Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Regional Wellness Council members are a critical part of our health and social services system. They are change leaders in their communities and a voice for residents in their regions. They champion the ideas and concerns of residents and are passionate about using that information to shape and improve our health and social services.

Mr. Speaker, as Members know, we have six Regional Wellness Councils across the territory, representing the regions of Beaufort-Delta, Deh Cho, Fort Smith, Hay River, Sahtu, and Yellowknife. Each council has six members and a chairperson.

Council members advise me, as Minister, on their council activities. They also provide advice to the Northwest Territories Leadership Council on the priorities for the health and social services system and play an active role in the promotion of health and wellness. Council members also seek out opinions and information from the public on local health and social services.

Regional Wellness Council members help to ensure our health and social services system is responsive to the needs of Northerners and their communities. They also provide input to guide the development of the territorial health and social services strategic plan to meet our goals for health and social services. They discuss and make recommendations on how to improve the delivery of services and better meet the needs of residents in their communities, based on local input and feedback. They also play an important role in guiding primary healthcare reform, community wellness activities, quality improvement, and other community-based initiatives. Council members have an opportunity to raise important community issues with the Health and Social Services Authorities through the Leadership Council and to communicate back to residents on those issues.

Appointments to Regional Wellness Councils are for terms of up to three years, and every year about one third of the appointments expire. Many council members apply to be reappointed, but we always have a few vacancies.

This year I am issuing several calls for nominations to fill vacant and expiring positions. I would like to encourage residents to consider applying to serve on our Regional Wellness Councils when nominations open. I would also like to invite my colleagues and fellow Members of this Legislative Assembly to nominate residents for any vacancies in their regions.

For those who are interested, the criteria and a handbook of responsibilities are listed on the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority website. Information on vacant council positions will be advertised and also posted on the Health and Social Services website.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome residents who are interested in these positions and in serving their communities, regions, and our territory to look at the information on our website and apply to become a Regional Wellness Council member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I had the pleasure of signing the bilateral agreement between the Northwest Territories and Canada on the National Housing Strategy. One of the first funding allocations that Canada proposed under the strategy was the Northern Housing Fund, which brought $36 million in funding to the Northwest Territories. However, this is just a starting point.

Through diligent work by both the Government of Canada and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, another agreement was reached that better reflects the housing needs in the Northwest Territories. The federal government saw that there was an opportunity under the National Housing Co-Investment Fund to expand the partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The National Housing Co-Investment Fund is application-based funding. The approach that we negotiated involves a dedicated "carve-off" of $60 million under the fund for the Northwest Territories. This $60 million is ours and ours alone. We will not have to compete with other jurisdictions or entities that have greater access to resources and a greater competitive advantage to see if we get approved for projects.

In addition, the federal contribution to a project in the Northwest Territories can be up to 75 percent. Further, we are still able to compete for funds above and beyond the $60 million at the national level, and if we are successful, we will still be eligible for that 75 percent contribution from the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, this arrangement recognizes northern needs, and it is unique. No other province or territory will receive a "carve off," with the exception of Yukon, and provinces only qualify for a federal contribution of up to 40 percent for approved projects. Through the life of the National Housing Strategy, which expires in 2028, this $60 million "carve off" and the co-investment fund as a whole has the potential to bring significant investments into communities all across the Northwest Territories, working in partnership with all governments, private market investors, and non-governmental organizations.

Now that we have the deal finalized, it is time to take advantage of it. We are already reaching out to stakeholders and have put forward a small number of initial projects. We are promoting this fund with our stakeholders, including community governments, Indigenous governments, and other partners. We are also working very closely with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to help stakeholders develop proposals for the co-investment fund. This outreach is critical so Northerners can make the best use of funds such as this co-investment fund.

Mr. Speaker, as we make progress with other initiatives such as the Community Housing Plans, we will be identifying opportunities for investment. The National Housing Co-Investment Fund allows our communities to bring their own assets to the table and partner with us and the federal government to meet local housing needs.
I cannot overstate the opportunity this fund gives us. This money will help address all aspects of housing in the Northwest Territories, from homelessness to affordable homeownership. Everyone will benefit, from businesses in communities to residents who need housing. I am very proud of the work that led to this new agreement. I am looking forward even more to the work ahead, as we endeavour to make the most of this fund and build new and innovative housing projects across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, securing funding to advance planning and construction of new transportation corridors is a key commitment in this government's mandate. These transformative projects help to connect communities, support employment and training opportunities, increase our resiliency to climate change, and create new social and economic opportunities.

Today, I am pleased to provide an update on the Tlicho all-season road project, an exciting new 97-kilometre highway that will provide year-round access to Whati from Highway No. 3.

Mr. Speaker, the new road to Whati is being developed as a P3 project, much like the Stanton Renewal Project and the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link. As a performance-based structure, public-private partnerships are an effective way of delivering essential infrastructure projects by bringing private-sector expertise and accountability to the process while preserving government ownership of core public assets.

