Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For those who are not acronym-savvy, SLAPP stands for "strategic litigation against public participation," and this is the use of the courts, essentially, to silence criticism or public advocacy of a project or a policy or something that a private interest does not want to be criticized about. A number of Legislatures are considering similar legislation. The British Columbia Legislature has since passed an anti-SLAPP bill, and it received all-party support in their Legislature.

This is a really important issue. It is imperative that we protect the public's interest to be...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to speak in strong support of this bill. The ongoing commitment that this Assembly has made to improve its code of conduct and make changes that will allow it to be enforceable and tangible. It gives much comfort to our citizens and those who expect a high standard of behaviour and conduct from their elected officials. I am pleased to stand in support of this important legislation to improve our democratic institutions. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommend that the Department of Finance table on annual report in the Legislative Assembly on the carbon tax that provides detail on: total carbon taxes collected; carbon taxes collected from large emitters; total rebates provided; number and nature of grants provided; costs of administrating the carbon tax; reinvestment of carbon tax revenues; projected tax revenues for coming year; and an annual plan for future year reinvestment of carbon tax revenues. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories, led by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, complete its work to address the municipal funding gap on an urgent basis, taking into consideration the increased costs of the carbon tax to all local authorities, and that additional forced-growth funding to compensate for these costs be included in the 2020-2021 budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that, for all bills proposing to establish, replace, or make significant changes to territory legislation, a plain language summary be prepared and made available to the appropriate standing committee at the time is introduced in the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as an ally to add my voice to the grave and tragic issue of forced sterilization. This is not some past, dark chapter in Canadian history on which we have turned the page. It appears, based on several class-action lawsuits in front of the courts right now, that this barbaric practice is still in use. We hear now more and more voices rising up, sharing their stories, the traumas, and their terror of having been coerced into sterilization. I want to commend all of those who have spoken up to ensure that we hear their stories.

Mr. Speaker, contrary to popular...

Thank you. I think that's a much more balanced assessment than what the public has been told with most of the advertising and materials that have been put out there, so I appreciate that clarification.

My second question is: we've heard a lot about how the federal backstop is much worse for the North. Can the Minister produce a costed federal carbon tax plan for the NWT that is specific to the NWT, informed by data drawn for the NWT, and has been previously shared with the department so that they are able to do their own assessment of their plan versus the federal backstop plan? Can the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I spoke previously, it was as the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and now I speak as the Member for Kam Lake. I have spoken with Kam Lakers about this very issue, and many of them are torn because they do care about the environment, they care about climate change, and they want options, but they are also faced with the reality that the North is already a very expensive place to live and work.

I have heard from businesses, as well, who say they cannot afford another cost and encouraged me to work to improve whatever this bill would ultimately...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, this is a way to ensure that the tax is being monitored for effectiveness and that any rebalancing of grants and rebates to offset any drawbacks from our local economies or territorial economy can be properly assessed by making necessary changes to the carbon pricing scheme. This motion is calling for or recommending that that be done in a formal and public process by the time the carbon tax reaches its full amount of $50 per tonne. Thank you.