Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to speak to, it's not a question, it's just a comment. I support these supplementary estimates or the requested appropriation, in particular, the $1.5 million for the purchase of four portables at St. Joseph School. That school is in my riding. It's the largest elementary school in the Northwest Territories. I have risen in this House before to speak about the space needs of the school. This is something that this school district was looking to bring forward, so I'm very pleased that the government is providing assistance to the School District of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for responding on an area that there is not much meat on the bones, so to speak. There is a public concern over the use of this technology. I think we are reminded of some public engagement that went on earlier in this term. Clearly, if this is the way of the future, and the Minister is confident that the industry is moving in this area, and the economy is moving in this area, is he willing to commit to put a discussion paper together or some talking points that could be shared with the public so we can get Northerners in on the conversation and...

Thank you to the Minister for clearing that up. I am glad that this government is on the case. I think nuclear is one of those areas of energy that gets a bad rep because of some very high-profile global disasters, but that shouldn't persuade us away from looking at the potential. Canada has had nuclear reactors operators in southern provinces for many years, such as in Ontario, who has a famously successful nuclear program that hasn't had any major problems.

I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of any territorial jurisdiction that could allow us to pursue our own nuclear program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that assurance. As the Minister knows, the Prime Minister of Canada committed to allow the NWT to keep all the revenues raised from the carbon tax. I have heard the Minister say that there is going to be a program that will mitigate any new taxes that will impact our already too high cost of living, but that other important piece of public policy is leading the way forward to a green economy with renewable energies and less carbon-intensive industry. Is the Minister proposing a carbon plan that will do that as well? Because the only thing I heard in his...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chairman of the Committee of the Whole leave the chair and report progress. Thank you.

The deadline the federal government is calling for is March 31st. Will the Minister be prepared to implement our carbon plan before that deadline?

Does the Minister have that information with him today? The line item, how much it has been adjusted by in the main estimates? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to speak on the issue of climate change as my honourable friend, the Member for Yellowknife North did. Everyone from Her Majesty the Queen to His Holiness the Pope have addressed climate change as the key crisis facing the planet and future generations. I'm really pleased to see so many leaders in the world step up. Just 10 years ago, there was a still a debate on job-killing carbon taxes, and now everyone from industry to the grassroots are calling for carbon pricing as a method to curb carbon emissions and ultimately reduce the impact of our...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates, 2018-2019. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Visitors to the Legislative Assembly today may have noticed the Union Jack flying over our building, and that is because today is Commonwealth Day, the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, which throughout the world is being celebrated by the organization 53 member states.

More than 2.4 billion people live in those 53 nations that make up the Commonwealth, accounting for 30 per cent of the world's population and representing every continent on earth. The theme of this year's celebration is "Towards a Common Future." This day not only symbolizes the...