Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will yield the balance of my time until tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister for providing that update. What is our plan going forward now that there's an awareness that there'll be a shortfall for health funding? Is there a chance we can turn this around before we move into our next budget cycle or is this going to be reflected in the next budget? When will this reduction impact the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Speaker, has the Minister spoken to frontline staff or personally toured the facility to see their daily experiences and the challenges they face and, if not, will the Minister commit to do that so he gets a good sense of what our peace officers go through in their daily lives?

I'm sure committee and members of the public are looking forward to that fuller answer. I assume this meeting will be in public so the answer will be available to the public, as they would be in this House?

Mr. Speaker, on the morning of August 10th, an individual escaped custody from the North Slave Correctional Centre and almost immediately this information was in the media, sending the community of Yellowknife into a sense of great unease. Through the commendable efforts of the RCMP, the individual was apprehended three days later, on the morning of August 13th.

I applaud the efforts of our officers in “G” Division. They acted with great distinction in resolving this unprecedented incident in a peaceful manner. However, throughout the crisis the response from the Minister of Justice was...

Mr. Speaker, did this comprehensive review take into account any additional security concerns related to the neighbourhoods in my riding of Kam Lake close to the correctional facility? Was there an assessment done on potential security issues related to the close proximity of neighbourhoods with a correctional facility?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this morning I spoke of an escape at the North Slave Correctional Centre. Mr. Speaker, what corrective actions have been taken to close the physical gap in security measures at the facility? Those questions are to the Minister of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments are similar to the previous two speakers. It's great to see a very healthy number here in capital spending. We talk about investment in our economy and our communities, making the North safer, creating real opportunities for business employment, infrastructure is a great way to go. This is a substantial investment in the Northwest Territories.

That being said, there are a number of issues with the long-term outlook of this investment. We've heard it before, that there will be more investment when time comes, and infrastructure investment is the best way to...

Mr. Speaker, we're currently subsidizing diesel communities in the thermal zones at the rate, the Yellowknife hydro rate, which as the Minister has confirmed is the highest rate. Why do we not use the lowest hydro rate, the Fort Smith rate, for these diesel subsidies, give a break to our smaller communities, and let them enjoy the benefits that the Minister enjoys back at home?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. In each hydro rate zone, which holds the highest rate for consumers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.