Masi, Madam Chair. The shoreline erosion, in my view, is a safety issue, health issue, that we definitely need to deal with as a government. The federal government's $872,000 that the Member is alluding to, there hasn't been anything happening there. We have to question why there is a stall there.

The hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, to my understanding, has been working on a plan for some time now to put some sort of a barrier wall, but there are other options that they are dealing with. We need to hear them out. We need to work with them and also to share their perspective, because they will be the experts. They know those areas of challenges that they are faced with. We, as a territorial government, need to meet with the community of Tuktoyaktuk and hear their plan.

The federal government, well, if we wait, I am not sure how long we are going to wait for them, but if it is becoming a real issue for four community households, in my view, it is part of the emergency issues that we need to deal with. If I was elected Premier, I would focus my attention to say, "Okay, what can we do? What has the community done? The federal government contribution, where is it at? GNWT, what have we been doing? Can we move forward on this file, instead of the four houses coming down?" We need to prevent that from happening.

I am not in a position to say that we should move the community members. That should be the last resort, but it's the safety of the community members and the households, so we need to deal with it immediately. Masi.

Thank you. I don't know much about this issue, but I do know a little bit. I know that people in Hay River, their family has been affected in one of those four homes, so I have heard a bit about it. This sounds like there are a lot of moving parts. I know that the hamlet is involved. The Government of Canada is involved. The GNWT is involved, but most of all, these four families are involved. This sounds like a constituent issue. If there is one thing that I believe as an MLA, it is that we have to take care of our constituents.

I have always behaved myself as an MLA the way that I would want my MLA to behave. If someone comes to me with this issue, it is one that I would help them pursue to the best of my abilities, because there is a small group of people who are being adversely affected by something that is far beyond their control. These are the kinds of times when the government needs to step up, and if that is not happening, then that is the time when you go to your Minister, you go to the Premier, and you make some things happen. Thank you.

Thank you. The Member's concerns are very important, because you have four houses in an emergency situation, and it's an issue. It's a major issue. It affects the families. It affects their lives. I mean, I don't know how they even sleep at night. I think that we are in a position to have a look at all of the possibilities and to bring you a solution.

If I become Premier, I will make sure that the solution is favourable and that it is the right thing to do. You will have to look at the whole shoreline, and you will have to make sure that it is safe for the people there, but there has to be a solution that is favourable to all parties. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is actually quite disheartening to hear that people in those homes have actually been told not to leave, to stay there, and we will find a solution, because I have seen the pictures. Some of those homes only have another few feet before they are falling off a cliff into the ocean. It is an emergency situation. I do know that, when I was in Municipal and Community Affairs, we were working on it. I know that Alfred Moses carried forward that work and tried to get money for it. I have no idea why the federal government never brought it forward. I think that we could be lobbying for that.

I know that we have also looked at, within our own GNWT, the NWT Housing Corporation stepping forward and actually moving those homes, and I think that it should still be on the table. My concern is that there are only a few more feet. We have, like, pipes and oil drums that are actually exposed now in the pictures that I have seen. I am afraid for these people. I agree with Frieda in saying that I don't know how they are sleeping. These homes are going to fall into the ocean, and it is not just about putting a barricade; they are on big cliffs. I don't think that we have time to wait, and so I really hope that the people in Tuktoyaktuk will hear our pleas and my concern, my deep concern.

If I am elected as Premier, I will commit to actually going into the community and trying to talk to those people. I will talk to the NWT Housing Corporation, and if the federal government isn't going to step up, then we have to be willing to provide homes for these people, recognizing that some of them can't be moved, perhaps, but we have to have a solution. Contrary to what you might want to hear, I do not think the solution is leaving those homes on the edge of a cliff when there are only two feet left. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Deputy ministers oversee the delivery and implementation of government priorities by the public service, and by law, deputy ministers are appointed on the recommendation of a Premier. Will you commit to seeking and relying on input from Cabinet, or possibly from the other MLAs, before making those recommendations? Thank you.

