Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's my point; right? It's support to northern performers, and we need something to do that and be specific in providing that level of support.

I want to be clear for the record today that I am not advocating we reduce funding to festival organizations. They are a very important part of our Northern culture and our communities, and I would never recommend removing any kind of funding from them. What I am talking about is that there is a real need that northern performers, some of them nationally recognized and awardwinning northern performers, have brought forward to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Canada's legislation is moving forward in almost every other jurisdiction, and even though we are moving slower than some, we finally have a "way forward." Public engagement was an important step in understanding the concerns of residents before developing legislation for the Northwest Territories. I don't take issue with that, but it would seem that it was less about engaging our constituents on their opinions and more about legitimizing the government-administered framework for cannabis regulation and retail operation instead of a true, grassroots-based consultation.

C...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is the third budget of the 18th Legislative Assembly, and the third time that Members have gone through the painstaking process of reviewing the draft budget and providing detailed input to the Minister of Finance and his Cabinet colleagues. I have to say, I am beginning to wonder why we bother.

Before I comment on the 2018-2019 Budget, let me say a few words for those who might be listening, about the role of the Regular Members in the business planning process. I think it is important to explain this process to members of the public. Although this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just because it is a federal issue does not mean we do not have a responsibility to raise these issues that are being raised by our constituents and by people who are leading rallies and protests outside this building to get our attention, so will the Minister commit to bringing this to the federal Minister of Justice or to the FPT table to see if there can be a national conversation or see if the NWT can join the national conversation, and if he can find a way to do this without delay? Thank you.

I do have some familiarity with the jury system, as the former jury administrator for this government. I am pleased to hear the Minister is considering opening this discussion up to the public. Is this just an idea he is having, or is he planning on launching some sort of public consultation on these, the issues that have been raised around fairness in our justice system?

Obviously undoing 150 years of colonization will not be easy. It will be complicated process. So is the Premier prepared to support these efforts at the territorial level and give our Indigenous nations the opportunity to participate in any process as it relates to consultation with the federal government on this framework?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise to recognize two Pages today from my constituency in Kam Lake, Noah Zoe and Stella Smyslo. It is great to have you in the House helping us out this week, and I really appreciate it, and I appreciate all the work of the Pages, as well. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituent, Ms. Kelly Martin. Thank you.

I appreciate this is a sensitive issue, but it is also an important issue, and people need to be heard. I might be asking the wrong Minister, but if the Minister could talk to the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and perhaps consult with that Minister to develop a consultation, a round table discussion, anything really, it does not have to be terribly expensive, but can the Minister commit to having some sort of public engagement around these issues and the broader issue of reconciliation in the Northwest Territories and Canada?