Good afternoon, Members, and welcome back to the Assembly. I hope that it was a productive March Break speaking with constituents, spending time with family and friends, and getting out on the land to start of spring in the North.
Members will note some changes in the legislative Chamber. Today, the Legislative Assembly will host its first hybrid sitting, with Members participating remotely.
Pursuant to Rule 10.1(2)(b) I have, at their request, allowed the following Members to participate in part of this sitting remotely:
Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Member for Kam Lake.
Honourable Member for Yellowknife South.
Pursuant to Rule 10.2, these Members will be counted for the purpose of determining quorum, are considered to be in attendance, and may vote on any matter in which they are entitled to vote as though they were participating in person.
For those Members attending in person and visitors in the gallery, you will be required to use a headset on channel 2 to hear Members who are participating remotely. Without a headset, you will not be able to hear these Members.
Also for Members in attendance, pursuant to Rule 10.3(2), all votes on readings of bills and any other motion that requires notice will be conducted as recorded votes.
Members, our first hybrid sitting will be a challenge but I know you're up to it. Members have a busy and full week of work ahead of them with important matters before you. This work must be done.
I ask that today, and every day, Members exercise patience as well as resolve any technical issues that arise. Also, it is more important than ever that we talk slowly and wait for your microphone to turn on. And if you do not, the interpreters or those appearing remotely will not hear you.
As always, I expect the respect and courtesy shown to each other will continue throughout this hybrid sitting. Thank you, Members.
Mr. Speaker, the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a stark reminder of the importance of Arctic sovereignty. We share a unique border with Russia the Arctic Ocean. As the Arctic takes a more predominant role on the international stage, we want to ensure that the needs of Northerners remain a priority for Canada. It also means that the aspirations of Northerners be given appropriate attention and that we eliminate the gaps between northern and southern Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Russia has broad interests in the Arctic, including advancing a claim under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that comes to the edge of Canada's 370kilometer exclusive coastal economic zone off the coast of Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. Canada has also submitted a claim.
Territorial Premiers recently wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Council of Federation Chair, BC Premier John Horgan, to convene urgent discussions on Arctic sovereignty and security. We believe that this issue needs to be a priority for all Canadians moving forward. I will be tabling both of those letters later today.
Earlier this month, I attended a confidential briefing with officials at the highest level of military, security, and intelligence branches of the federal government. I've also met with Anita Anand, the Minister of National Defence, and Dan Vandal, the Minister of Northern Affairs, to discuss Arctic sovereignty and security and how we can work closer together moving forward.
The strategic importance of the Arctic has been increasing due to climate change and the opening of Arctic waters, as well as the wealth of resources that the Arctic holds, Mr. Speaker. This heightened interest is not only from Russia but other world powers, like China, the United States, and other Arctic nations. It is paramount for Northerners that we are involved in decisions that impact the North.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to supporting Canada in its efforts to show leadership in asserting Arctic sovereignty by empowering and equipping communities to be both resilient and responsive in the changing geopolitical landscape. From a Northwest Territories perspective, peace and cooperation among circumpolar countries are essential for healthy and vibrant Arctic communities. This is something we value.
Mr. Speaker, northern security is not just about a military presence. It is also about building strong resilient communities through significant investment in critical infrastructure like roads, telecommunications and energy. It also means strong healthcare and education systems and the elimination of gaps between north and south. Decisions about the North must be made by Northerners. After all, Northerners have the biggest stake in a strong and sustainable Arctic.
As outlined in the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a vision of strong, selfreliant people and communities working together for a vibrant, prosperous, and sustainable Arctic and northern region. By achieving this vision both at home and abroad, it supports Canada's enduring Arctic sovereignty.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to working across borders and with Indigenous Northerners to improve the economic, social, and cultural wellbeing of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am very pleased to share the details of a safety certificate training course for new and young workers available through the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.
Workplace accidents and injuries happen to employees in various professions and age groups but younger workers with less experience are often at greater risk of getting hurt. The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission has developed a 2hour interactive online course that will give young workers the basic knowledge they need to help start their working lives safely.
