Robert C. McLeod

The Departments of ENR and Education, Culture and Employment are preparing to undertake a feasibility study in 2019-2020 for the northern centre of excellence. In light of the recent Aurora College foundational review, it was determined that the scope of the feasibility study would be revised to consider the outcomes of the Aurora research review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think that one of the reasons that I have lasted so long as a Member in this Legislative Assembly is my ability to work with all of the Members of the Legislative Assembly. I think that is clearly demonstrated. I do listen to the advice of Members, and there are times where somebody actually has to make a decision. We have made the decision that we are not looking at lowering the corporate tax at this particular time. Thank you.

The mandate also has 234 other items besides this one particular one. We have made progress on a number of those items, and we will continue to do so. However, this is not one of the ones that we have treated as a priority at the moment. I have said before, and I will say in the House again, that our plan is not to decrease the corporate tax.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When a significant discovery declaration is applied for by the proponent, we as a government, through the Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations, is required to review and identify the proponent's discovery and a declaration qualified as a significant petroleum find. Once they do that and it is deemed that, it has to come to my office, and as the Minister of ITI under the Petroleum Resources Act, I am obliged to issue an SDL, which is a significant discovery licence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, we have a longstanding relationship with the Inuvialuit Water Board as well as with the other Water Boards across the Northwest Territories. It is extremely important that we work closely with them to advance issues. They work cooperatively on a number of public outreach activities such as regulatory guidance, training, and education. At this year's World Water Day in Tuktoyaktuk, ENR staff will actually be going into Mangilaluk School with staff from the board and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, to provide education outreach to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Annual Report 2017-18 NWT Hydro Corporation and NWT Power Corporation." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have been a Member of this Legislative Assembly for 14 years, and I think that that is because I have demonstrated an ability to listen to people, take people's advice, and bring their issues forward. We have 235 items on the mandate, a little too big, in my opinion, and I think that part of the advice that we should provide to the next Assembly coming in is to lower the number of mandate items and get to one that is workable. We have done that in the past. It has been successful. That doesn't mean that we are not doing our job in fulfilling a lot of the mandate commitments. We continue to...

I knew that it was coming, Mr. Speaker. At the moment, we are not planning on decreasing the small business tax. Thank you.

The GNWT has signed three trans-boundary water agreements with its neighbouring jurisdictions. In 2002, we signed one with the Government of Yukon. 2015, GNWT signed trans-boundary agreements with Alberta and British Columbia. Under these agreements, traditional local knowledge is a cross-cutting theme. Traditional local knowledge is important for setting and assessing trans-boundary objectives and forming all aspects of learning plans, informing long-term monitoring, and informing decision-making under these important agreements. Mr. Speaker, also in 2015, the GNWT signed an intergovernmental...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, International Water Day, as the Member pointed out, is held usually on March 22nd, and it aims to highlight the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of freshwater resources. We recognize the importance of that. Earlier this year, the chair of the Inuvialuit Water Board reached out to our office requesting support for an event planned for the community of Tuktoyaktuk to celebrate this year's World Water Day. In October of last year, I provided a letter of support and committed department officials to work with the board in a collaborative...