Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That was an excellent response, and I am very satisfied with that. This is a big issue for me. Many people have told me that they share a similar perspective. If we are going to again diversify the economy, it is not just going to be with funding pots through ITI. It is going to be with big, transformative change like that. It is good to know that the department is there, standing beside our communities, behind our communities, and would help them make such a transition. If the Minister of Lands is listening, I will have questions around this topic when we get to that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on an issue which has left me and many Northerners with a bitter taste in our mouths, the sugar-sweetened drink tax. This government has stated that it wishes to address health outcomes in the territory and proposes to achieve this goal by the creation of a new tax. Let me be clear. The creation of a new arbitrary and regressive tax is not the course we should be taking right now.

This tax arbitrarily targets pop only from fountain drinks and pre-packaged cans and bottles. It exempts pop mixed with alcohol, the sugar in your coffee or tea, flavoured...

Thank you. That is fine. I appreciate that the Minister has shared that information with the House. I have met with several municipal officials from across the territory just this week. It is great that we have that opportunity to discuss these issues. My concern is the availability of land to develop for economic purposes. It is a crucial component if we are going to diversify the economy and expand economic opportunities. Local governments are often in the best position to make those decisions.

Now, I know this isn't the Department of Lands, so there is a limit to the range of these questions...

Thank you. Under what circumstances are community plans rejected by the department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to be very clear: I don't fault the department for this gap. We have heard a great deal from this department over my time in the legislature about how they struggle with their appropriations at times and that Members are asking for additional resources that they simply do not have. I see this more as a political decision. It is a decision to fund other priorities, and I think that the Minister has said something similar to that. My big problem with that is that this is not a request that has come forward. This is not a third party or a major infrastructure project...

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?