The course training covers the rights and responsibilities of workers and includes important safety topics that are useful for youth, including safety while working on the land.
When they complete the course, they will also receive a certificate.
There are also useful course guidelines available to help teachers, instructors, and anyone working with youth, to help them prepare for their first job. The training course and instructors' guide are available at no cost on the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission website.
Employees play a very important role in promoting and maintaining safety and a healthy workplaces. By educating employees on workplace safety when they are young, we are helping them to build a safer, healthier, and more efficient workforce for their future.
I'd like to also include a thank you to the staff of the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission for putting this website course together.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak about the government's plans to resume work on the runway extension at the Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport. This contract is funded by the Canadian Department of National Defence as the airport is a forward operating location for CF18 operations and will also expand the airport's capacity bringing great economic benefits and employment.
Mr. Speaker, the tender was awarded to a company jointly owned by Inuvialuit Development Corp, EGT Northwind, and the Gwich'in Development Corp.
Shockingly, it has come to my attention that work on this incredibly important project has recently been stopped or delayed by our government. It has been stopped at a time when Arctic sovereignty is top national priority in light of Russian aggression in the Ukraine and despite the fact that Captain Cameron Hillier of NORAD has said the runway will allow a wider variety of military aircraft to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat future threats to North America.
It is my understanding that they have stopped work on this project because of detailed engineering budget provided by consortium is approximately $40 million higher than the government initial costing, which was without transparency regarding its details or core assumptions, and before COVID19 caused disruptions to the global supply chain and increases to the cost of steel and other materials.
It is also my understanding that they are refusing to allow an extremely timesensitive phase of this work to be completed this spring despite the consortium's offer to perform work concurrently to a third party review of the budget, keeping the project timeline on track, protecting Indigenous obligations, and local employment. They have repeatedly flagged the impacts of work stoppage on the overall project timeline. They have repeatedly requested to sit down with our government to find a solution. They have repeatedly requested details on the government's costing to help identify disparities. They have repeatedly offered productive solutions to reduce GNWT risk in the matter and keep this project on track. And yet, our government has not sat down with them, has not provided any details about costing and has not done anything to prevent this unnecessary delay. All our Premier is publicly requesting meetings with the prime minister to discuss Arctic security, and today in her Minister statement as well.
It is clear we cannot have any confidence in the safety and security of our region as our government won't do anything to ensure the safety and security of our country, I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure, thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a decade ago the Supreme Court of Canada released a unanimous decision recognizing that learning to read is not a privilege but a basic and essential human right when it found that a BC student had a right to receive the intensive supports and interventions they need to learn to read. This year the Ontario Human Rights Commission released the right to read inquiry report on human rights issues affecting students with reading disabilities calling for critical changes to Ontario's approach to early reading and curriculum and instruction screening, reading interventions, accommodations, and professional assessments. The report includes over 150 recommendations to address systemic issues and affect the right to learn to read including making access to interventions equitable for all students, improving access to professional assessments, ensuring greater consistency and transparency in the assessment process.
There are certainly differences of opinion on the best way to teach a child to read but regardless on what end of the science of reading that you follow, the need for access to intervention and supports are consistent.
Many students' reading difficulties are not being caught early which has significant consequences. Age 4 to 7 is a critical window for teaching children foundational learned reading skills and is when intervention is most effective. Many students who are not progressing as expected in reading are falling through the cracks and not getting timely intervention and supports, Mr. Speaker.
Literacy does not only have consequences for a child's ability to excel in learning, struggles with literary are directly linked to depression and anxiety, school avoidance, acting, being bullied or victimized, and selfharm. Literacy levels can have negative impacts on employment and lead to lower incomes, poverty, homelessness, and higher rates of involvement in crime and incarceration. Learning to read isn't a 'nice to have' skill; it's a 'need to have' skill and a lifeline, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in elementary school aged constituent of mine is now nearing their audiology appointment after a year and a half and this wait time is standard. Lack of access to speciality services impacts all of our residents, especially our youngest ones and not only with regard to literacy. These services are fundamental to the development of neuro divergent children and youth, to people with Parkinson's and MS the list of it is exhaustive.
