Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to examine my authority in this regard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like any other new matter, item, concern, question, safety issue, or otherwise, the process would be the same. Obviously, departments would consider often what's happening in other jurisdictions, could consult locally with municipalities, jurisdictions, regional governments to see what needs there may be.

In this particular instance there is, in fact, quite a number of jurisdictions who are struggling with the question of what to do appropriately to balance considerations for Escooters. And so the Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administers and...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: 20242025 Main Estimates and the 20242028 Business Plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Fort Good Hope is still on track and fully expected to receive their barging services coming down from the top. So at this point and we do work the Department of Infrastructure and ECE and their hydrologists do connect and receive water reports regularly, so I could certainly perhaps share that. That might provide some additional comfort to the MLA. And, again, through the leadership channels that was mentioned earlier to ensure that everyone's aware of what we're monitoring, what's able. But at this moment, the information I have fresh off of the moment is that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, at the risk of it, I think I've probably already given away a bit of the answer, and the answer is yes, we will continue to do that work. There are there is some interest in the telecommunications space in the Northwest Territories on this but, really, again, there's not a private market that would support having this kind of service in the North. The market is just too small. We will really be looking to the federal government on this one and, again, really partnering likely with regional governments on whose lands or in whose regions these impacts...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the answer is yes; it's how that is really the question here. Just recently the 2023 version of the Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey results have come back. I've had a chance to look at my own department's, Mr. Speaker. I often do look at other departments, including, in particular, Health and Social Services and the health authorities. I know other Ministers are doing the same. That is an important starting point. It gives us a sense on a number of indicators, including morale and training and engagement, to be able to connect some of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll try not to go on for 35 minutes again, Mr. Speaker, with respect to the budget. But on a high level, first of all, if the government has the fiscal capacity to invest in the Northwest Territories and in the people and the residents of the Northwest Territories over the long term in a sustainable way, then we can continue to provide all of the programs and services. We are running up ourselves right now against a situation where we don't have that fiscal capacity year over year and that one bad fire season can wipe us out with nothing left to show for it and nothing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I had an expectation, given the Member's statement, that this was going to come up today and so I've already been engaging with the department about what the latest is, which is why I've assured that we'll be participating on a national level. But I can also say that in these short time since the Member's statement, I have actually had residents reach out to me and point out that, in their view, having an Escooter might be more safe to be able to be on bike lanes and to be able to use Escooters on the bike lane roadway as compared to relying on large...

Mr. Speaker, with this first budget of the 20th Legislative Assembly, we are changing how we deliver on priorities in a way that is realistic, responsible, and always with an eye on being financially ready for whatever the future might bring.

In February, we released a fiscal strategy for this government to help restore longterm stability in our budgets. This first budget is step one in the drive for fiscal improvement. What’s new in 20242025 are a series of simple but measurable changes to ensure solid fiscal fundamentals today, while we help the Northwest Territories build for the future...

Well, Mr. Speaker -- Mr. Speaker, I'm often in a situation where I have to just say I agree and then want to sit down. So I've heard the Member's statement earlier. The carbon tax is a challenging one for the Northwest Territories. We're at the front lines of climate change. We desperately need to see change in terms of the approach to overreliance on fossil fuels. At the same time, this is a jurisdiction that doesn't actually contribute, certainly on the part of residents, very significantly to it. So I hear that concern. And I hear it particularly from parts of this territory who are on LNG...