Kevin O'Reilly

I think every single session I have been here, I keep raising these issues and concerns. I just don't seem to be getting anywhere with my Cabinet colleagues. I have tried to suggest a number of constructive ways of improving this working relationship. Can the Minister commit to regular reporting on meetings held between GNWT Ministers and federal Ministers and the tracking of results, for example, the kind of statement that the Minister made today?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I wanted to ask, I believe I heard the deputy minister talk about switching to an Alberta formulary, so I just want to get a little bit more detail about what would we be switching from and whether it's going to leave any of our residents short in any way if they're not covered by personal plans or insurance and so on. Just a little bit of explanation would be helpful. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. The Process Convention on Communication states:

Except under extraordinary circumstances, Members of the Legislative Assembly should be made aware of and have opportunity to discuss significant announcements, changes, consultations, or initiatives before they are released to the public or introduced in the Legislative Assembly.

Would the Minister agree that there is a need to improve communications and involvement with Regular MLAs when it comes to engagement with federal...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I was glad to hear the Minister mention NIHB. Can he just give us a bit of an update of where the negotiations are at in terms of changing that or updating it or whatever? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Regular MLAs have become accustomed to the lack of consultation around this government's engagement with the federal government. Examples of this include:

no consultation prior to signing the pan Canadian framework on climate change;

no input into the NWT position before signing off on a 10-year health accord that means less than the original offer;

no consultation on priorities taken to Ottawa during a week-long entire Cabinet visit on climate change priorities; and

very few meetings of Regular MLAs with federal Ministers during visits to the Northwest Territories...

Sorry. Thanks, Mr. Chair. So it sounds like the earliest there's actually going to be any funding made available is 2018-19, is that what I'm hearing? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the Minister for that list of legislation. We've got the list now. How does the regulation of cremation fit into the legislative agenda for the department? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, monsieur le President. I, too, would like to thank all the students for coming out and watching the proceedings in the House today. I also have two pages who are serving us in the House today. Ethan Horn and Mia MacInnis are from the Frame Lake riding. Welcome to the House, and thank you for your service. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So we get $1.8 million in applications for a fund that is $500,000. That, to me, sounds like a pretty good case for why we should increase the pot of money. I understand the Minister wants to develop some sort of an evaluation framework, but I understood this evaluation framework was much broader than just looking at the value for this money that is invested. I had understood that the evaluation framework was really looking at: are we making progress towards eliminating poverty? Maybe the Minister can help me understand this. Thanks.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am looking at page 168, the anti-poverty fund that is listed on this page. I am just wondering if I could confirm with the Minister that he is of the view that the money that is given out through this program is generally to NGOs and that NGOs make good use of this money and that we are getting really good value for the money that is spent there. Thanks, Mr. Chair.