Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, trades training: Mr. Speaker, this is an exciting and prosperous initiative in all sectors and more importantly capacity building readiness for our regions and communities.

Mr. Speaker, allow us to go where the puck is going to be. This prepares our game position for workforce capitalization and community qualified service providers. Mr. Speaker, we, the GNWT, have the authorities, together with supporting resources, programs, community labour market plans, options for our federal counterparts to support their programs. Mr. Speaker, the tools in our toolbox...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I recall a number of years ago the two Indigenous organizations there, the GTC and the Tlicho, acquiring substantial amount of training funds through Skills Canada, and I thought that was quite complementary to the training plan that they outlined in the article there. And I'm just wondering if there's some departmental efforts in acquiring a partnership for accessing some of the Skills Canada funding available? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Minister there for mentioning bridging the programs to the people. And I think that's recognizing a gap and here's a bridge to challenge that gap. I see all these unique programs, and I look at what's your Beaufort Delta or Deh Cho or Sahtu regional trades strategy. We can no longer deny that we really need trades. But how we're going to get there, let's think about going above and beyond the budget. Looking at the budget, it's an operational one. Yes, we have these career individuals, but if we're really not doing enough on the promotional side recognizing...

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question to the Minister is on the seniors' home heating subsidy. I'm, first of all, glad to see an increase. And the qualifications for this program is really concerning to a lot of recipients; I'm like many other MLAs from the region that hear these concerns. And it's always the fact of the threshold qualification. The recipients are exceeding the threshold qualification by doing something they've always have done in their past by earning extra money here and there as a pensioner and selling their crafts and/or doing part-time work only to find out that they don't...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu winter road season is critical to the region's resupply. Trucking schedules must be maintained. More importantly, the winter road itself must be supported by sufficient resources for efficiencies, trucking turnarounds, etcetera.

Mr. Speaker, the original truckload estimates destined for the Sahtu were in the neighbourhood of 1,000 loads. This includes essential supplies such as fuel products, not only to our government but the private sector as well, household staples, grocery inventories, and project materials. Mr. Speaker, I know of several...

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to the Minister for that reply. As I recall there, I said it was really a substantial amount of training dollars. I was quite surprised that it was into the several millions of dollars for their training plan. So I thought to myself when I seen it here -- and if you're having discussions with the federal level, I'm quite fine with that there. I just see an opportunity, and I'm just wondering if the Minister is on it, which I take it she is, to acquire a maximum amount of capital there for our training plans. Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll just stop there and reserve additional questions there. But I'm happy with the responses that I've received so far from the Minister on preparations after budget season. Mahsi.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I had to borrow your earpiece there; I think somebody's trying to stop me from setting some demands.

I'm glad to hear that the Minister is open to review that. Like any other efficient policy, it's only good as its periodic or annual reviews. So I shall take that home that -- and tell some of the recipients to the program that, yes, the Minister is going to be reviewing that. We can understandably say that these voices from the recipients to the program are really being addressed on their high costs of living in most of these little communities, and you can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will give notice that on Thursday, February 27, 2025, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, that this Legislative Assembly resolve that the current situation in the town of Norman Wells is a state of emergency for humanitarian reasons;

And further, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to communicate this state of emergency with the Government of Canada seeking humanitarian aid for the community;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's on page 34. There's a Partnership Initiative Agreement - North Slave Regional Training Partnership, and it makes reference to a three-year project with ISC, and I'm just wondering if there's any more of these agreements with that particular Indigenous Services Canada department. If so, if that information could be provided. Thank you.