Mr. Speaker, the right to equal education includes the right to read, and the right to read and being educated depends on access to support services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during this session, and all throughout this term for that matter, I've talked about the economy and about the need for our government to put greater emphasis on the economic recovery for the people of the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, when I talk about the economy and economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic I you refer to the economy as a whole, to all sectors, to large and small businesses alike within the NWT. We cannot focus on any single industry alone. We must consider the big picture and envision the longterm goals of what we want to achieve overall. We need to think big and we need to do all that we can do to bring back and revitalize areas of our economy that have faltered in recent years.
Mr. Speaker, we need to welcome back all sectors of the economy into the NWT. No economic sector should be blocked from pursuing business interests within the NWT. All areas need to be welcomed back with open arms. Simply put, we need to open the NWT up for business.
We need to rebuild's international reputation as a desirable location to do business. For the last several years, the NWT has been the only northern territory to experience a decline in our GDP levels. Both Yukon and Nunavut have had steadily increasing levels of their gross domestic product than the NWT has. This needs to change.
The NWT cannot remain as an outliner among Canada's territories as a negative economic output as we currently do.
Mr. Speaker, exports, imports and business investment for the NWT all continue to trend downward. Government spending continues to be the bulk of the economy for the NWT, which is not sustainable at all. The NWT cannot rely solely on government for economic activity. The economies of all provinces and territories around the NWT are doing very well for themselves so why can't we be doing the same? How is that the Yukon and Alberta can balance their budgets yet we can barely achieve an operating surplus for the NWT?
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, among the issues that the NWT faces is a lack of revenue and a large amount of spending. The government renewal initiative will likely help to cut some our spending and may help create more efficiencies of our programming. However, we need to be doing more than thinking out of the box for our economy.
Mr. Speaker, we need a strong and diverse economy that can withdraw a storm like COVID19. If our provincial and territorial neighbors can come out of this pandemic stronger than before, then so should the NWT. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mineral resource sector plays a significant role in the development of the Northwest Territories. This 19th Legislative Assembly recognized that fact and committed support to increase resource exploration and development.
Mr. Speaker, over the last several decades, the community of Hay River has played an integral part in the development of the North. For years, Hay River has been a staging point for goods and equipment transported to the community by rail and truck prior to loading on barges for points farther north. Not only are remote northern communities dependent on the marine transportation services offered by MTS, the oil, gas and mineral resource sectors have and continue to rely on those services.
Mr. Speaker, for the next two to three years Cheetah Resources will be moving approximately 5,000 tonnes of rare earth mineral concentrate from the Nechalacho North T pit. Pending receipt of authorization for the Tardiff expansion from the Mackenzie Valley Land & Water Board, and a bankable surface lease from the GNWT, the shipments would increase to 25,000 tonnes per year in 20242025.
Through use of marine, rail, and truck services, Cheetah's Rare Earth Resource Project will have a significant and positive impact on the community of Hay River. Concentrate will be shipped via barge from the east side of Great Slave Lake to Hay River where it would be stored waiting further shipping south via rail and/or transport trucks.
Mr. Speaker, next month, Cheetah is making a trial shipment of 500 tonnes of rare earth concentrate to its extraction plant in Saskatoon. This will provide Cheetah an opportunity to evaluate the intermodal systems this project will require going forward.
To put these quantities into perspective, 25,000 tonnes would be 25 to 35 of MTS's 1000 or 1500 series barges. With three barges per tug, this would be eight to twelve sailings a year. If all the southbound shipments went by rail, it would be about 500 southbound railcar loads and, if by truck, it could be as high as 1300 trucks per year. Ideally, back hauls from the diamond mines would be utilized to avoid an increase in the number of trucks emitting CO2 into the atmosphere. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, the impact on MTS would be increased fleet utilization and additional revenues to offset current operating losses.
