Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that new information, and I would really urge that he share that with the public and potential interests who are looking for oil and gas up here. I am not aware of it ever being made public. Mr. Speaker, there are now 91 significant discovery licences that cover about 4,650 square kilometres, or 82 percent of the size of Prince Edward Island, onshore in the Northwest Territories. Another option open to the Minister is to issue a drilling order whereby rights holders would have to conduct a drilling operation under the terms and...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is very helpful. That is the expenditure category. Where is it found in the program detail? It looks like there is a large-ish increase in implementation. Is that the function in which this increase is found? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. I take it, then, that he had really no options. Prior to devolution, the federal government issued exploration rights in the Northwest Territories, including exploration licences. In converting these exploration licences to significant discovery licences after devolution, were there any provisions available to the Minister to charge annual fees?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The Minister, in his opening remarks, talked about how there was a $250,000 increase for finalizing and implementing lands, resources, and self-government agreements. Is that the line item that is found on page 124? There seems to be a $250,000 increase just for implementation. Is that what the Minister's opening remarks refer to? Thanks.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to recognize a couple of Pages who are residents of Frame Lake: Monika Kunderlik and Grady Stabel. They have been working with us throughout this long sitting, and I really appreciate their efforts. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. If there is that much over, why is there no difference, then, between the main and the revised estimates shown in the two middle columns, 2018-2019, for travel, or is this something that only shows up, then, in the public accounts? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The Minister also talked about increases in travel. The travel budget, if you look further down on page 121, it is almost double back to 2017-2018. It is now $420,000. Even from last year, it was $170,000. That's a huge increase. Is this travel, then, related to trips to Ottawa and Cabinet having these open houses in various communities throughout the Northwest Territories? Is that what's happening here? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am glad to hear the Minister say that. It is quite an antiquated piece of legislation. I would hope that it makes into transition reports from your side of the House and our side. That is something that needs to be done. That's all I've got, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am actually suggesting that. I think that is what a number of Regular MLAs have been suggesting for the last three years, the development of such a plan. It is fine to have more services available online, but not everybody has access to the Internet. Not everybody knows how to use the Internet. We have a growing population of seniors who, I think, would find that function particularly helpful. Can the Minister commit to preparing such a plan? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am trying to understand what the problem is here. If there are additional resources required, why not prepare a plan so that we know what those are and whether it is over three, five years, whatever, that is fine, and how that function is going to be carried out in the regional centres, the capital, to have the Single Window Service Centres. I don't understand what the problem is in preparing a plan. Can the Premier try again? Thanks, Mr. Chair.