Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, so the regional strategic environmental assessment is led by the federal government. So far be it for me to speak on their behalf, but I am aware that there's been some delays in getting that underway. I'm also cognizant that certainly some of the regional governments are indicating, and the federal government has confirmed, that we would -- that this project and its environmental assessment can move forward even while or in tandem with a regional strategic environmental assessment. It's been our understanding and expectation, frankly, that the two can be...

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll direct this to the assistant deputy minister, please, MacKay, please.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'll get it right this time, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, first I want to acknowledge the frustration on the Frank Channel bridge and certainly have also been watching that project over the last short while and was certainly looking forward to seeing it at a different stage of completion. This was a project that is expressly in the Tlicho Infrastructure Cooperation Agreement, and that is an agreement that is certainly -- it is unique in terms of how we are conducting procurement. So that uniqueness sometimes has taken a little bit of time, but certainly the hope here is that once we get to a place where an agreement...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there was a lot of nodding at this table when the question was posed. So as far as being cognizant of the possibility that this could create another way in which to bring assets and supplies in, you know, yes, the answer is yes. As far as it -- my understanding, there was a fairly old dated business case for the Slave Geological Province that is in rather dire need of update. We're not, again, at that stage yet. But that -- yes, again, the short answer is that definitely creates the potential for a corridor. I mean, you know, as I said earlier, really, if...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, these are fairly small-scale projects. For example, some of the projects I was describing are under $100,000 or sitting at around $250,000, and for lighting, it's not -- those aren't necessarily projects that are, you know, significant. Heating upgrades, similarly $100,000. So my point with that simply being that while we don't necessarily have everything lined up at this point early on, this is for the 2025-2026 season which does provide a fair bit of time and a fair bit of room to still maneuver, so there will be some money that could lapse certainly but at...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to be quite frank that building morale and changing morale and changing culture are more difficult than simply the action plan or the specific action item in any particular framework. It is really about creating cultures of change and showing the culture of change within the public service. So I do want to acknowledge that it is critical that the public service return to a place of good morale. It's been a difficult few years in the territory for a number of reasons, and that will no doubt affect people's state of well-being in the workplace as well...