Mr. Speaker, for the community of Hay River, it would translate into additional jobs, opportunities for local businesses, increase utilization of the marine training centre, and solidifying Hay River's position as the marine transport hub for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I wish I had done my statement on Cheetah today as well.
The recent announcement on the childcare fee reduction, CCFR, subsidy, will reduce fees by 50 percent on average for families with children five years of age and younger. This only applies for those attending licensed programs where the provider has opted into the program.
Since the announcement of the subsidy, several issues have been raised by providers and parents about ECE's plan concerns around the timeline of the rollout, as well as the pressure being placed on providers to sign on without clear information.
Many questions about policy and procedure remain unanswered and caregivers are burdened with trying to explain the new program to parents when they don't have a clear understanding of it themselves.
A restriction on fees means providers are unable to give their staff the raises they had planned that was to result in them receiving a living wage. Additionally, there is an increase in the administrative burden on what are generally small businesses or NGOs.
The government promises that childcare will eventually be $10 a day and 230 new spaces are to be created which raises questions. With $50 million coming from the federal government, how much is going to be used to physically create daycare spaces in communities that current don't have any? Where are we going to get the people to work in these facilities, new or existing? We already have issues with recruitment and retention and now we are capping the ability of day cares to create revenue for themselves through fee raises. This puts the provider in a hard position of hiring lesser qualified staff and leading to a higher incident of turnover. Staff, I may add, that is traditionally female. Was our new governmentwide gender lens applied when it was decided to cap fees prohibiting providers from giving raises? And what happens in communities where there are no providers?
Again, the unique situation of the North has been overlooked in what is a southern Canadian solution. Many parents in communities rely on family members or unlicensed homes to take care of their children. How are they supposed to access this subsidy? Why hasn't the GNWT fought for an exception from the feds to allow all NWT parents to benefit from this subsidy, not just those in our wealthier capital or regional centres? Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, providers and caregivers continue to write to us, hoping to be heard, and for ECE to really work with the providers to determine the best path forward so that relief can be found and looking for supports so that they can continue to provide an essential service to our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past two years we have seen the evolution of an ambitious innovative mining project in the Tu Nedhe Wiilideh riding. The Nechalacho rare earth mining is the largest private sector project in the riding, and it is having a significant job to business impacts for us.
The project began last summer 110 kilometers southeast of Yellowknife. By the end the first season. Nechalacho had a mine of 5,000 tonnes of crush concentrate over a thousand tonnes of exceptionally highgrade rare earth ore. At the end of the season, 500 tonnes of concentrate of exceptionally high grade ore was shipped by our government marine transportation to Hay River for intermodal train and truck shipping to Saskatoon for further processing. This valuable NWT resource will be further processed for sale to international refineries in Norway and likely Alaska.
Mr. Speaker, this project marks the NWT and Canada bold entry into the global markets supply chain for critical rare earth elements. When we drive our trucks, use our cell phones, click on our computers, or build fibre optic lines, we are using rare earth. They are essential for our clean tech and high tech industry, and the need for them is growing at an incredible rate. The proponent are Vital Metal Limited of Australia and it's Canadian mining company Cheetah Resources Corporation, headquartered here in the NWT.
They have designed one of the most efficient environmental low impact mines in Canada.
They have impressive social benefits including 70 percent of Indigenous employment among their workers and management. Mr. Speaker, many are from my community of Wiilideh and Lutsel K'e and Deninu Kue.
It's also the first mine in Canada to concentrate on an Indigenousowned corporation. The Yellowknives Dene First Nation Det'on Cho Corporation to conduct mining on its own traditional territory.
Nechalacho is Canada's first rare earth mine. It's starting out small, Mr. Speaker, but as early as 2024, it plans to move to a much larger deposit with potential to be a multigenerating producer. This expansion this can have both longterm benefits for the NWT struggling mining economy.
