Kevin O'Reilly

I just love the passion of the Minister, again, and I am sure she can encourage her fellow Ministers to be as collaborative on all fronts with this side of the House. I would like to know, though: how is the Minister going to ensure that the new action plan under the Arts Strategy is put together in a way that it ensures our support programs are designed to take advantage of matching funding in other complementary programs?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, yes, we have got a comparison now between GNWT's approach and what's being done in New Brunswick, so I don't think it's really fair to say that this is what the federal backstop would look like for the Northwest Territories. I just want to make that very clear. The debate, some of the debate, is around that this would cost us less or that the rebates would be larger under the GNWT approach than the federal backstop. This is a federal backstop for New Brunswick. It has nothing to do with us.

The federal backstop that has been negotiated though in the Yukon, this is what it...

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. My statement recounted the disappointed arts community leaders who report that they have long appealed for the collection of hard data on the value of extended productivity of their sector. They say that this kind of data should have driven consultations around the development of an action plan for the NWT Arts Strategy. I would like to ask the Minister: why has the detailed data collection, through a survey of artists, producers, and presenters, not been done? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am thinking about what I want to get on the record because I expect that there are a lot of residents out there listening and will watch what we have done and said here on this debate.

I reviewed what the Minister said in his opening remarks. We've got two pages here of what is an interesting defence of Cabinet's plan about how to make sure that this doesn't impact the cost of living. That's not what a carbon tax is actually supposed to be all about. The words "climate change" are found once in here with regard to the pan-

Canadian framework. Climate crisis is not in the...

Merci, Monsieur le President. The public and stakeholders consultations for the creation of an action plan for the NWT Arts Strategy have just wrapped up. ITI and ECE, who are leading this effort, say this work will now be added to research completed in March 2019 and result in action and new investments. I checked in with leaders in the arts sector who had input into the consultation, and I have not heard much positive as we work towards a fact-based, targeted action plan.

The problem is the lack of hard information specific to the producers and the NWT's operating environment. While...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I agree with this recommendation from the committee. I have made many statements in this House about the need for stronger accountability and reporting around the climate crisis. When I saw the bill, I was quite disappointed that there was nothing written into the bill that provides for or requires this kind of reporting. I support the work that the committee has done to review this and encourage that it be done. I think that it can and should have been part of the bill, so I do support this recommendation. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill 42 be amended by adding the following to clause 14.

14.1 The following is added after Section 20.1:

20.2 (1) The Minister shall prepare an annual report with respect to the administration of this act during each fiscal year including

the total amount of carbon tax collected with respect to each of the petroleum products listed in the schedule and natural gas;

the total amount of penalties assessed and collected under subsections 16(2) and (5) in respect of carbon tax;

any orders for the payment or refund of tax, interest, penalties, or costs under subsection 16.7...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to table the following document. It's three pages excerpted from the Northwest Territories Association of Communities website. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister then confirm that there will be no opportunity for the public to comment on the draft regulations? Yes or no? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I feel like an eager beaver. Merci, Monsieur le President. Your Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of Bill 56: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council Act, No. 2, and the Draft Code of Conduct.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures (committee) is pleased to report on its review of Bill 56: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act No. 2 and the Draft Code of Conduct for Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

The Draft Code of Conduct was tabled in the...