Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am overjoyed to have a renewed call from this side of the House to lower small business taxes. This is an issue that I have raised, holding the government accountable to its mandate commitment to do exactly that, each and every sitting. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance today: I didn't notice a decrease to small business taxes in the budget; when does he intend to fulfill that mandate commitment? Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I rise today to speak on the importance of learning new languages and how language learning connects us to our culture and heritage and is kept alive by the hard work of dedicated community members who promote and preserve language-learning in our communities. Although there are many different organizations devoted to language promotion in the Northwest Territories, I want to take the time today to recognize the NWT branch for Canadian Parents for French and the many volunteers who support the organization.

I first learned about Canadian Parents for French, or CPF...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under the community planning function, the department provides support and advice to communities on their community plans and community planning. Previously, the department also managed the public land and would review any applications for access to that land. Now, that is a function of the Department of Lands.

We have heard concerns over a number of years that communities aren't able to access land for development reasons. Obviously, that is a live issue here in the city of Yellowknife, where my constituency is located. I have heard concerns from colleagues in other...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to get at what I think is the real heart of this issue. This is not a shortfall created by any other calculation than the one that the GNWT has created for itself to follow, with consultation from the NWTAC. Is that correct? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 29, an Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Bill 29 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 30, 2018 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review.

To permit time for the legislative drafters to complete the proposed amendments, I would like to advise the House of the committee's wish to extend our review of the bill, with the intention of reporting back to the House on or before March 11, 2019. Therefore, Mr. Speaker...

Nothing further, noting the clock. Thank you.

I agree. We need to support all of our communities and work together to do that, but this funding gap is no one's responsibility but the Minister's, so I am going to ask: what is he actually doing to address the other shortfalls? We have a plan for water and sewer or environmental that is 50 percent complete. It shouldn't be too hard to fill the other 50 percent, but the vast majority of the funding, there is no plan. What is the Minister doing to address this?

First, I thank the Minister for looking into it. I think the point here is that, if we have legislation that protects consumers and has had proven success in the past in doing that, then we should be looking at how we can advance that. I don't think a lot of people know about their rights under that act or what the department does in this regard. I would like to know why the appropriation has been reduced this year or why the budget has been reduced for this function this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs delivered a statement on community government funding. I would like to question some of the contents of that statement. We see the total gap. We see the $8.3 million that the government has invested into this funding gap, and we have a lot of talk about a 50 percent, covering the gap by 50 percent, all this progress that was made. However, the largest pot of funding that remains unresolved is infrastructure, so how much progress has the Minister made on closing that gap?

How many people or positions are employed by this program? Thank you.