At the appropriate time, it will be my pleasure to introduce our project senior executive to the Assembly and to ask questions to the Minister of Lands regarding our role in government in enabling this project. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Although some Members of this Assembly supported a priority to increase resource exploration and development, I believe that subsidies are not the best tool to achieve this. Increasing our overreliance on resource extraction is not my priority but if we are going to provide subsidies, these should be properly configured and evaluated. So I recently reviewed the guidelines and applications forms for the Mining Incentive Program. I'm going to offer a number of observations and suggestions for improvement.
In the last mandate progress report tabled earlier in this sitting, Cabinet says it has completed a review of the Mining Incentive Program but it has not been publicly released, nor has the response to any recommendations been made public.
I've also asked before about a monitoring and evaluation framework for the program which should form the basis for annual public reporting.
I know our mining minister is a big proponent of ESG, or environmental, social and governance criteria, as a way to promote the NWT as a great place to do mining. However, the Mining Incentive Program applicants are not required to disclose or agree that they are in compliance with laws and do not owe governments any money. Clearly applicants should disclose any land use permits, water licences or other environmental approvals granted to support their program and then ITI can check for compliance itself. There should also be a specific declaration at the end of the application where applicants confirm that they are in compliance with all existing federal, territorial, Indigenous government, and municipal permits or authorizations, and that they will secure any additional requirements before they proceed with work. It should be clear that noncompliance must be disclosed to ITI which can then decide to cancel or withdraw support on any current and possibly future applications. Noncompliant applicants should not be funded or rewarded.
I believe that any applicants should not knowingly be in debt or owe any taxes to federal, territorial, municipal or Indigenous governments. This requirement should also be built into the application forms through a selfdeclaration and then checked by ITI.
Lastly, the detailed criteria in the guidance documents do not recognize or incorporate any scoring or evaluation with regard to environmental best practices or innovation to reduce environmental disturbance for any exploration or development work. I'll have questions later today for the mining minister. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The debate for shorter workweeks is not a new one. In 1926, Henry Ford brought in the fiveday workweek, and it wasn't until 1960 that Canadian formally adopted a 40hour workweek. And Mr. Speaker, I believe it is time that the NWT be a leader in introducing the fourday workweek.
The pandemic has brought the debate of the fourday workweek back into light as workplaces seek to find a better worklife balance and, as we all know, many workplaces have struggled with recruitment and retention. The GNWT is not alone in that.
Mr. Speaker, numerous municipalities, including Guysborough, Nova Scotia and Sackville, New Brunswick, have switched their staff to a fourday workweek. They found that sick days went up and, in some cases, so did productivity, Mr. Speaker.
Numerous tech companies across the world are introducing summer Fridays where they introduce the fourday workweek across the summer, Mr. Speaker. I believe this is a step we could take; perhaps a great followup to the infamous Donny Days.
Mr. Speaker, in February, the country of Belgium announced that it would be introducing the fourday workweek, along with a right to disconnect and ignore messages from employers outside of work hours. I would love that right, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I applauded the Minister of Finance when she brought in the Work From Home Policy and I believe it is time that we introduce a fourday workweek. There is a lot of different ways this could work, Mr. Speaker. One option is four 10hour shifts, so the amount of hours is not actually worked but people can take Fridays or Mondays off. Another option is to shorten the days and hopefully we can negotiate actually lowering the pay, Mr. Speaker. At some point, I don’t believe that our retention issues are going to be solved by paying our public servants more money but I think offering them a fourday workweek might really help our recruitment and retention, Mr. Speaker.
Later today I will have questions of the Minister of Finance about whether we can become a leader in this area and one of the most flexible employers and encourage our private sector to do so as well, so people can get out there and enjoy long weekends all summer, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions oh, sorry. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry about that.
Mr. Speaker, spring jamborees and carnivals have been a fixture of the social calendar of many NWT communities throughout the year. This is a time for residents to gather for traditional skills competitions, dances, games, and most importantly tame together to catch up. Unfortunately, the last couple years have been seen a modified or cancelled jamborees or carnivals across the NWT. Many factors were considered on how they would run the event during the COVID pandemic. Ultimately, it was about protecting the health and safety of Northerners and our civil responsibility to help stop the spread of COVID19 that helped them make the final decision.
