Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2019-2020, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is the same question that I had asked when this came to light, to my attention. As I have said, I have looked into the nature of the four appearances. There were four appearances, and my understanding is that it was challenging to coordinate a flight down to Fort Smith because this individual had to appear back in court. Now, there are, no doubt, ways to avoid that. I think there are going to be, hopefully, ways to avoid that in the future, whether it is through encouraging and improving video appearances and access to video appearances, whether it is by encouraging the various parties...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the last few years, there has been an awareness that women need to have alternatives available to them if they can't be transported to Fort Smith. In the last few years, part of the facility at the North Slave was designated to have four spots for women, specifically. Indeed, in December of this past 2019, those four spots were full, and, therefore, a woman was not able to stay there. Usually, she would then be transported to Fort Smith during remand. Unfortunately, on this occasion, despite efforts between the RCMP and corrections, that wasn't possible. There were...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an occasion where I'm tempted to simply say, "Yes," and sit down, but perhaps I'll elaborate. I'll elaborate very briefly, only in that this is a conversation that we've already been having in the Department of Finance, recognizing that what the finance department does can sometimes seem unnecessarily opaque, and it doesn't need to be that way. In my past life, a lot of what I often did was translate things from legalese into good public communication, and it is my hope to bring some of that to what happens in our Department of Finance so that we can all better...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am aware that there have been studies compiled and work has been done. I would just like to confirm what stage those numbers are at in terms of their publication. As I said, I can confirm that this is a $40-million estimate for phase 1 of the project. There are other phases to the project, and I'll just confirm the status of those numbers and, if I can release them, I certainly will. I apologize. I'm not familiar enough with where those studies are at.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is the contribution of the GNWT towards the project. A larger proportion of the amount is being funded by the federal government under the National Trade Corridors Fund. This was a successful application by the Government of the Northwest Territories for this partnership with the federal government and, as a totality, this part of the Slave Geologic Province will fund quite a number of things. There will be the initial environmental assessment, which will include studies of everything ranging potentially from water, water use, water quality, wildlife, permafrost...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a little more faith in the system, perhaps, insofar as the nature of the three protected areas is such that they are investments by the Government of the Northwest Territories as well as the federal government, and in partnership with the Indigenous communities and Indigenous governments of those areas; so I am perhaps a little bit more optimistic as to their future and the future partnerships between the governments.

I can note for the Member that Environment and Natural Resources is continuing ongoing research into the long-term planning in order to make sure...

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are three jet boats and one truck that are being purchased for the operations and management of three Indigenous and territorial protected areas, the Thaidene Nene, the Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta -- I am looking over this way for some help -- and Dinaga Wek'ehodi. I will practice over the course of Indigenous Languages Month, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Obviously, the important questions to understand, and I guess the one thing I would point to is that this did go to tender. As far as being the appropriate machinery for purpose, and as being a competitive price for purpose, I would simply point to the tendering process and place faith in that for the purposes of this current appropriation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present the Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2019-2020.

The Supplementary Estimates document proposes an increase of $1.3 million comprised of the following items:

$418,000 for an enclosed cab snow blower for the Fort Smith airport that is fully funded by the Government of Canada's Airports Capital Assistance Program;

$400,000 to initiate work under the Surface Structures Adaptation for Climate Resilience project agreement at the Mike Zubko airport in Inuvik. This project is 75 percent funded by the Government of Canada's Disaster...