Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll start by saying that I feel kind of silly that this is the second motion to remove what I see as somewhat of a random number from the COVID secretariat. I believe I have to bring this motion to distinguish from the previous one -- I'm not sure if I'm allowed to speak to the previous one. Sorry, Mr. Chair -- In that this is just me doing my job as an MLA. I believe the projections of what we're going to spend on isolation centres and what we will actually spend don't line up.

This is an attempt to give clear direction to Cabinet and to the Chief Public Health Officer...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. For years, a governance review of the Power Corporation since its board was removed and replaced with deputy ministers has been requested. It's been promised by previous Ministers, but it has not been delivered. We now find ourselves with a new Minister asking the board to review themselves. My question for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation is: what has happened in the last four years since the board was removed in regard to a governance review, and how much longer is this going to take? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I look forward to that work. I find it's truly exciting. One of the other issues that we have seen is: it has been very difficult for apprentices to find journeypersons and journeypersons to find apprentices, such that, if you are in a community and you want to be an apprentice, you often have to leave. Four years away from home can be a long time. If you are a journeyperson in that community, it can be hard to find an apprentice. However, I think some of the steps we have taken with putting Aurora College online really can be used in the future to pair journeypersons and apprentices up...

I have no further questions, Madam Speaker.

I am glad to hear we're at 25 percent. That's pretty good, and we're on track to getting to 40 percent. I do note that the short-term goals the Minister refers to are to be completed by 2021, so that gives us one more year. Specifically, one of my favourite sections which I've brought up is the support the residual heat and biomass district heating section. Can I get an update on how that short-term goal is working and whether it will be completed by 2021?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's good to see you in the big chair today. I hope you can keep this unruly bunch in line. Madam Speaker, the first week of November is National Skilled Trades and Technology Week, and I would like to congratulate all of our new journeypersons and top-mark earners. My colleagues and I have spoken at length about the need to increase the amount of tradespeople in the North, and I know it's a shared priority both for the Minister and all my colleagues in this House.

However, the numbers are not just low in the Northwest Territories. There's a trade shortage across...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am embarrassed that I have to sit here and support a motion to end fax machines in the use of the health and social services sector in 2020. I do not even know how to use a fax machine, Mr. Chair. I recognize that there are some complications here. One is getting Alberta's records and our records to be able to share digitally. We need to do that. I recognize one of the other issues is that sometimes the Internet is not all that reliable in our communities, so we rely on fax machines. I guess that ties to a larger problem, of making sure that all of our communities have...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to bring some context to these motions as, both, our Information and Privacy Commissioner put a lot of work into these. I would like to thank her for many years of service. Our new Information and Privacy Commissioner has a big task, as well as the Department of Justice, in bringing this act online. I really do believe we have one of the best ATIPP acts in the country. However, it is not presently in force, and there is a lot of work to do. What this motion speaks to specifically is, typically, ATIPP coordinators have been located individually in all...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just would like to rise in support of this bill. I am sure my colleague, Mr. Simpson, is happy to see that this bill will pass first reading today and we will, ultimately, I believe, lower the small business tax rate. I really think the backbone of our NWT economy in recovery must be our small business. As we enter into a world and compete in a world where capital increasingly gets held in the hands of large businesses, I think we as government have to do everything we can to support our small businesses. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to move the motion for the establishment of a special committee on reconciliation and Indigenous affairs.

WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly agreed upon a priority to settle and implement treaty, land, resources, and self-government agreements;

AND WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly also agreed upon a priority to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

AND WHEREAS the Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly believe that a special committee could seek and encourage discussions and...