As the pandemic restrictions are being eased now, this means a lot especially with the gathering in our small NWT communities. As in the past, there has been opportunities to host the jamborees and carnivals, allowing us to see familiar faces from around the community and region, and people really look forward to these times.
I am happy to say that Beavertail Jamboree, held in Fort Simpson March 6th to the 13th, the organizing committee was able to host several events such as the family snow sculpting contest, the hockey game, basketball tournament, a snowmobile drive, snowmobile races, radio bingo, a chili cookoff, crib tournaments, pancake breakfasts, drum dance and fireworks. I am happy to say that everybody that enjoyed their time. And I am very tell everybody my son did win the chili cookoff. I am very proud of him of this. It was very hot from what I have heard so I am very happy to say he's learnt to cook well.
The two events that were not scheduled were the youth and adult talent show and dance, and they would be looked at maybe holding them this summer.
Mr. Speaker, what I have been told from varied residents, people are very happy we had that opportunity to get together.
Mr. Speaker, the hamlet of Fort Liard will be hosting Cabin Fever Days from April 15th to the 18th. They have developed a jampacked weekend. This, they will be hosting a poker tournament, drum dance, hand games tournament, outdoor games for adult and youth, two community barbecues, a bazaar, Johnny Landry Band will be there, Easter egg hunt, and crib tournament, and jigging contest, drum dance, and sliding party. I wish them a good time and good weather. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a visitor from Australia is Mr. Geoff Atkins, chief founder and the managing director of Vital Metals Limited, the parent company Vital Metals Canada and Cheetah Resources. Mr. Atkins brings to Canada an extensive career of experience in the rare earth mining and marketing industry. If you could maybe put your hand up.
Also, Mr. Speaker, wellknown businessman David Connelly and vicepresident of strategy and corporate affairs of Cheetah Resources Corp. Cheetah is headquartered here in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Connelly is one of the team responsible for bringing the Nechalacho project to the market. Mr. David Connelly.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Braden is a former elected Member of this Assembly, and has found life after politics as a freelance writer and photographer. He is here today as the media relations manager for Cheetah Resources. Mr. Bill Braden.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, Cody Drygeese is a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and is the environmental officer for Cheetah Resources and Nechalacho project. Mr. Drygeese has extensive experience in the environmental field in the diamond industry here in the NWT. Mr. Cody Drygeese.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Recognition of visitors in the galley. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to rise to acknowledge the members from Cheetah Resources that are here, as well Mr. Bill Braden is my constituent in Great Slave and formerly held my seat. I did not do my statement on Cheetah Resources today, but I think everybody knows how I feel about our resource extraction industry and I can't support them enough. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, I guess this is a Cheetah day here, so. I had the pleasure of meeting George Atkin. He spent 40 hours on a plane. He missed the, because of flight connections he was long overdue at airports, but he had the opportunity to meet with me and Minister Wawzonek and the Premier today at lunchtime, as well as David Connelly. I also understand that Cody Drygeese is here as well as Bill Braden, from Cheetah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I would be negligent if I didn't also recognize Cheetah Resources in the gallery today. As stated earlier, my family has been in the industry longer than I have been born, over 60 years. I think our previous MLA Bill Braden, BradenBurry, was part of the resource sector, indirectly, as well, so a lot of knowledge in the gallery today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Range Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.
Colleagues, I too would like to welcome Mr. Bill Braden, former Member of Legislative Assembly. Welcome back. It's always good to see you. Also if we've missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber and I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure.
Work has been stopped or put on hold on a project that has major implication for local employment and national security. Is the Minister aware of the pressing timeframe issue regarding the next phase of work and that if a one cubic meter trench is not completed before this spring's thaw, the project will be delayed for at least one year, jeopardizing the project's timeline and national security related to Arctic sovereignty; yes or no?
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the Minister's department are knowingly causing a delay to a project of major national security importance. Minister, what has the government done to avoid this delay and to move this work forward on its intended timeline in the interests of national security and to assist with postpandemic economic recovery of our local businesses? Thank you.
