Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if this is a new policy or process that we are going to be moving money around to Crown corporations so we don't have to follow government procurement, can you provide me or this House with the copy of how that's done so that maybe all the other aboriginal groups can negotiate in the same way? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure and also the Minister of Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Can the Minister explain to me what policy process was used to negotiate the fivekilometre access road to the wind project, which was awarded to a consortium led by an Alberta company? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that this is a fiveyear project, but this is a timesensitive section that needs to be done so that other layers can be put on later on. What is holding up this section of the project to put the lift down so that we're protecting the permafrost? Why can't we go ahead with this?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As one of the MLAs from the Beaufort Delta that is present here today on our last sitting day and is able to ask questions to the Minister in this House, I will continue my questions to the Minister of Infrastructure as this project is one of the most important infrastructure projects that's happening in our regions.

Can the Minister update this House on the decision her department has with regard to the Inuvik Airport Runway Extension Project and if the time sensitive part of the project will occur this year as this employs a local contractor and this Cabinet has said...

In favour.

You know, like I said, this is a crisis. There are 98 percent of children in care. They are Indigenous. We need a wholeofgovernment approach to change this. This hasn't changed since residential school. Do I have to speak to the recommendations from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Inquiry? Do I have to repeat what the TRC says? This is the crisis. This is an ongoing crisis. And so yes, I support this motion. And I think everyone in this House should support this motion. Not blaming anyone in this House that they created this. It's just a crisis and we need to come together as a government...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Are you able to hear me? Okay, thank you.

First of all, yesterday I had made comments to the opening or to general comments, and my comments didn't show up for the record. So what I wanted to say first was that I want to thank every person that spent the time providing the information to our committee for this report. It was a difficult some of the information that we received was very difficult. We were able to hear from families affected. We were able hear from youth in care. We heard back from many different other organizations. And so I'm very grateful for all the...

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, I understand that there's big projects, or P3 projects. This is a fivekilometre road, an access road. It's not even a road; it's an access road. So if this is the new process, it's the first time that I have heard of it. If we are negotiating with Alberta companies, then I think that it's time that we reviewed that process because I am sure that there are at least four other aboriginal road building companies in Inuvik, Fort McPherson, and Tuk, that could have been negotiated with. Not being led by an Alberta company where the money's going to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this money was approved in the House by the Members and by processes, loopholes, it gets moved around, it gets moved to the Crown corporation led by our deputy ministers. So can the Minister explain the process in the negotiation to select that they used to select the contractors? Thank you.