Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Monsieur le President. The recent release of the Health and Social Services System 2019-2020 Annual Report paints a picture of many major health conditions and trends for the Northwest Territories. There are some positive outcomes shown, including a decrease in potentially avoidable mortality due to preventable causes, as well as those due to treatable causes; a decrease in the rate of children in permanent care; a decrease in the proportion of mental health hospitalizations due to alcohol or drugs; and a decrease in workplace safety claims.

However, the overall health of our residents...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can someone just give me a rough figure? Like have 50 percent of these been converted now to fee simple title, or 10 percent, or 3 percent? Can I just get a rough figure of how many of these equity leases have actually been converted to fee simple title? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. It's not often that we have to deal with motions in budgets in Committee of the Whole. Look, as I said earlier, we don't have the funding for this. This shouldn't come as a surprise to the Minister. I raised this in January with the Minister that, if the funding had not been secured by the time this came to the floor, I would bring it forward, so it doesn't come as a surprise to the Minister. I'm not saying anything against our staff who have probably been working hard, trying to get the federal government to pay some attention to us, but the fact is: we don't have the money...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I have some questions about the 911 program. I know that, when the legislation was passed in the last Assembly, there was a cap placed on the fees that were going to be charged to phone lines. I think it's $1.70 and it's in place for three years. The fees clearly are not covering the cost of the program. Where is the rest of the money coming from? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I can provide some assurance that they don't really seem to line up. I am looking at statement of operations. It has very different numbers in terms of expenses and revenues than what I see on 360. I am just trying to figure out how these two relate to each other. Why don't I just cut this short, Madam Chair? If you guys would actually present stuff in ways that were understandable, it would be far more helpful. Why don't I just seek a commitment out of the Minister to provide a written explanation as to why the annual report figures differ than what is in the main...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess if I ask the question, I have got to live with the answer. I don't find that an acceptable response, though. That it would take more than four years to actually implement this. That is just totally unacceptable, so I just leave that on the record. One of the other pieces of legislation that the department is apparently working on is the Property Assessment and Taxation Act. I served on Yellowknife city council from 1996 to 2007, and we were talking about the necessary changes to that legislation when I was on council. That is at least 13 years ago, maybe 14 years...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I was talking about a different line item, but I think I have a better appreciation for it now. I'm just curious, though. There was an annual report for the Western Canada Lottery Fund that I think was tabled in the House by the Minister on November 5th, and there is just one line item here about revenues. Why is there no sort of page in here that discusses money in, money out for the Western Canada Lottery program? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I'm just more than a little bit worried about the pace of this. I was in the last Assembly. We passed the changes in August of 2019. That's more than a year and a half ago now. I know COVID has obviously slowed things down. Has the department identified any resource needs, financial needs, for community governments to implement this legislation, and if so, is it found in this budget? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Why would we expend the $650,000 in 2019-2020, which probably was the year, then, that Arctic Winter Games were held? Can someone explain to me why these figures are flat when, last year, the one in Whitehorse was cancelled? Thanks, Madam Chair.