Statements in Debates
Merci, Monsieur le President.
WHEREAS this Legislative Assembly is required to appoint alternate members to the Board of Management in accordance with section 36 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act;
AND WHEREAS Rule 89 requires that the Assembly appoint a Board of Management in accordance with section 26 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act;
AND WHEREAS there are currently two vacancies for alternate members of the Board of Management;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North that the following members be appointed as alternate...
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I think part of the problem here is that we have no concrete proposal that's been put together to show what the contaminated sites are, the risks they pose, the cost to assess and remediate them, and the benefits that could accrue. I'm more than happy to roll up my sleeves and help with that work.
Can the Minister tell us whether there is a concrete proposal for an accelerated northern contaminated sites remediation program? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the ITI Minister who seems to have the lead on our remediation economy. In my statements in May, October, February, and again today, I noted the potential for literally billions of dollars of federal investment across the northern territories as part of an accelerated program on contaminated sites remediation and economic recovery.
It's now clear that my calls to action or my offer of assistance have ever been taken seriously. But can the Minister provide an update on the status of this work to secure accelerated federal investment to build a...
Thanks, Madam Chair. Just briefly, I checked the heritage fund balance, and it's predicted to be $27 million at the end of 2020-2021. And I calculated the value of the diamonds that have been exported from the Northwest Territories since diamond production began, and it's about $35 billion.
I know we got a late start on the heritage fund, and the heritage fund is something that's going to be reviewed hopefully during the life of this Assembly, but I think we kind of need to do better for our future generations. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 437-19(2), Capital Estimates 2022-2023; Committee Report 22-19(2), Report on Telecommunications; Committee Report 20-19(2), Report on Bill 30, an Act to Amend the Aurora College Act; and Bill 30, an Act to Amend the Aurora College Act. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. And I'm really happy to try to help him get the money but I'm sure that he can work more closely with his Cabinet colleagues. But I'm still just not convinced that culture and heritage gets all the attention it deserves, especially when it comes to federal relations and opportunities.
Can the Minister describe the department's recent attempts to secure federal funding for culture and heritage and how this relates to our efforts to towards reconciliation; and, more specifically, what this means for the museum? Merci, Mr...
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I've seen so many documents calling for renovations or a new facility that it isn't even funny anymore. Some of us have visited the museum and seen the problems firsthand. If our government actually made culture and heritage our higher priority, I think we would have had a new museum by now. And that's exactly what the Yukon did, Mr. Speaker.
Does the Minister have a renovation or upgrade plan to address the museum's practical needs that he's going to bring forward for funding approval or when will such a plan be presented...
Merci, Monsieur le President. The advice from the Transition Matters special committee of the last Assembly was that there should be fewer priorities. We produced a list of 22 priorities versus the 25 for the 18th Assembly. Hard choices were not made. We ran out of time and energy after an intensive orientation with a looming leadership selection process.
I do not support some of the priorities set by this Assembly. Some work at crosspurposes with each other. Some of the priorities provide precise direction while others are extremely vague. The priorities provide very little direction for the...
Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.
Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, and I want to thank my colleague from Yellowknife North. He's covered off a number of my concerns, particularly with regard to P3s being used increasingly by GNWT.
But the other aspect that the report goes into, and this was found in the audit by the auditor general, was that there was overspending on capital by $32 million during 2019-20. You know, the 50 percent mark was a certain figure, and we only generated a $46 million cash operating surplus but we spent $78 million on capitals using the fiscal responsibility policy.
So even though our government failed to...