Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Madam Chair. I've got a couple of questions about some line items on page 240. Maybe I'll just start with utilities. Back in 2018-2019 there was $38 million for utilities, and now, it's down to $35 million. Can somebody tell me why that bounces around a bit? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I pointed this out weeks ago to her, so the delays in developing the new guideline and opening the SEED program application are difficult to understand. I think we have to be able to do a lot better. I listened to my colleague from Kam Lake ask questions last Thursday on the Minister's responses on the SEED applications to date. Can the Minister tell us whether there are any plans to seek additional funds for SEED or modify it further in light of the pandemic and need for economic recovery? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Chair, if I'm getting a bit frustrated, it's because I've raised this now probably for about three years in a row. I was here when this revolving fund was set up. I've seen the growth in this fund. I want the money spent. Yellowknifers deserve to have this money spent. Northerners deserve to have this money spent, especially at this time. Then I keep hearing that there's no plan. I can't even find out if any of this work is going to take place this summer. That's not a good place to be, Madam Chair. I hope that we're not going to be in the same place a year from now because I'll be back...

I don't want to get into a debate with the Minister, but it certainly was eight weeks since this House actually approved a full contribution funding for the department. There seems to be little clarity around the amount of funding for each of the eight SEED streams, and whether that money is divided regionally or some other way? Some of my constituents have said that that uncertainty is not very helpful. Can the Minister tell us whether there is any allocation of SEED funding by stream, region, or any other means, and how this will be communicated to the public?

Thanks, Madam Chair. I don't think I got an answer to my question. Are there going to be any capital projects at the Yellowknife Airport this summer that start to draw down the surplus? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. The Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development, or SEED, program is promoted as "one part of the Government of the Northwest Territories' ongoing investment in a diverse, sustainable economy." This is obviously increasingly important as we move towards economic recovery from the pandemic.

The Assembly passed an interim budget that included the first quarter of operational funds for each department on March 16. Some departments also received all of their grants and contributions funding, including Industry, Tourism and Investment. This was done in...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I'm not interested in having the money spent somewhere else. This was a big debate and discussion around setting this up in the first place that, if people were going to start paying fees to land and take off in Yellowknife, the money was supposed to stay in Yellowknife for the improvement of this airport. I still didn't get an answer: when is the 20-year capital fund going to be completed? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I have one quick question that I would like to ask the Minister about. What is happening with the regulations to prohibit the sale of vaping materials to youth? I am sure the COVID stuff has, maybe, put a delay in that, but it was a very, very important issue when the changes to smoking legislation was brought forward in the last Assembly. I think it's something that we have to deal with and we still need to deal with quickly. Can I get an update from the Minister? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair, and thanks to the Minister for that. Can the Minister tell us when this plan is going to be ready and if it can be shared with MLAs even in a draft form? Thanks, Madam Chair.

So what is the plan to deal with this deficit? I don't blame anybody in this room for that. This is an issue of chronic under-funding of our healthcare system. Is there a plan to deal with this deficit over the long term? Thanks, Madam Chair.