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Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 41119(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 20212022, be concluded and that Tabled Document 41119(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in a formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Of course one of the principles of these court cases is intergenerational equity and that is actually one of the considerations that is supposed to be used in drafting a statement of environmental values that  sorry, quote: "Statement of environmental values that explains how environmental considerations, including the right to a healthy environment, will be integrated into decisions that might have a significant impact on the environment." End of quote.

Mr. Speaker, that quote is from the Environmental Rights Act that was...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks, Madam Chair. Well, I look forward to the Minister opening the vaults and sharing that information and when I get it, I'll look at it carefully and probably have lots more questions about this money because I just think that we would get a much bigger bang for our buck and help serve three communities for the same cost of doing this one project that I just think is not  you know, there was a lot of feasibility work done on the mini hydro projects as well that was in some of the information I tabled in the last Assembly. And I just don't get why our government wants to invest in this...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question's for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources who should actually be the Minister of Environment and Climate Change still waiting for that change.

In my statement earlier today, I noted how the Yukon government has established a youth panel on climate change and that they met virtually for the first time in January of this year. Can the Minister tell us whether we will ever get a similar body for interested youth in the Northwest Territories and if not, why? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks to the Minister for that level of detail. Kind of hard for me to understand why mini hydro would be any less durable or last less time than a big hydro project like Snare which actually requires a massive investment to replace turbines and all kinds of stuff. And your technical folks will know way more about the work that's required in the Snare system to keep it going, because that was built in the 1940s and is going to require a massive investment to modernize and update it again. So, yeah, if there is any more detailed work that's been done to  you know, do some sort of comparison...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I get a commitment out of the Minister to provide a list of the studies, their cost, and could she make the studies available if I ask for them? On a confidential basis, of course. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Okay, thanks, Madam Chair, and thanks to the Minister for that. I guess this gets back to some of the reasons why I actually voted against the capital budget, because I just felt it was unrealistic and there was I think almost half of the money in the capital budget was a carryover from the previous year, and I just felt that there's no way we're actually going to be able to get all this money out the door during a pandemic, and I'm concerned about getting some of this money out the door even in this sup as well. So, yeah, until we get a better tracking system and a more realistic capital...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks, Madam Chair. I raised this in previous a capital budgets. I had understood the Department of Finance was going to develop some kind of a tracking system for carryovers, because we've had growing and very significant carryovers over a period of time and that's another question I'll ask at some point, but. And the tracking system was supposed to kind of categorize the reasons for carryovers. Sometimes it's got to do with cash flow from another party or, you know, inability to get the money out the door or there's no contractors available to do the work, or weather, or whatever. Is that...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thanks, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 41119(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 20212022; and Committee Report 1619(2), Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Short recess

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Merci, Monsieur le President. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, June 4th, 2021, I will move the following motion: Now, therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop a food securities strategy by engaging Northwest Territories residents, harvesters, and agricultural producers to develop a coordinated and comprehensive approach to programs and services with specific targets, actions, and timelines.

And further, that the Premier appoint a Minister responsible for food security to lead this work; and furthermore...