful.
But if pension plans are formally burdened with policy imperatives from politicians, it could distract from the main goals of reasonable premiums and retirement security for Canadians. It could see the prioritization of being re-elected over returns. The regional and sectoral tug-of-wars over the cash would be never-ending.
There’s good reason to fear what an Alberta government would do should it take control of its citizens’ pension wealth. The same is most definitely true for Ottawa.
Politics
Politics Briefing: Saskatchewan residents to get carbon rebates despite province’s opposition to pricing program
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Hello,
The federal government will continue to deliver the carbon rebate to residents of Saskatchewan despite the province’s move to stop collecting and remitting the levy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today.
In January, Saskatchewan’s Crown natural gas and electric utilities removed the federal carbon price from home heating bills, a move that the government says will improve fairness for its residents in relation to the other provinces.
But Trudeau told a news conference in Saskatoon today that payments to residents won’t stop and that the Canada Revenue Agency has ways of ensuring money owed to them is eventually collected. He said he has faith in the “rigorous” quasi-judicial proceedings the agency uses.
In Ottawa, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault accused Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who is opposed to federal carbon pricing policy, of playing politics with climate change.
“The Prime Minister, and I think cabinet, felt that it wouldn’t be fair for the people of Saskatchewan to pay for the irresponsible attitude of the provincial government,” Guilbeault told a news conference.
The rebate is available to residents of provinces and territories where the federal carbon pricing system applies.
Trudeau was in Saskatoon to announce that the federal government is offering $5-billion in loan guarantees to support Indigenous communities seeking ownership stakes in natural resource and energy projects.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you’re reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Motion to allow keffiyehs in Ontario legislature fails again: A few Ontario government members blocked a move to permit keffiyehs in the legislature, prompting some people watching Question Period from the public galleries to put on the scarves.
B.C. puts social-media harms bill on hold: Premier David Eby issued a joint statement today with representatives from Meta, TikTok, Snap and X to say they have reached an agreement to work to help young people stay safe online through a new BC Online Safety Action Table.
Changes to capital-gains tax may prompt doctors to quit, CMA warns: Kathleen Ross, the president of Canadian Medical Association, said the tax measure “really is one more hit to an already beleaguered and low-morale profession.”
Thunder Bay Indigenous group wants province to dissolve the municipal police force: Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said that after years of turmoil, the Thunder Bay force has not earned the trust of the Indigenous people it serves.
Canada Post refusing to collect banned guns for Ottawa’s buyback program: CBC says the Crown corporation’s position is complicating Ottawa’s plans for a buyback program to remove 144,000 firearms from private hands, federal sources say.
Ottawa police investigating chant on Parliament Hill glorifying Hamas Oct. 7 attack: Police Chief Eric Stubbs acknowledged it can sometimes be difficult to discern what constitutes a hate crime as he confirmed his force is investigating a pro-Palestinian protest over the weekend on Parliament Hill.
TODAY’S POLITICAL QUOTES
“I don’t take any lessons from the Leader of the Opposition when it comes to how marginalized people feel. I’m an Italian Canadian, who, in the 1970s, was spit on.” – Ontario Government House Leader Paul Calandra in the legislature today.
“I’ve spoken with some of my peers from all around the world. All of us would be challenged to find an environment minister somewhere in the world that would tell you: Easy peasy fighting climate change.” – Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault at a news conference in Ottawa today as international talks in the city proceed to deal with plastics pollution,
THIS AND THAT
Commons, Senate: The House of Commons is on a break until April 29. The Senate sits again April 30.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day: Chrystia Freeland participated in a fireside chat on the budget, then took media questions.
Ministers on the road: With the Commons on a break, ministers continued to fan out across Canada to talk about the budget. Today, the emphasis was largely on the budget and Indigenous reconciliation. Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech, with Health Minister Mark Holland, made an Indigenous reconciliation announcement in the B.C. community of Sechelt. Defence Minister Bill Blair is on a three-day visit to the Northwest Territories. Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault is in Edmonton to make an announcement on Indigenous reconciliation. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne was in the Quebec city of La Tuque. Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos is in Quebec City, focusing on the budget and Indigenous reconciliation. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu in Vancouver addressing Indigenous reconciliation. Families Minister Jenna Sudds is in Thunder Bay. King’s Privy Council President Harjit Sajjan and Justice Minister Arif Virani touted the budget in an event in Coquitlam, B.C.
Vidal out: Conservative MP Gary Vidal has announced he won’t run in the next election owing to dramatic changes in the Saskatchewan riding he has represented since 2019 that will mean he will no longer be living there. Also, he noted in a posting on social-media platform X that the Conservatives are not allowing an open nomination in the riding he will be living in. “Although this is not the expected outcome I anticipated, circumstances beyond the control of myself and my team have dictated that I move on after the next election,” he wrote.
GG in Saskatchewan: Mary Simon and her partner, Whit Fraser, continued their visit to the province, with stops in Regina that included a stop at the Regina Open Door Society, which provides settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants. Later, she engaged in a round-table discussion with mental-health specialists on issues affecting Canada’s farming and ranching communities.
New CEO for Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy: George Young is the new chief executive officer of the think tank on progressive issues. The former national director of the federal Liberal party under Jean Chrétien served as a chief of staff to several Chrétien ministers, was a senior adviser to former Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Justin Trudeau was in Saskatoon for a news conference on budget measures.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is in Ottawa to attend a session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Edmonton, went door-knocking in the city with Edmonton Centre candidate Trisha Estabrooks.
No schedules released for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s podcast, Nathan VanderKlippe, The Globe’s international correspondent, discussed what has been happening on West Bank farmlands during the Israel-Hamas war. The Decibel is here.
PUBLIC OPINION
Liberals not an option: A third of Canadians surveyed by Ipsos Global Public Affairs say they would never vote Liberal in the next federal election.
No budget lift: Nanos Research says the federal Tories have a 19-point lead over the Liberals despite the release of a budget the government hoped would improve its political fortunes.
CAQ running third: Quebec’s governing Coalition Avenir Québec party has, in a new poll, fallen to third place in public support behind the Parti Québécois and the Liberals, The Gazette in Montreal reports.
OPINION
The Liberals promise billions for clean power. Don’t undermine it with politics
“In the summer of 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden’s ambition to deliver landmark climate legislation looked like it was dead – until the plan experienced a sudden political resurrection on Capitol Hill. The machinations in Washington have reverberated in Ottawa ever since.” – The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
The Liberals’ immigration policies have accomplished the opposite of what was intended
“In its well-meaning effort to encourage the migration of international students to Canada, the Trudeau government is turning swaths of our postsecondary education system into a grift. As a result, broad public support for immigration, the foundation stone of multicultural Canada, is eroding.” – John Ibbitson
Canada’s underwhelming disability benefit is a sign of a government out of ideas
“The Canada Disability Benefit had – and still has – the potential to be a generational game-changer. Done right, it could lift hundreds of thousands of Canadians out of poverty. But what the Liberal government has delivered so far is a colossal betrayal of the promise made to those living with physical, developmental and psychiatric disabilities: a program with a paltry payout and a limited scope, and bogged down in red tape.” – André Picard
Trump poised to clinch US$1.3-billion social media company stock award
SpaceX sends 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit
Judge Approves $418 Million Settlement That Will Change Real Estate Commissions
Silver investment demand jumped 12% in 2019
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