Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we've already explained that. We are looking at our emergency management structure in itself, trying to help the communities. They are the first on the ground. We do work with other agencies. We have used the Red Cross when needed. And my understanding is they were looking at a standing agreement. But, again, Mr. Speaker, if I'm wrong with that, then please send me a letter. I'm more than willing to entertain that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my information comes from various departments. If I'm wrong, I'm more than willing to relook at that. If the Red Cross charges $5,000 for all their supports that they would do, including the cost of transportation, including cost of personnel, including the cost of supplies, etcetera, then, please, let me know. Send me a letter. I'd be more than willing to entertain that. My understanding is that each one of those components has an additional cost. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Samantha Stewart, a constituent of Range Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did state in the association of communities, I believe it was, that I was more than willing to meet with the Red Cross. I'm more than willing to meet with most people that ask for a meeting with the Premier. However, Mr. Speaker, at no time did I, as the Premier, get a letter requesting a visit so I would have expected that to happen. But, Mr. Speaker, departments did meet with the Red Cross, the applicable departments. And health met with them, MACA met with them. And that would be the route that I would go anyway, was to take the informed departments. Personally the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually my understanding is that we do work with the Red Cross. The Red Cross provides valuable services to all of Canada; we recognize that. However, this government, because of what we've been facing, has bumped up our EMO, emergency response, from two fulltime positions to hopefully ten after this budget. So we also work Red Cross really excels in what they do in areas of registration and donation management but it's not free, Mr. Speaker. There is a cost to it. So we've used them before. But like I said, there's a price for direct aid costs such as supplies...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to start by recognizing two pages from the Range Lake North School that are in the House, Divyesh Chotalia and Ethan Bottomley. And I'm also going to try, for the hundredth time, to recognize a Range Lake constituent, Mr. David Wasylciw. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I'll take that more as a comment; it's a reiteration of what he said. What are they giving us, and that's the question I am asking as well what are they giving us? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to try to keep this precise but I've got a lot to say on this. Where I stand personally? I have concerns about it. Where we stand professionally, basically we're really saying like you need to consult with us. That was a promise that was made. I do know that the natural gas and the light crude in the Beaufort Delta actually creates less pollution than many other major energy sources in the world. So we do have things to offer up there.

What have we done about it? There was a letter sent on June 22nd to Minister of northern affairs Daniel Vandal, from myself...

Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by the Member for Great Slave on October 18, 2022, regarding a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Red Cross.

The Emergency Management Act empowers local authorities to enter into agreements for emergency management supports, which could include agreements with the Canadian Red Cross. The issue of the Government of the Northwest Territories entering into a moratorium of understanding with the Canadian Red Cross was raised at the NWT Association of Communities' annual general meeting on September 17th, 2022.

The GNWT recognizes the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm deferring those questions to the Minister of Finance who should be able to give comprehensive answers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.