Caroline Wawzonek

Again, this is an occasion where Husky originally had their processes done or their bids done in 2011 and 2012, and there is an element of fairness in the regime that we have to ensure to include at all times so that no business or industry of any sector is going to think that they come in here under a certain regime with a certain set of expectations and have it changed under them. In this case, while yes, if they intend to go out onto the land and conduct activities, they will have to be filing their benefit plans, and those benefit plans then have to now be made public. That is under the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories does indeed consult with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations at the stage of when there's a call for bids. It is much earlier in the process than where this particular item is at. In this instance, what is relevant here is Section 30 of the new Petroleum Resources Act, which actually says that the Minister shall issue the significant discovery licence if certain conditions are met which, indeed, they are here for Husky. As such, I won't have any discretion in this particular instance. The reason that the...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the release of Living Well Together, the online Indigenous cultural awareness and sensitivity training program for employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Developed by the Department of Finance in collaboration with the Departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services, Living Well Together replaces the GNWT's previous Aboriginal cultural and sensitivity training for its employees. It is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call for action with respect to...

I take my responsibilities as a Minister very seriously. I, certainly, am not going to stand and act in anything other than in the interests of the public of the Northwest Territories, but that includes, Mr. Speaker, an understanding and awareness of the rule of law and legal advice that we might receive as Ministers. I don't act on my own. I don't act without advice. I don't act without looking to the department. I don't act without looking to the Department of Justice when the time is appropriate. This was an usual legal problem. I could see that from day one when it came to my desk. We...

It doesn't say a veto. It doesn't say that the party must, shall, but it does say, as may be agreed to. Mr. Speaker, as I had said earlier, when the processes come through, if indeed there are to be new calls for bids, which would then move through exploration licence, significant discovery declarations, and all the way through production, this act now governs that entire evolution. This act will create a system, one that is reasonable, one that is certain, one that people can actually understand what is expected of them, and including the fact that you do now have the ability to make these...

This licence has been subject to significant review from the Department of Justice because of the fact that there was so much that had to come in from the past and into the present. That has been some of the challenge here. I'm not trying to avoid the question. I'm just trying to make sure that I'm not here on the floor of the House getting into something that really has gone through significant legal review, as I've said. I would certainly not expect that there is going to be less fees offered or a freer ride now than what it has been in the past. The significant discovery licence here flows...

As I mentioned earlier, the particular instance here of Husky Oil is one where the call for bids stage took place in 2011-2012 under a pre-devolution regime, under a totally different regime than that which is envisioned by the new Petroleum Resources Act. The new act certainly does give the opportunity at the earlier stage of that call for bids to include rentals and fee structures and opportunities to really increase the possibility for revenue, but again, in this particular instance, we are well past that stage. I would also note that, yes, the new act includes the opportunity for issuing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we have already heard today, yesterday was International Women's Day with a theme of Choose to Challenge. I want to use this opportunity to thank my colleagues, my friends, and my neighbours for their support that gives me my opportunity to choose to challenge in a position not often held by a female. By this, I mean very literal support. My partner works at a remote mine site and had to adapt his work rotation in order to accommodate the risk-mitigation precautions for COVID-19. His extended rotation was not what we planned on when I ran for elected office. The...

That's a challenging one to solve, Madam Chair. No, and I don't mean to laugh to make light. I suspect most people in this room would not disagree. Right now, the ITI-focused programming does tend to be project-specific or event-specific, whether it's direct under, for instance, the Northern Arts Festival or through the SEED programming that does tend to supply funding for events. Again, ECE and ITI work quite closely in terms of the arts strategy, and we've had some discussions about we have a great strategy. What will we do to ensure that there is the funding to meet its goals? I don't have...

Thank you, Madam Chair. We were really just waiting for the IGC process, the intergovernmental council process, to be concluded with the protocol there. With that done, I will commit to getting a full outline of our expected timeline on this to the Member. Thank you.