Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs develop a detailed municipal implementation plan that sets out the information and supports needed by each local authority to ensure successful implementation of NWT-wide 911 service; and further, that this implementation plan identify a realistic time frame for discussion with local authorities and that the department be prepared to adjust the go-live date to a later date, if necessary, to accommodate the consultation needs of local authorities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs work with the Department of Finance to develop a strategic approach designed to secure support and funding to expand cellular coverage in the Northwest Territories as part of a national cellular network; and further, that this strategic approach identify current cellular coverage, along with funding needs and goals for future cellular coverage, and timelines associated with system improvements; and furthermore, that this strategic approach consider appropriate ways to involve the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak to the merits of the government's carbon pricing scheme that will be enabled through the passage of Bill 42. Mr. Speaker, I want to set for the record very clearly that I believe in carbon pricing for Canada. I believe in carbon pricing for the world. A mechanism for carbon, either through market measures or through taxation, are good things.

In the December 14, 2018, meetings of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, otherwise known as COP 24, they reported that, as of April of last year, carbon pricing initiatives implemented or scheduled for...

Thank you to the Minister. That is good news, and I look forward to reviewing that strategy. Looking to the manufactured products application form, it calls for "competitive pricing for the same product or products named above from a southern vendor." Why is it up to small businesses to do market research for the BIP bureau? Is this not something that the bureau could do themselves and then use that to inform the registration of these products? Can the Minister commit to at least changing that part of the application process?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement earlier today I spoke about some of our procurement policies, in particular, the Manufactured Products Policy. I would like to ask the Minister responsible why some of these products are proved in general terms, like winch truck, which has no specifications for what is required in that definition, while others require exact specifications, such as steel garbage recycling containers, 52 inches by 54 inches by 71 inches, bear-proof top. These distinctions seem arbitrary and are applied inconsistently. At least, that is the perspective of my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the following three documents. The first is an article from The Conversation, "Why Insurers are Wrong About Canada's Genetic Non-Discrimination Law." The second is a report of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada titled "The Potential Economic Impact of a Ban on the Use of Genetic Information for Life and Health Insurance." The third document is a background paper from the Library of Parliament titled "Genetic Discrimination and Canadian Law." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is always hard to wait for another strategy, but this one is with committee, so I will do my due diligence on that side. I would like assurances from the Minister that he is going to implement the decisions in that strategy, the specific actions, before the end of this government, and that it is not put off for another government to put on the shelf somewhere. Will he implement the strategy within the life of this government? Thank you.

I am not getting into that policy, which is not before the House at this time, and the Minister has already told us that. Is that an area that they looked at when they were developing it? Was one of their policy objectives to correct this inconsistency between product classifications?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on the GNWT's Business Incentive Program, otherwise known as BIP, and the NWT Manufactured Products Policy. These programs at their core are great concepts, keeping government money in the territory, stimulating well-paying local jobs and spinoff benefits into our economy. Yet, as the old saying goes, the devil is in the details.

Current guidelines to qualify to be placed on the NWT Manufactured Products List require that "the manufactured product must be a product specific and is an item that is regularly stocked or parts of a catalogue of items."...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, and that Bill 30 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.