Kieron Testart

Thank you. Mr. Chair, I think the question is not: "will the Minister change the existing SDLs?" It was: "what comfort can he give to people who are concerned around the existing SDL regime that there will, in fact, be economic opportunity produced by these licences?" It doesn't have to be heavy-handed; it doesn't have to be drilling orders, but there has to be something there. If the department has no answer today, is this something that they can look at cooperatively with industry so that we can see some work move forward? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address a sadly reoccurring issue: disruptions to our digital connectivity. Since the beginning of 2019, we have dealt with three roughly day-long service interruptions; May the 8th, July 13th, and yesterday, August 12th. I must acknowledge that the incidents are still under investigation by the RCMP, and I trust that they will do their utmost while investigating these matters.

However, I am concerned about the bigger issues these incidents have brought to the forefront of our attention. Every time we have an outage of this severity, it first and foremost affects...

Thank you. This legislation proposes to change the terms of SDLs in particular and to provide for some certainty that work will be done before extensions of term are granted. Those are fine, and those are the kind of things that I think are a better approach to the old federal artefact, as I call it, but I would like to know if those new terms will apply to the existing SDLs that have an indeterminate term. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So what is the term of existing SDLs in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just before we get into the actual business of reviewing the legislation clause by clause, I would like to ask some questions on significant discovery licences, and hopefully the witnesses can oblige. How many significant discovery licences, or SDLs, are currently in the Northwest Territories or have been issued to rights holders in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. How much revenue is this expected to bring in year 1, year 2, and finally, year 3? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Committee Report 20-18(3), Report on the Review of the 2017-2018 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report, be deemed read and printed in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. My understanding is that the majority of land transfers or land title transfers take place in the City of Yellowknife. Is that information correct?

Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 54, Standard Interest Rates Statutes Amendment Act. Mr. Speaker, committee wishes to report that Bill 54 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole, and, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(5) and have Bill 54 moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you. What is the policy rationale for increasing these fees? Thank you.