Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the vehicle asset is already expected for delivery in if August of 2024 but is expected to be used for the transfer of female offenders, and that facility is still required. It is the only female unit we have in the Northwest Territories. And so there's really no avoiding of that.

With respect to the security upgrades broadly at the entire complex, again, that was largely already incurred, significant dollars already incurred in 2023-2024. This is just completing the last bits of that contract. So it's -- we can't -- there's no room to stop something that is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there is, indeed, an overall asset management plan and capital project plan for NTPC and, you know, some of that involves studies that are being done around what alternatives and changes could move forward, what communities might see, you know, advancement of hydro projects and, in some cases, those studies can be funded elsewhere, or in other cases can be delayed, and in other cases, again, some of the future improvements projects can be pushed back or have planning done in advance hopefully to produce better estimates, although, again, in this case, it was --...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is exactly part of the conversation that's being had with officials, again both in ITI and Infrastructure right now, and the purpose of the conversation is to sort out what businesses, what entities had the opportunity to take on insurance. I know MTS was pushing the importance of having insurance to help support in the event that there was a low water level and a reduction in barge service being unfortunately the situation of having now no barge service. You know, who had that opportunity, who maybe made choices not to take on the opportunity, what...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I believe what the Premier had talked about last week was conversations that began in part with Minister Macdonald who also happens to be the MLA from the region. And, yes, the idea of shifting from having a correctional facility to having a wellness facility at this time is uncosted and unplanned because it's part of a proposed budget. Just as one might want to see changes in upgrades or changes to different departments' budgets, which have certainly been the discussion on the floor of this House, both in COW and otherwise, increasing budgets without costing...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to make sure that I have the right number in this. Around $40 million, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this project makes good on a promise dating back sometime to when the original Mackenzie Valley Fibre Line was under consideration and under development. That work is advancing and, in fact, is advancing this summer. We did have an opportunity that we were happy to make use of where the folks that were doing the work on the Yukon portion of the line are already mobilized, which will reduce costs for us by utilizing them and utilizing that opportunity to complete that section of fibre up to Tuktoyaktuk, and having had some significant engagement and some...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it is showing as being aligned to the Fort Smith correctional complex, which obviously does house both the men's and women's facility, and the one latter -- or the men's facility being one which is now targeted for part of a reduction and to be moving forward towards hopefully a shift into a wellness facility of some fashion, subject to discussions with the community and the vision that they may have for it. So obviously there may be changes that are coming to where this project will go in a capital project -- where the capital project will go in the next fiscal year...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some good news to report in a broad sense. The project for the Taltson watershed area and the potential expansion of the Taltson is proceeding under an MOU. And it's an MOU that involves the Akaitcho First Nations as well as Metis governments of the region and of the Taltson watershed. And we've had more than one steering committee already in the time of this government. One, in fact, in person, where the group travelled to see what underwater tables would look like along with members of the steering committee as well as members of their council. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly happy to do that. As I've said, I understand they've looked at having a retail end point. Our perspective has been to put at the markup, which is really the end that we control. So to ensure that we all move forward on a policy that makes sense to everyone, if we're going to do this review, I'd be happy to meet with them and make sure that we're all speaking the same language. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a policy in place from the financial management board that supports having our local producers receive a discount on the markup. So the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission places a markup on all cannabis products that come for sale in the North. For our cannabis producers here locally, any cannabis producers here locally, they get a 10 percentage point discount, which equates in real numbers to being almost a 30 percent discount on that markup. Thank you.