Herbert Nakimayak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of pages from Angik School and their chaperone, Stephanie Illasiak. The pages are Kassius Green and Hope Gordon-Thrasher. Also, I have another cousin who is a page here, as well, Tori Haogak. It is good to see the youth up-and-coming and working at the Legislative Assembly and seeing the proceedings. I just want to wish everybody here in the gallery a good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is actually good to hear. I know that the first planes are arriving now, and hopefully that can keep the cost of living down in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I have five constituents who are businessmen, and they will not receive their goods by this upcoming airlift. This means lost business opportunities, due to the fact that they aren't deemed essential goods. What does the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment have to offer small businesses as they are paying off heavy equipment, vehicles, and dry goods for their stores, and also insurance on equipment that they will not receive...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Ernie Bernhardt. Mr. Bernhardt has been one of the founders of the Northern Games in Arctic Sports and he has been an avid coach during Arctic sports through all the Arctic Winter Games and the Northern Games and the Circumpolar Games around the Arctic. Ernie, thank you for your traditional knowledge and what you bring to the games year after year.

I would also like to recognize the mayor-elect, Ms. Rebecca Alty, and also everyone else in the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response. It is good to see that there may be some assistance for some entrepreneurs and some small businesses that could not afford to stay afloat over the 2018-2019 season if they weren't allowed access to any type of assistance.

Mr. Speaker, there are also multiple research programs that run annually in Nunakput, as well as exploration programs on Banks Island. To us, research is important, in traditional knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, and scientific knowledge, and we encourage that in our region so that we have better data to understand our ecosystem. What can the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We seem to be on a roll with the last Minister's responses, and my question is for the Minister of ITI. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's statement earlier, you mentioned the Petroleum Products Fund will help fund the airlift to the communities of Nunakput and to Nunavut. Mr. Speaker, I believe at this time the Petroleum Products Revolving Fund is a full-recovery system, and these costs may be covered by the customer. What will happen to the cost of petroleum products for Nunakput customers in 2018-2019? In other words, will the cost of gas go up in Nunakput? Thank you, Mr...

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Saturday, October 20th is a special day for the community of Tuktoyaktuk. I am grateful to witness the 100th birthday celebration for Mrs. Persis Gruben along with her family, friends, relatives, and many people from other communities around the Northwest Territories. This day is a milestone for Persis, her family, and the community of Tuktoyaktuk. She is the first person who anyone knows who has reached the milestone age of 100 years old in Tuktoyaktuk.

Mr. Speaker, Persis has seen throughout her century on earth a challenging yet rewarding lifetime for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot of these research and exploration projects usually fly in their own petroleum in the way of 45-gallon drums. I am hopeful that these are deemed essential, as it employs people in the region.

Mr. Speaker, hotels in Nunakput are at times the only places to house contractors, government employees, and visitors to the communities. How will the Department of ITI ensure that operations such as these important components of community infrastructure remain in operations with the shortage? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories' liquor operations in Inuvik is contracted to Stanton Distributing, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Inuvialuit Development Corporation. Mr. Speaker, that means that every Inuvialuit within the Inuvialuit settlement region, inside and outside, are registered shareholders.

The Inuvialuit Development Corporation, in collaboration with Stanton's management, decided not to add the sale of licensed marijuana products to its contract between Stanton and the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, due to borders and customs laws...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, you know, it sounds like somebody was asleep at the wheel somewhere along the way. In this case, it's the wheel house in this area for MTS for them to wake up into freezing ice and not be able to move anywhere.

I appreciate the work that the Minister is doing, and I appreciate his work all around. However, somebody needs to be accountable somewhere and we cannot deflect this any further. My question to the Minister is: with this air-lift affect the future rates to be paid by MTS customers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response, and it's good to see. I looked on the website this morning. There were no tenders awarded, and hopefully that process can start soon.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister stated that this error for not delivering fuel was due to ice. However, will the Minister commit to ensure that petroleum products are inspected and meet the requirements before allowing onto any MTS barges so that this doesn't happen again or commit to other shipping methods?