Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't really have anything to add to what my colleague has already expressed, which I think she did a very good job on capturing how the discussion went through the committee and noting, in particular, the concerns of Indigenous governments and organizations around their expenses and their costs. And while I do wish we could expand the scope of the bill to include all the social and indirect costs that we are paying as a territory, it's unfortunate that that is not something we can go after these opioid companies or these pharmaceutical companies for. However, I do...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories intervened in Attorney General of Quebec et al versus the Attorney General of Canada, which is a challenge to a federal law, C92, which provides for First Nation, Inuit, and Metis governments to implement their own child welfare laws. My questions are for the Premier.

What was the legal basis and rationale for the Government of the Northwest Territories intervening in this case before the Supreme Court of Canada?

How does the GNWT justify its intervention in this matter when the public position of the GNWT has been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2021, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation passed its first law, Inuvialuit Qitunrariit Inuuniarnikkun Maligaksat, meaning the Inuvialuit Family Way of Life law. Maligaksat draws down jurisdiction for child welfare for Inuvialuit children and youth under federal Bill C92, An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families.

Maligaksat establishes IRC's inherent right over child and family services to:

Ensure cultural continuity of Inuvialuit children and youth;

Enhance supports available to Inuvialuit families to thrive;

Improve...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also rise to recognize the members of NAPEG that have joined us here today for the first reading of the bill. Yes, first reading of the bill make sure I have that right.

One of the really interesting things about this group I've already acknowledged Ed so I'm not going to speak further about him is that all three of the women sitting up there are my constituents. I am also a former councillor for NAPEG. So it's very exciting for me to have them all here and to have such amazing strong scientificallyminded women in my riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also rise to recognize Ed Hoff in the galley. I have known Ed since I was here 15 years ago. He has been a great mentor and friend, and I'm not sure that he actually has retired because I don't think engineers really retire; we just consult until the end. And I just want to say if anybody wants to know anything about Yellowknife's permafrost, Ed could give you a great walking tour of that. So welcome, Ed, to the gallery. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So would it not be fair, then, to say given the amount of emergency work and extra work that MACA has had other the last few years, given the number of disasters, that perhaps capacity within the department is stretched which then maybe would impact some of these projects from going forward? Also, I'm assuming that this is not the first that's lapsed and it probably lapsed through COVID. I know for a fact it did as well. So with COVID having shut down a lot of the Government of the Northwest Territories, can the Minister speak to how much the overtaxing of the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will ask the Minister a question. Of this $27 million that's being carried over, for municipalities - or communities to access this money, is it applicationbased; do they have to fill out forms, do they have to provide proposals, etcetera, to get this money? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to probably reiterate a few things that my colleagues have said, but I too am disappointed to see the amount of money lapsing. While I do recognize and understand the government's explanation that this money will come back in future years, what it represents to me is money that was not put into our economy oftentimes at the inability of the government and departments to do their jobs properly or to get things out the door on time that then has caused communities to suffer financially. A great example I keep bringing up is the Tulita Health Centre. I keep being...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My apologies for not understanding. I just don't find this to be very clear what has been going on. When I asked before, I think two sittings ago, what was going on, why the plant hadn't been started when the funding had already been announced for the LNG, the Minister told me they were going back to get more money from the federal government to create an entire LNG plant instead of the one that is supplemental to the diesel plant. Has that changed, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister tell us has the Fort Simpson LNG redesign plans or relocation plans been decided upon by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation board that Minister did promise last sitting. And if so, what are the significant changes; is there anything changing with respect to the location or the cost? Thank you.