Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of Land Use Permitting and Water Licensing Regulatory Framework in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I'll read the executive summary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment’s, (the committee) interest in undertaking a targeted review of the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act’s (MVRMA) regulatory framework began in the Spring of 2024. This review was largely prompted by committee being...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Mr. Speaker, I have to do everything in my power to contain myself because now I'm really upset, because if we follow the process of the archaeological sites, Alma is designated a thing. And if she is a thing, she becomes a property of the state. And if she becomes a property of the state, what symbolism does that represent that Indigenous people are a property of the state because we have to follow that process? I think it's so important that the opportunity -- the path forward that's being asked by this side of the House is let the Coroner's Act proceed. Because this is a very emotional...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the risks that can happen with, for example, measles and given the most recent example of what's happened by shutting a school down, Mr. Speaker, why wouldn't the department look at considering the option of legally requiring staff to -- staff and teachers to be vaccinated? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was, I think earlier in the return to oral questions, the Premier did cite that he's paid at a deputy minister III up to 300 and I think $26,000. It was actually more than the Prime Minister gets paid, oddly enough. But out of -- I would hope that, Mr. Speaker, that the Premier could be very specific as to what advice he's getting so he can approach the Prime Minister on these initiatives -- he's already lists them, I don't need to go through them -- and what type of political advice he's giving the Premier to help work in collaboration to get the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

All right, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm excited to ask questions to the Premier regarding his upcoming wonderful trip to Saskatoon, and I'd like to know little details and hopefully, we can share this within the House. Specifically, Mr. Speaker, what is the plan or what will the Premier be proposing at this First Minister's conference with the Prime Minister of Canada that suits -- that lines up with the mandate of the NWT but also some of our major significant infrastructure projects; and, lastly, especially noting the tone of the Prime Minister to build and be bold. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, investing in our Arctic road to resources, Mr. Speaker, it's the highway north of Yellowknife, is an excellent, if not a major significant economic opportunity for the North and Canada. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the NWT's GDP alone, you'd start to wonder in this territory, is it trending that people are quietly quitting? Our GDP is shrinking and things are -- maybe no one's taken the opportunity to inform or tell the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, we're going to need some bold brinkmanship action to get in there, lock down, and get some investment in the North...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was kind of hoping I'd also hear some information regarding enforcement. Now, I wouldn't be asking for the spy trade techniques from enforcement officers, you know, the James Bond hiding behind a fake tree or something. But the truth be told is there must be some fundamental issues with meat wastage. In other words, why? Is there any time spent on trying to diagnose why is this such a problem or why are people choosing this approach as opposed to treating the animal with respect or, you know, finding a way to deal with it better, I guess is what I'm...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

You know, I appreciate the shout-out to public health. You know, they do a great job, and they certainly help ensure that people are ready. But, Mr. Speaker, we are talking about the department of health -- or sorry, department of education, not the department of health and, furthermore, we're talking about schools, not that. So I would be curious on what the Minister meant by some type of conversation. Is she willing to take it back to her department to look at is this something we could do, is this something -- how could it roll out and how could it be envisioned and certainly in the sense...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and it's with respect to vaccinations.

Recently, Yellowknife had an outbreak, had to close the school through the community network, making sure that the messages got out there so parents didn't drop their kids off at school and hence the measle outbreak happened, and it went through the process, and we all know measles can be very dangerous and as well, lastly, Mr. Speaker, there are requirements for, for example, school-aged children to get their vaccinations, but the question is more...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in the return to oral questions, the Premier had answered some of my questions with respect to the -- our Ottawa czar. So what advice is he giving us on a political tactic to approach the Prime Minister to find some yeses on our wish list at this particular meeting he's having in Saskatoon? Thank you.