Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so building on that, many staff reported in the survey that they feel they don't have appropriate access to data and information in order to do their jobs effectively. So what is this government doing to ensure that confidentiality and secrecy is not our default mode, our default operating mode, to maximize the extent that the work that our staff are doing is actually being shared and made public? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's quite a range of items under this. So as I mentioned, the sort of action committee that's formed from across departments, one of the very first tasks that they, in fact, have is this particular action item. It's to ensure that there are mechanisms and effective mechanisms so that employees can provide feedback and suggestions and in a way that they feel safe.
Mr. Speaker, we do still have, of course, an MOU that exists for safe disclosure that is, frankly, underutilized and so happy to have this opportunity to remind folks that that is there for staff to use should they feel it appropriate or necessary, or uncertain, then they can certainly look at that.
Mr. Speaker, there's always efforts across government of just being -- of doing a better job of communicating some of the work that departments are doing and that staff are doing, not the least of which would be an example of yesterday or in the Sessional Statement of today. And, of course, Open NWT continues to work towards having more information made available about what's happening within government. So, again, quite a number of items, Mr. Speaker. If there's more to add at this point, I suspect a follow-up is likely to be tabled on this particular answer and will add to it in this regard as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, finally, there was a large decrease in satisfaction particularly amongst employees of our divisional educational councils. And I've certainly heard myself from the NWT Teachers Association about growing struggles to attract and retain teachers. So how is finance working with ECE to address these concerns from educational council employees? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's -- obviously, there's staff across the departments that are involved in this work but, quite specifically, there actually are individuals from the education councils who are involved, as I said, on this committee that's supposed to start moving some of these actions forward and supposed to be monitoring the success of them. The education councils are somewhat separate certainly from what may be happening in ECE, and so it was important to have them included and involved. The problems and challenges they may have could be quite different and different likely across regions. So that first action item that they're tasked with, again, the mechanisms for feedback, suggestions about how to understand what might be coming from a headquarters' vision, that is likely to be one that -- well, at least we expect is having a significant impact on education councils. So, again, they are represented on the next steps of what we're doing, and they -- that will be a big part of what's happening as a first step. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Canadians are pretty clear that they're fed up with the consumer carbon tax in this country. No matter who the next Prime Minister's going to be, there isn't going to be a consumer carbon tax. So my question to the Minister responsible for -- the Minister of Finance, is she ready to ditch the consumer carbon tax in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, it's -- I mean, I may have my own personal views as well but let's keep it to the processes here. And, Mr. Speaker, if or when this tax gets cancelled on a federal level, this Assembly can certainly expect to be revisiting that issue as well. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we're often accused of being slow to move as a government. We have a bill that can be brought forward and axe the tax tomorrow. So is the Minister willing to support that legislation, Bill 3, and get rid of the carbon tax in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, until there's a change in the federal legislation, we are still obligated to comply with some form of carbon taxation and so, again, pending what may or may not be happening on a federal level or when, then we will certainly want to make sure that we're ready, and it's very helpful and handy to have something at the ready when that day comes. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I find it unlikely that a prorogued parliament and a government paralyzed by a leadership contest is going to be ready to impose the backstop. Let's give Northerners a carbon tax holiday until the feds can sort their business out. Can the Minister commit to giving Northerners a carbon tax holiday until the federal election? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I'm not mistaken, this particular bill actually might be with committee and so not for me to comment further on here. And as far as trying to circumvent whether or not we're supposed to comply with a federal law, again, Mr. Speaker, the only response I really can give is that we are supposed to comply with the federal law. But, again, the bill is before committee and so certainly happy to see how that process may unfold. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the committee were to be supportive -- well, that's a hypothetical.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister -- the Minister can also zero out the regs. She doesn't need legislation. She could make the regs zero dollars for the tax, zero dollars for the revenue. Is the Minister willing to do that? Again, we have a golden opportunity to give Northerners a break for a couple of months. The Minister, lower our cost of living, give Northerners a break, give them a carbon tax holiday. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have on many an occasion provided this House, both this government and the last, with my own frustrations with this carbon tax and the bit of stink I've raised with the federal Ministers responsible for putting us in the situation we are in.
Mr. Speaker, certainly, again, happy to go and look at it and if there's a way that I can appropriately and responsibly get ourselves out from underneath this tax, that's fine. It's not really a time where I necessarily want to try to stick it to the federal government or make something difficult or suggest that we're not on side with a federal piece of legislation. So, again, Mr. Speaker, it's -- this is not a tax that is well implemented in the North. We've all said that here. We just want to make sure that we are on side with the rules and regulations from the federal government and that we are doing so in a way that is -- especially particularly at this juncture with what's happening internationally that we're doing so in a way that's respectful and responsible as a member of Team Canada. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because I like asking questions to the Minister of housing, I think I'm going to ask another one.
It's been taking a long time, glacial pace, to get the Aspen Building project up and running. My understanding is the doors were just kicked open the other day, and the contractors start -- finally started work on that. Can the Minister start off our discussion today with what's actually happening and when's that project anticipated to be completed. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Well, good news. The contract has been awarded, as the Member knows, and we're hoping to have completion fall of 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we all know housing opportunities don't runneth over. So in other words, there's not an oversupply in housing opportunities certainly here in the capital or even in the regions and small communities. Mr. Speaker, what was the delay specifically as to get this initiative off the ground and into the construction phase? Because the last major report we had on this was through the Premier's office where they were trying to evict the squatting tenants, as they say, so they could start construction. So can we find out what the delay was. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, with Housing NWT and our contracting process, we have to run through a number of processes and making sure that we're following policies with Housing NWT, including the delay with the encampment, securing the site, and ensuring the employees on site are safe and secure. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear the Minister's now converting to the Minister of process because it seems to come out on almost every answer that the process will be led by the process once we're convened on the process.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister be more specific because the encampment was removed, in large part, out of the way months ago. Furthermore, I think there with a lone holdout still wouldn't have caused an issue. That said, there must have been a real reason that contract had not started. And I'm asking what's the delay because ultimately, Mr. Speaker, I want to know who is responsible for the delay. Was it the contractor? Was it the GNWT? And will we be taking responsibility? I think the Premier's waving at you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm a little distracted here as well. But, yes, there's processes. If I'm the Minister of processes, that's fine. But, again, we have to follow process. We are government. We're a public government. So, again, Aspen Apartments, it's gone through a number of things. We have awarded a contract. The work is ongoing. The site is secure. There was an encampment issue. There's a number of things that happened. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents: Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 303-20(1): Local Housing Organizations Support; Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 306-20(1): Housing Repairs; Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 378-20(1): Housing Waitlist; and, Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Season Planning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
For Housing NWT. Tabling of documents. Minister of Infrastructure.
