Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the compliment from the MLA. I appreciate that. Not only is it parental and family caregiver leave within this act. We are looking at domestic violence that was brought up, but also domestic workers, for example, nannies, to make sure that they are covered as well. We did the stakeholders' consultation that was brought. We will be bringing forward the “what we heard” document in March here, coming in, and then, right now, we are finalizing the legislative proposal at this moment.

Thanks to the Minister for that. I have expressed my disappointment that we won't be able to meet the federal implementation date of the employment insurance changes on March the 17^th for improved parental benefits in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell us when we can expect to see amendments to our employment standards that come forward to this House?

As stated earlier, we are just in the finalization of doing a “what we heard” document and drafting up a legislative proposal. We are going to be introducing and bringing it forward in the next session of May to June, and then of course Members have the 120 days to take it out.

Thanks to the Minister for that. Well, if I have anything to do with it, that bill is going to fly straight through here. Wow, I actually got an applause from the other side of the House for a change. One of the easiest ways we can extend and improve federal parental leave benefits to our employees is to mend relative collective agreements. I know that is a sensitive area right now, but can the Minister tell us whether our government has made an offer to the relevant unions to mend collective agreements to allow our employees to take full advantage of the improved parental leave benefits?

The MLA actually answered his own question. At this moment, I cannot speak on anything happening with the union.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Well, thanks to the Minister for that. Look, I just want my colleagues in the House and the public to understand that there are some more steps that we have to do to make sure that our families and parents enjoy the best possible benefits. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as our government is obviously going to lag behind the improved parental benefits offered by the federal government nationwide, I would like to ask the Minister what lessons we have learned from this experience to make sure that our families receive the best possible benefits in the future?

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. As I stated in my statement, Mr. Speaker, we are taking a lot of employment away from the community of Tsiigehtchic, not to mention Fort McPherson. At times, we even hired a number of people from the community there when we didn't have enough. I would like to ask the Minister: why did the department decide to bring in their equipment to be used at the Mackenzie River crossing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get back to the Member on what exact piece of equipment, why we brought it in, and why we brought it there. I do know that we have a labour and equipment contract, an as-and-when one with Tsiigehtchic with Arctic Red River Development Corporation. I can look into that matter, what specific piece of equipment the Member is talking about.

I can just answer that right now because I have come from Tsiigehtchic. I know what is there. We have a Sno-Cat, Bombardiers, which I think they brought out of the museum. They are so old, you know, this equipment, that they are barely running. I think that is where all the cost is coming from, is because to find these parts, you know, price must double or triple or something. What cost savings is the department making by using their own equipment compared to past years?

I am going to look into this as the Member has stated. The one thing that people know in this House is we have escalated our time of putting in the snow crossing. The big controversy in this Assembly two years ago was us shutting down the winter road ferry program. When we did that, the department made the commitment that we would put in the crossing as fast as possible, which we have. It is from freeze-up to actually having 5,000 kg capability has been very minimal days now, I believe, less than two weeks for both crossings.

We have involved new technologies and lighter pieces of equipment, which might influence which pieces of equipment that we are actually trying to rent from the Red River Development Corporation. I will work with the Member and get the answers that he wants on these specific questions.

Bringing in this equipment actually didn't save us any time. We actually just finished the ice bridge, like, two weeks ago. If I didn't say anything, they would probably still be working on it now. You know, I know the department is trying to do the best they could, but will the Minister ensure that next year the community is given support to providing employment for their workforce?

As I said, we are putting this thing in as efficiently and as fast as we can. The workforce is contracted out with Little Red River. I will have to see how long that contract is good for and work with the Member to be able to maximize the most employment I can for his particular riding. We have not reduced the capital cost or the budgetary process for putting this road in. We realize the pressure that is on these communities the longer it takes to put in these ice crossings across the Northwest Territories. The Member continually raises it in this Assembly, and we will continually try to work with him and his communities to put it in as fast as possible and work with his communities where they can benefit from these projects that are right in their back door. I will continue to work with the Member.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it sounds promising. You know, in the past, I have even worked on that ice road when I first started working. You know, the workforce they have set up in the community, they work pretty hard all through November until mid-December. Usually, by the 20^th, they have everything opened to 50,000 kilograms, which is required, and then they let Mother Nature do her part.

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me the department doesn't seem to support providing labour employment but would rather bring in equipment that actually took longer and at a higher cost. I would like to ask the Minister if this is the case.

No, that is not the case. As I said, we are trying to put this thing as efficiently and as fast as we can for the residents, particularly in his home community. We have made the unprecedented step where we put the Arctic Red River in first now so the community can actually get out of there sooner and cross over to go to McPherson. We can actually pull that, maybe, and put that money towards the main crossing if the Member wants us to spend in his community. That is going to mean that they are going to have to wait a lot longer to get out of there. I have committed in this House that I will work with the Member closely to try to maximize the benefits for his residents and what we can do in next year's winter season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I talked about, I guess, perhaps a redevelopment of the Taltson hydro dam. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI, I suppose, questions on the Taltson hydro dam. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware that there is an organized community on the Taltson River larger than some of the current communities that we have. Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite clear on the question. What I said in the House last week here, when we talked about the Taltson project, was we are involving the three Indigenous governments that are affected in the region, the Northwest Territories Metis Nation, the Salt River First Nation, and the Akaitcho. I have met with all three of them from their leadership point of view and given them the heads-up about the announcement on this funding. As I have said in the House last week, there seems to be a willingness to work towards supporting this project. That is what this Aboriginal engagement money is going to be for. It will clearly lay out what needs to be done with the work going forward. There are a number of things that have to be done, but one of the best things I think about this project is the far-reaching reconciliation around economic development with Indigenous governments on a project like this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.