Thank you. As I mentioned earlier, the Premier of the Northwest Territories or the Premier in the consensus government system has less power than in a party-based system. One of the few powers is to appoint deputy ministers. I think that it is an important power for the Premier to hold. However, as we have seen today, just from the question period, there is a diverse array of expertise in this room, and I think that there is nothing wrong with consulting with Cabinet Ministers about a potential deputy minister. I would be happy to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are certain positions within Cabinet that I believe should be maintained in Cabinet. For example, the principal secretary position is critical to the Premier. It is a person of trust. It is a person who ideally can build relationships. Because that person is so vital to the working of the Premier, I think that that has to remain within the Premier's perusal.

For deputy ministers, I think that we are open to feedback. I think that it should be, at the least, a Cabinet decision, that is, decisions that are made in Cabinet that we talk about. I think that we should be open to feedback from MLAs as well, but ultimately, it does have to be a decision that is made based on the best needs of all departments versus personalities.

I am open to hearing all Members' opinions, but I also would require that sound reasoning be provided behind every comment and recommendation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Masi, Madam Chair. Deputy ministers of the GNWT obviously, as the Member alluded to, deal with the priorities that we give them, the mandate, to implement and rely on Cabinet before making a decision on DMs from the Premier. I believe that it has been done in the past, when I was a Minister, where the Premier of the day would give us a head's up. "There are changes in the deputies. What are your thoughts?" There has been some engagement in the past. Maybe they got away from that in the last Assembly, I am not sure, but I think that we need to continue to have that, because we are all a a team, Premier and Executive, the Cabinet and Ministers, so once there are changes coming with the deputies, Cabinet should be informed that there are changes coming down, and they might have some ideas, as well. I think we need to be open-minded, as well. Masi.

I think it is really important that the deputy ministers are appointed by the Premier and with input from Cabinet. I think that we always make sure that we have the best, and we ensure that they are there to serve the Members of the Northwest Territories, the people of the Northwest Territories, to the very best of their ability, and to make sure the decisions and the priorities that Cabinet and Members of this House have made as priorities, and they carry out that function. I think that trust with the Premier and the Cabinet is extremely important, and that we make sure that we always make sure that we have the very best to serve the people of the Northwest Territories.

Merci, Madame la Presidente. We have even heard here today a number of different competing priorities in terms of large capital projects, such as Taltson, which will be, if it was expanded to its full extent, over a billion dollars; Slave Geological Province Road, probably over a billion dollars, as well; universal childcare, $25 million a year. It is what the feasibility study said at the end of the last Assembly. We have a bunch of competing capital projects as well as some programs and services that we can decide on.

I would like to know from each of the Premier candidates how they intend to put in place an evidence-based decision-making process so that we can make the best decisions possible amongst these competing interests. Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Evidence-based process is about best practices, and it is about proper planning. I talked in my speech about doing a 10-year economic development plan or strategy and then a four-year action plan based on that. Within that process, you would be looking at all of the expenditures, all of the potential revenues; and then, from that process, looking at risk management is critical within that. What are the risks? What could happen if the worst happened? And then, from that actual process, we would be able to make an informed decision. However, at the same time, I have also made a commitment to work with regional Indigenous governments to actually look at our economic development plans for regionally.

The reality is that, even when we get to that work done, it doesn't mean that everything is going to start at the same time. It is a matter of defining what would be best for the regions, for the Indigenous governments, for the people, and then negotiating amongst all of us, so it is priority setting about which one comes first, which ones can wait, which ones are critical. I don't think that is a process that should be done exclusive. I think it should be inclusive.

Again, if I am selected as Premier, then we will have a solid evidence-based strategic economic plan and action plan for the GNWT, and we would be building regional economic development plans with every Indigenous government. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is a really good question. I think that, with our deficit the way it is and planning for the future for future generation, the priorities of this House when we examine them next week and beyond must be dealt with all the Members. Our priorities will be set, and Cabinet will have to lobby to make sure that the federal government also steps up to the plate, which is possible because, in most capital items, such as green energy, when you come to the Taltson, for example, most of that could be paid by the Government of Canada. We are sustaining communities for economic development, and it is a big project that needs to be done in order for us to move forward economically. That is the only way we are going to start moving forward, is when we start ensuring that the funds are going to be there for some of these major priorities.

I am very good at lobbying. I never take "no" for an answer. I always take a half "no" or a half "yes," but I have been there, I have done that, and I will continue to do that when I become your next Premier. Thank you.