Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe it is time to rename some things. In the last year and half of this Assembly, I propose we start with the lake just down the street here, Great Slave Lake, Mr. Speaker.

Great Slave Lake, it was named after a Cree word “Awokanek” which refers to the Dene people being "Great Slaves." Mr. Speaker, it's 2022. I don't know why we still have a name that honours the history of slavery between warring nations long ago that was essentially picked by European explorers.

Mr. Speaker, I love that lake, it is a great lake, but its name does not do it justice. There are...

Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on the review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 20202021 and commends it to the House.

I believe I've got about six pages here to go, Mr. Speaker. So bear with me.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed the 20202021 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. The Official Languages Act requires the Commissioner to prepare an annual report. The report includes information on the number of complaints filed. It can also include...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this brings me to my next question, which is that, you know, the targets that I think we've set out are unrealistic, yet the fact is we are using 30 percent below 2005 levels for 2030. The federal government has recently changed to 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

It was previous GNWT policy to always follow and mirror the federal target. Now all of our documents are at a much lower rate, and we don't even seem on path to meet them.

So my question is are we going to amend the climate change strategic framework and the Energy strategy to once again...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now about half of our climate change reduction targets in the 2030 Energy Strategy and our climate strategic framework are dependent on us building the Taltson Hydro Expansion. And I am looking forward to the department releasing the business case on that sometime in the near future.

But my understanding is, you know, in order for that to happen, we need about $750 million from the feds; we need about $250 million of our own money; we need an increase in our debt ceiling; we need three new mines to exist around the lake; we need the support of Indigenous...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Thebacha, that Committee Report 2919(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 20202021 be received by the Assembly and referred to Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now in our 2030 Energy Strategy under the longterm section, there's one small reference to small nuclear reactors. And there's yet to be one licensed in Canada as is noted in our life's strategy. But the federal government has recently announced an action plan for developing small nuclear reactors. I've heard many in industry talk about this as a potential solution.

I'm just wondering if the Minister could update the House whether the GNWT is doing any work in this area or whether further plans will develop on the small potential of small nuclear reactors. Thank...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I was hoping we could at least somewhat acknowledge that there is a world where this billiondollar project doesn't happen and we have put some thought in how to meet our climate targets.

Additionally, when you look at the 2030 Energy Strategy, all of the reductions in there are actually with us building a transmission lineto the diamond mine so they are in hydro. But I'm pretty sure when we get this business case, phase 1, which is the expansion of the dam, phase 2, which is connecting the north and south grids, are well past 2030 already. And the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Every once in a while, in this House, I like to plagiarize a statement from one of my former predecessors partly because, you know, a lot of the issues in this House require consistent advocacy, and sometimes you just can't say it better yourself. And today, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to deliver a statement from my predecessor Jaydence White of Youth Parliament, the Member for Yellowknife North, who did a great job in this House, and I believe that statement bears repeating.

Mr. Speaker, there is a climate crisis in the world. The Government of the Northwest Territories was...

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. And I know the Canadian supply, Canada is working to improve its contribution to global vaccine equity. We probably have not lived up to the covax commitments as we should. But I know we're a small jurisdiction and I'm just hoping the Minister of Health can add her voice and make sure when she speaks with her federal colleagues that we are adding our support to meet the covax requirements and to make sure that vaccine equity is a priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.