Shane Thompson

I think there was about four questions in there, but I'll try to answer them all, and if I miss, I apologize.

So the first is the funding in regards to each community have their infrastructure. In 2007, the Municipal and Community Affairs came up with a new deal. The new deal, the money is allocated by a funding formula and so since 2007 to 2022, the department gave Behchoko, in the community public infrastructure money, of just over $15 million, the gas tax funding of just over $10 million. And communities make decisions. They make priorities. So they have to make decisions on what they think...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the 2022 Winter Olympics ending this past Sunday, like a lot of Canadians I spent a good part of my evenings watching various competition. It was amazing watching our Canadian athletes perform on the biggest stage.

As many are aware, Liam Gill represented Canada in the snowboarding halfpipe event. Liam is a proud descendant of a long line of Dene from the North and represent the Dehcho Dene as a member of Liidlii Kue First Nation. Upon hearing the news, I reached out his grandma to congratulate her on his accomplishment.

Like most Fort Simpson residents...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Operations Report 20202021 Western Canada Lottery Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Al Reimer Award is given out yearly by Western Canada Water or commonly called WCW, not the wrestling company. This award was established to acknowledge an operator member of an organization who has provided distinguished service to the profession through the association and to the provincial operators association. Recipients have provided faithful and meritorious service to the field of public water and of water waste. Al Harris was recognized for his dedication to the water industry.

Nominations for the award traditionally comes from members of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are updating the funding policy to incorporate recommendations from the review. The work is being planned and will be completed by 2023. MACA continues to seek funding during the annual business plans that reduce the gap and adjust for inflation at all levels. And the Member talked about it. It's all levels. Whether it's federal, territorial, or municipal, we have a role to address this.

As well, the department is always looking for solutions to help reduce municipal costs. And when the Member talks about the, you know, federal government, as soon as the...

Thank you, and I thank the Member for starting a Member's statement. I can do a Minister's statement on this, actually, and speak long on it.

So in 2014, MACA and NWTAC actually met and started working on it. So the group that was involved, it was political and this administration with the department and from the communities and NWTAC. Some of the things that they focused on was, you know, government funding, including flexible funding arrangements, community governments' accountability, responsibilities, changing community needs, regional roles of some communities, ability of small populations...

Thank you. That's a loaded question. I wish I could say yes, but right now it's not within our bailiwick. We don't do those things. But we would encourage the municipal governments to work with that, work with the Indigenous governments, to be able do those things. I know in some of the communities; i.e., the one community I live in, the friendship centre, the village, the band, the Metis, get together and provide these food baskets and people donate to them that way. So they do that right now. I don't think that's a Department of Municipal and Community Affairs directive but we're willing to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Archie Steven Reginald Charles Kaglik was born in Aklavik on the 19th of May, 1950, to Mary Kaglik, daughter of Louis and Sarah Kaglik. Archie grew up in the Mackenzie Delta with his mom, brothers, and sisters, along with his aunts and uncles. Archie attended the SAM School, a federal day program, and was a residential school survivor.

While at school, Archie was very involved with the Cadets and gymnastics club. Archie reached the rank of sergeant, and was very proud of this. There are many photos of him with his cousin Frank Gilet who was a senior officer...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn't agree more that the communities are our backbone. I totally agree with it. I spent 23 plus years with the department, that kind of aged me, and I understand the importance of it. And I understand the department, and I've seen the work that my colleagues and now the department has been doing.

So as the Member said, the federal government has been an important partner in municipal funding infrastructure.

The gas tax agreement provides $17 million annually on a permanent basis. $17 million. Could we get it more? Yes, we reach out to them all the time for that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the 20212022, it's basically approximately $36 million. So the second part of the question is what will it cost. Over $3 billion in investment in their infrastructure, which is basically not $5 million but it's going to cost them $70 million a year to replace it. So when the Member says, well, we can achieve that, it's not that easy to achieve, to find $70 million. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.