Caroline Wawzonek
Deputy Premier
Statements in Debates
Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Billy MacKay, the deputy Minister of Finance. And on my right is Stephen Flanagan. He is the drafter from legal division.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm here to introduce Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act. This bill proposes four administrative amendments to the Liquor Act that would benefit from immediate attention.
First, updating personal importation limits to increase the quantities of liquor that a person may bring with them into the Northwest Territories;.
Second, removing enforcement as part of the Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board's role due to potential conflict of interest;
Third, removing the ban on licensed applicants who have been charged with but not convicted of a criminal...
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not in a position to give a specific time at this stage. I am live to comments from committee regarding their interest in the larger piece of this, and I have certainly been working in the last little while with the department towards being in a position to give a more specific timeline. It is certainly my expectation that we will still see the completion of the larger act within the life of this government. But, again, I'm just at a stage of being able to confirm that hopefully before the end of this sitting. Thank you.
Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't necessarily speak to what might be happening mine by mine or project by project. Certainly what I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that indeed, yes, at the Nechalacho Project, Deton Cho are, indeed, the miners of that project. They are the ones running the contract and doing the mining. That is, I think, perhaps maybe a first in Canada; certainly a first in the Northwest Territories. And I can't agree more, this is the way of the future, and it is you know, I think it is something where we are starting to see access to equity change, access to whether it's...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let me just quickly start by saying that I certainly haven't shut the door on the possibilities around the diamond mines, that there is still exploration happening. And while it looks likely that at least one of them will be on its closure date, the others are, you know, I'd like to say that let's just not shut that door just yet. My hope is a little more positive and optimistic.
But as for metal mining, Mr. Speaker, we do have a mineral development strategy. It does need to be updated but it is there. It was developed in conjunction with industry. It is...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, that's a responsibility of all Ministers certainly to be engaging with our counterparts. We all have been engaging with our counterparts. I am more than happy to make the commitment to raise quite specifically, you know, what the Member from Nunakput has said around the impacts of climate change on the North and then the impacts of the carbon pricing system which is within the responsibility of the Department of Finance. So I'll certainly carry that message forward. Again, I'm not don't know how much of a response I will get. There have been a...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, again, much of a similar response in that I'm certainly happy to work with my colleague. Obviously, you know, we certainly do have responsibility under the carbon tax in the Department of Finance but then the subsidy rests with ECE. So I know that there's some work happening with the income assistance review, and so we will ensure that the two departments are speaking to one another about the perspective impacts of the carbon tax issue and then looking at how that might be addressed, if possible, under programs under another department. Thank you, Mr...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a fairly new roll out. There certainly has been funds available prior to now but it was ad hoc whereas now there is a more formalized process by which interested parties can apply. There are, you know, maximums and some eligibility requirements. But in short, Mr. Speaker, it is meant to be a fund that formalizes an opportunity. So precisely as is asked, that governments and organizations can apply, have money to attend conferences, to attend training, to bring training into their communities and to their people. It is being run as a pilot. And I just say that...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to speak to this. I mean, obviously just, you know, noting firstly that the NTPC obviously is responsible for managing its own affairs. That said, I do have the opportunity to meet with their officers and staff and the Minister responsible, and it just so turns out that the Minister responsible and myself are on the steering committee for the Taltson hydro project. So lots of opportunity in that respect to ensure that all the right parties are alive and aware of what projects are in the region, the timeline of the various projects in the...