Rylund Johnson

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Department of Education, Culture and Employment work with the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to address potential barriers that can cause higher electricity bills for people on income assistance in housing units.

Madam Chair, this should include reviewing the 2018 policy change that transferred more responsibility for electricity consumption from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to tenants; and, whether this change resulted in increased income assistance from Education, Culture and Employment or an increased number...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I understand we got about $40 to spend on this perhaps from the federal government. I can't remember the portion of that money that was ours. I guess I I'm still slightly confused as to the timing of all this and the steps and, you know, I note it's quite easy to just spend a few million dollars on geotechnical for a road that, you know, we need another $750 million to eventually build, at least. And I know we have some lessons to learn from the Mackenzie Valley Highway of being in environmental assessment for a decade or so.

I'm just hoping the Minister could...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't anticipate having any questions during the detail, but I would just like to echo the Minister's statements that I'm happy to see this bill coming forward. I think it was great work to get this done so quickly, and to date, the territory has not seen, you know, nearly the level of opiate deaths that many other jurisdictions have had, especially our neighbors in the Yukon are going through a tragedy over there, but I think the more we can make naloxone accessible and make sure is on hand as a harm reduction measure, the better, and we'll eventually save lives. So...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question actually, I'm just going to have one question for the Minister of ITI, who is also responsible for the procurement review.

One of the recommendations was to review the schedule of grandfathered businesses in the BIP registered businesses. So my question for the Minister is will the Minister remove Walmart as a BIP business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, can the Minister give me an update on how much room is left then in our cap; how much more money could we borrow. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. Every time the office of the DMV changes their hours, it makes news. First they allowed walkins. Then they only went by appointment. And just recently they added two more hours to allow walkins. I'm pretty excited that maybe the DMV will one day get back to regular appointments.

My question, though, is looking forward at the operations of the Yellowknife DMV, is the Minister of Infrastructure willing to have the office be open evenings or weekends, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I mean, perhaps I would like a little more information from the Minister of Health. I get there was also this onetime funding to minimize risk in long-term care, but I'm also curious to the extent this money was spent on making sure that risk is minimized going forward. I know we're not really in the same position as southern jurisdictions with very large private centres, but I'm just kind of curious what the plans are for this $8.5 million. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I never thought I'd be so excited for the Fire Prevention Act, but I'm really looking forward to that piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that Nunavut, after creating a Building Standards Act essentially hired a contracting firm to review the plan review function. My understanding is here we have one person who reviews the plans, and if they go on vacation, simply just no plans get reviewed.

I believe a good way to solve that problem would give the fire marshall a budget to have a contractor on hire as a backup for plan review. Is that...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I know there's kind of a longterm average here but I suspect that for the Department of Finance's for future projecting that $22 million we'll continually be short, and I know there are some other cost drivers in this area. We've been re-negotiating some of our water bomber contracts and helicopter contracts, as the Minister noted.

I guess, is there a plan to revisit that figure, and can the Minister speak to what are some of the other areas driving costs in fire suppression? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A quick Google search will tell you that the Fort Good Hope seniors home officially opened in February of this year. And then it didn't open. And then the GNWT said it would open at the end of summer. And then it didn't open.

So my question for the Minister responsible of Municipal and Community Affairs is when is the Fort Good Hope seniors home going to open?