Katrina Nokleby

As an engineer, a professional engineer, I take an oath to protect public safety. That may be something that's not as out there as the doctors, who take their oath to protect people, but, yes, I am very concerned to hear that buildings are being built to a substandard level, and I will commit to the Member to doing the best that I can do in the next four years. As we've all been saying, this a very, very large ship to change course on, so I'm not sure exactly how much I will be able to change. However, I commit to doing everything in my department as safely as a I can, and I will carry your...

I commit to the Member that I would definitely look into whether or not a building act is needed here. I do want to remind the Member that, at times, Northerners and northern engineers and geoscientists are involved with creating the federal standards. There have recently been four building standards that were released. There is the guideline for foundations, geotechnical investigations and foundations and permafrost-rich soils. There is a land farm one that has come out recently. I do want to state that the national codes or standards do have northern input.

I recognize what the Member is...

Yes, I will commit to providing the Member with a synopsis or summary of why this contract was not included. It may just be a matter of it wasn't asked for, and therefore it didn't come up; I'm not quite sure. However, I would like to assure the Member that this contract, as well as every contract that we are going to be looking at going forward, will be looked at with the lens of the priorities of our mandate and of the 19th Assembly, which includes increasing contract opportunities for northern and Indigenous businesses and retaining our money in the north. I can assure the Member that all...

Yes, there are penalties in the contract, if I'm reading correctly. Rather than maybe reading off a whack of numbers here, I could just provide that as a written response to the Member, and then he would have it for his records.

I note the Member's comment, and I thank him for his input. He has done very hard work in keeping the issues for his communities in the forefront of my mind and my attention. I agree; we need to make sure that people have security, and that they know that they're going to have fuel, and they know that they're going to have food, and that they're not paying through the nose, because we've had to fly all of that in, because there was some sort of a mix-up in the scheduling. I commit to the Member that we will work out the best way to fix this issue. Thank you.

Yes. It is my belief, personally, that the marine transportation system's first priority should be the resupply and refuelling of our communities, ahead of any charter or business interest that they may have. So, yes, I commit to the Member that the priority of MTS will be the resupply and not the business aspect of it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this moment to recognize two of the Pages with us today who are constituents of mine in Great Slave. I apologize for names, Gianne Mercado and Willem Jacobs. I thank them for their commitment and time to this work. I would also like to recognize my constituent James Tally in the gallery. Thank you.

Sorry, my apologies. Which one to start with, here. Airport improvements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Making strategic investments in our transportation system is one of the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly. Investing in airport improvements will keep our communities connected while reducing the cost of living and supporting economic opportunities. Given our vast territory and dispersed communities, air travel is essential for northern residents, businesses, and tourists.

The Government of the Northwest Territories manages 27 public airports that support vital services, including...

I will keep it really short. We are working with Memorial University out of Newfoundland to work on the design of the fish plant, so we are looking to experts for that advice; but noted. I take the Member's concerns in note and will make sure that they are addressed. Thank you.

As mentioned, there is a process that needs to be followed. The federal government also just recently had an election. Therefore, we were waiting for that to happen as well as their budgets to go through, and then we would be making the application again. As stated, we have consistently been trying to get this funding, so this is not falling off my department's radar. In fact, it is one of the things that we are moving forward on. I have met with MP McLeod, and we have started to have discussions about the infrastructure deficit that the Northwest Territories is facing. I sat down and had a...