Kieron Testart

I appreciate that explanation from the Premier. There's a clause in that Devolution Agreement that allows us to take disputes through that process. Is the Premier going to use the Devolution Agreement to bring Canada to task on this issue? I should point out that it's not a permanent ban. It's a five-year ban that can be revisited, so is the Premier going to wait for five years until we can revisit that decision or are we going to access the Devolution Agreement to start these negotiations early and as he's clearly stated, he's a strong believer in this economic opportunity. Are we going to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the issue of offshore drilling, most Arctic nations have noted several concerns related to offshore drilling. The environmental sensitivity, remote locations with limited access, oil spill response, and winter Arctic conditions, limited Arctic class drilling and marine infrastructure, late season operating challenges such as limited daylight and ice conditions. The proposed solutions to these problems haven't often worked. I'd like to ask the Premier if he believes that industry is positioned well enough to safely conduct Arctic drilling in our waters or offshore of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on our last sitting day to address an issue that has been bothering me for quite some time. It is indisputable that the North has an abundant wealth of petroleum resources. Many of those are located offshore in the Beaufort Delta. What we have heard from the Premier is opposition to the arctic drilling ban, and while I have some questions about that, what I really want to know is what we are doing to support oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories.

I know that the Minister, in his state of the economy address, shall we call it that, earlier this...

I'd like to thank the Minister for that commitment. I didn't even ask for it, but it's very good to see this is being taken seriously. I've been told by some members of our community that they are looking to leave the territory to find a more favourable environment for family unification. Currently, it is a lottery system. I wonder if the Minister has any information on if any of those lotteries were awarded to northern families and if the current process that the federal government operates is benefiting Northerners or if all those lottery visas are going to southern Canada.

Thank you. Thank you for that. In the consultation around this bill, was Territorial Tobacco Products consulted on this and did the business provide comment on the purchase method? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Considerable progress has been made toward realizing our mandate priorities, but there is much room for improvement. We have set out broad directions for more focused attention. Specific comments and targeted areas for improvement are outlined in appendix A, which for convenience follows the format of our mandate. Performance on the individual items listed below is a detailed accounting of progress on our mandate and the state of our promises to the people. It bears repeating that we are fully accountable for this record as Regular Members and Cabinet. We must deliver on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Government Operations concluded a public hearing on Bill 15: An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act on April 6, 2017. A public clause-by-clause review was held on May 29, 2017. The committee heard from Mr. Roger Walker, owner and general manager of Territorial Tobacco Products, who raised concerns about tobacco tax collection that are outside of the scope of the bill. The committee understands the Department of Finance has taken Mr. Walker's concerns into consideration and has responded accordingly. The committee thanks Mr. Walker for his...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to move to Item 12, reports of standing and special committees, on the orders of the day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I do appreciate the Minister's comments about limited resources. I guess my concerns around this are: I know that a study was done many years ago on a new courthouse facility, but it just seems like this thing keeps eating money, as there are constantly new concerns that seem to be coming forward. It is an office tower that has been modified into a court facility, and the judiciary is intertwined with the Department of Justice, which is not an appropriate separation of power.

There are many concerns here, so I guess my concern is: although I know we have limited fiscal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, immigration enriches our communities, enhances our economy, strengthens our diversity, and grows our population, which is a very important goal for this government. Though the benefits of immigration are indisputable, the policies that govern immigration are often complex and difficult to make effective in various jurisdictions in Canada. Mr. Speaker, immigration is a shared responsibility and much of it is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Our government operates its own nominee program through the Departments of Industry, Tourism and...