Kevin O'Reilly

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.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, I'd like to be the Member for Inuvik sometime in the future, maybe, but I think they have a couple of pretty good MLAs right now. I'm looking at the 2018-2019 annual report for NTHSSA. The accumulated deficit is $100 million. I'm just wondering if someone can tell me what the accumulated deficit is now for the authority. Thanks, Madam Chair.

I want to thank the Minister for that explanation. We have seen during the pandemic how the limitations and problems with Internet access in all NWT communities has hampered communications, especially for distance education and people trying to work from home. While the Mackenzie Valley fibre link may help some communities, clearly, it is not going to link all of our remote communities either. Can the Minister tell us if there is a plan to improve Internet connectivity in the NWT comparable to southern Canada and, if not, when will that plan be ready?

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Finance responsible for the Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link. My statement earlier today recounted how the expense was justified to this House as a means of connecting our communities to faster and more reliable Internet services. All of the references portray the project as delivering high speed Internet services in the communities, not a mile away with $1 million hook-up cost. Can the Minister explain why the promised improvements to Internet services in the communities along the fibre link has not happened? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker...

Merci, Monsieur le President. This is a statement I made in the House in August 2019, and it rings even truer today as we have all seen the limitations and shortcomings with Internet connectivity during the pandemic. Today, a fibre optic line runs from Alberta to Inuvik. The project, completed in 2017, cost about $95 million and $3 million to operate each year. That fibre link was funded on the understanding that benefits would be shared down the Mackenzie Valley.

Let's go back to the record, Mr. Speaker. As early as 2011, the then Minister of Health was promoting "a very ambitious plan…that...

Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I respectfully suggest that you probably really don't need to do a lot of consultation? There was extensive consultation during the development of the bill itself. Juul Labs, the vaping industry was there; the health folks were there. There was vigorous debate and discussion, presentations. People know it's coming. Can we please just get on and do the right thing for our youth? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate the words of the Deputy Minister and the Minister. I often don't say "thank you," so thank you for your hard work.

Thanks, Madam Chair, and thanks to the Minister. I guess I'll be kind of clear here. I don't want the deficit done on the backs of our citizens. I don't want to see people lined up in the hallways waiting for healthcare and so on. The idea of health system transformation is that we could find some efficiencies. I'm all for efficiencies, but I just don't know how the health authority can make up this kind of deficit over a short period of time. We need more money spent on healthcare. We all know that, and I don't know whether there are opportunities to get money from the federal government or...

Thanks, Madam Chair. Presumably, then, that's to March 31, 2020? Thanks, Madam Chair.