Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Premier. With regard to the recent evacuations and adequacy of government supports, it's my understanding that evacuation costs are eligible up for up to 90 percent reimbursement under the federal guidelines for the disaster financial assistance arrangements. Page 19, eligible response costs include temporary relocation, shelter, food, clothing, rescue, transportation, and related social and inquiry services. End of quote.

So can the Premier confirm whether evacuation costs for NWT residents, including any GNWT initiatives such as the...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I have law clerk Toby Kruger sitting next to me who helped me develop and draft the bill. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks for the opportunity to offer opening remarks on Bill 29.

I just, first, want to thank the law clerk who assisted with the research, drafting instructions, and legal advice in preparing the bill. I want to also acknowledge the work of the Department of Justice staff who assisted with the drafting of the bill. And I also want to acknowledge the separation of my role on the committee and as sponsor of the bill. I always declared a conflict of interest if the bill was discussed at committee.

Madam Chair, I'm going to take a few minutes to actually go through a number...

Yes, thanks, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to talk to this. I think this is, you know, unprecedented times that we're in. We've talked about this earlier today even. It's not going to be possible for us to hold fair elections on September the 2nd as originally planned given that 70 percent of the population of the NWT has been evacuated. This would affect the majority of the actual ridings in the NWT as well. You know, so I think we've taken the advice of the chief electoral officer seriously. I think the only, I guess, piece of new information here is the date of November the 14th...

Thank you. In favour.

Yes, no, thanks, Madam Chair. I guess lastly, I will have a number of comments that I'm going to make about the adequacy of the evacuation transport financial assistance program, whatever it's called, and the fairness and adequacy of that as well as some other supports that I think are needed as some of the other Members alluded to, but I thought that it was best to make those sorts of comments at second reading of the supplementary appropriation bill that should happen later today.

But I do want to thank my Cabinet colleagues for the work because I know that they are working very hard on all...

Thanks, Madam Chair. Can we anticipate seeing another supplementary appropriation, then, for the last sitting of this Assembly, scheduled for late September, that would perhaps deal with the firefighting issue but also support financial support for evacuation, you know, other costs associated with the emergency that's, you know, presently throughout the Northwest Territories. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Okay, thanks, Madam Chair. So this is going to leave us in a huge hole, obviously. Clearly, we cannot possibly be in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy, probably even after a couple years. But can the Minister just tell me what the supplementary or the reserve is at this point and how much over we're going to be as a result of this sup and yes, we'll start with that. Thanks, Madam Chair.

In favour.

Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. Just quickly, I'm in Edmonton; I want to thank the firefighters, volunteers, contractors, and our Alberta hosts.

I'd like to know, though, from the Minister whether we actually have a total estimate of what the firefighting costs are to date and what it's likely to be by the end of the season and whether this supplementary appropriation is going to be enough? Thanks, Madam Chair.