Robert Hawkins

So exciting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't contain my excitement. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my next set of questions is targeted to the  I shouldn't say targeted, but being offered ever so kindly to the Minister of education. And so during the campaign, a lot of the teachers complained about the BC curriculum coming in because the lack of foresighted training for  and prep for them. So in other words, they're being handed these packages of saying hey, now good luck, and they had to implement it. Mr. Speaker, what can the Minister of education do to help support these teachers who still haven't...

No, that will be fine. I mean, as I pointed out earlier, some of these are generic headings and from time to time you get people curious on what they actually are. Thank you. No question.

No, I'm okay, Mr. Chairman. I just was just trying to follow the money. Thank you.

I may not have heard the answer because I was writing my next question down. So in fairness. So the climate change preparedness for the North, is there any type of public reporting of this particular initiative? Thank you.

Thank you. So we're still taking money, but we don't have any money in the program? Or sorry, we're still taking applications, but we don't have money in the program; is that currently correct at this very moment?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have two-line activities. One says wastewater surveillance. So what does the public actually see and know about this, and how does it get reported? It's these are powerful words but they're kind of generic. So, you know, somebody would say well, what does that mean and how is it reported? So what information do they gather, where do we find out about what these mean? And setting aside it’s federal money, which is nil, in other words nil to the cost to the Northwest Territories, people are often curious of these types of things as just generic headings. So thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to confirm, is this new money for people to apply for, or is the application process closed and this is an opportunity to backfill some outstanding applications?

Goodness, that was the longest response, Mr. Speaker. But thank you for the detail, and I'm sure Northerners appreciate it.

Mr. Speaker, my last question is this: When consultation went out and asked people their thoughts on the health benefits, Mr. Speaker, it did not present a policy change. So people didn't know, I guess, in some ways what they were agreeing with or knowing what they were going to get. Mr. Speaker, therein lies part of the problem and there is the question, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be willing to send the policy to the social development committee so they can have a...

Yes. Well, I don't want to take it on behalf of committee but I'm sure we won't refuse if they offer. The other thing on this section is can I get some breakdown as to further understanding as what the $1 million is targeted to? Now, I see it's attached to provide funding for businesses impacted by the 2023 fire. Can we get some breakdown, further elaboration as to how that's intended or directed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, it's the opposite. The people wanted the expansion of the program, not reduction of the program. So therein lies the question, Mr. Speaker. How does the Minister of health explain such an aggressive policy that takes away coverage and forces Northerners to become copays in their own health care? Thank you.