As part of the P3 approach, a request for proposals was issued in December of 2017. Our government then announced in November of 2018 that North Star Infrastructure was selected as the preferred proponent for this project. North Star Infrastructure is a consortium that consists of Kiewit Canada Development Corporation, the Tlicho Government, Peter Kiewit and Sons, Hatch Corporation, and Thurber Engineering Limited.
Mr. Speaker, in February, the GNWT signed an agreement with North Star Infrastructure to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the Tlicho all-season road. Construction is expected to start this fall and will take approximately two years, with the official opening expected to take place in 2022.

In signing this agreement with North Star Infrastructure, we have agreed to contractual requirements that will increase economic and employment opportunities. Minimum thresholds for construction and operations and maintenance will ensure significant involvement of Tlicho workers and businesses during both phases. These commitments will help to maximize benefits for Tlicho communities and will facilitate capacity building within its communities.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to our focus on local jobs for this project, we're also committed to protecting the environment. With the environmental assessment now complete, the project has submitted the required land and water licence applications to the Wek'eezhii Land and Water Board. The GNWT anticipates that permits and licences will be granted by September of 2019.

The Tlicho all-season road will bring many benefits to the region and the Northwest Territories. It will help us to reduce the cost of living for the region and create new social and economic opportunities and is expected to attract investment from industry in the exploration and development of natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to work closely with our stakeholders, including the Tlicho Government, through all phases of the project. Together, we will continue to build a safe, efficient, and resilient transportation system that meets the needs of Northerners for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last month the City of Yellowknife released its university feasibility and benefits study. The purpose of the study was different than the Aurora College foundational review. It had a more general focus that looked at which post-secondary model would be most feasible for the territory and what benefits it could provide for the city.

The city study endorses the polytechnic university as a better choice for the NWT than a college. Some of the advantages are greater academic and governance independence, access to a wider pool of teaching talent, the ability to maximize enrolment by offering both theoretical and applied learning, and lastly, a better alignment with northern labour needs.

That is not all. Polytechnics have higher graduation employment rates than colleges and universities generally and attract more international students, given comprehensive marketing. All of these benefits would reverse the trends of declining enrolments and graduation rates that Aurora College is experiencing right now. A polytechnic is not only feasible; it is the best way forward.

Mr. Speaker, the elephant in the room is the question of where the main polytechnic campus will be located. Both the foundational review and the city study recommended that the campus be built in Yellowknife, because it has the greatest range of services. Of course, Fort Smith does not want to give up its place as the headquarters of Aurora College, along with all of the employment it provides.

In an effort to collaborate, the mayors of the three communities with Aurora College campuses issued a news release last month, endorsing the creation of a polytechnic university in the NWT. They also asked the GNWT not to make a decision that would be detrimental to any NWT community.

Mr. Speaker, this is obviously a challenge. There may be distance learning options that make a large central campus less relevant, but at the end of the day the new institution's administration and support services need to have a physical location. That means government has to make a choice, a political choice, and the stakes are high. It's my view that, the sooner this choice is made, the better. It's difficult for communities to plan their future, create additional housing for students, and for the territorial government to seek funding if the location of the polytechnic is unknown. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.

Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, am going to go down the path of the polytechnic.

Mr. Speaker, the future of education in the Northwest Territories lies in providing more options for our young people. I support the establishment of a polytechnic university, Mr. Speaker, but my reasons are not about new jobs and development, the investment, or the economic boost for Yellowknife. Yes, those things are certainly beneficial, but a polytechnic university represents so much more.

Mr. Speaker, what are the broad influences that will shape our territory over the next generations? We are an Indigenous territory on a journey toward self-determination. That requires all Northerners to take part. We need an economic engine that allows our communities to thrive and flourish while supporting diversification of our economy. We are no longer in a little glass bubble. Globalization is upon us, and we are affected daily by circumstances that play out around the world. Innovation and technology will bring forward numerous opportunities while also creating challenges and disruptions. Of course, climate change will continue to impact our lives in perpetuity.

We know these are the forces that will act on our society. How must we respond? Building our education system is about establishing our values as a society and infusing them through our system, including the post-secondary level. Our youth must have the greatest opportunities to succeed on a personal level and to contribute to society as they enter into the workforce that so desperately seeks northern-educated talent.

A polytechnic university will not only benefit our own residents, Mr. Speaker; an institution like this will establish a place for us in the growing field of circumpolar academic research and technical discovery. It will attract people from around the circumpolar world, coming to study, research, and teach. It provides us a foothold to participate at the frontlines of globalized knowledge and about the northern world.

Mr. Speaker, establishing this institution is about our self-determination as a territory, creating the kind of society we want the Northwest Territories to be. This is how we will truly realize our goal of a robust diverse economy. This is how we will make innovation possible and achieve authentic excellence. This is how Indigenous communities will set their own direction and flourish.

A polytechnic university may not hold the answers to every question facing our society, Mr. Speaker, but it will help prepare us to create inventive and original responses to the many challenges we face. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Mr. Speaker, we privileged few in this House face no small amount of public scrutiny for the decisions we make, which is a fundamental feature of our democratic traditions. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that we all uphold the high standards Northerners expect from us in the decisions that we make.

Mr. Speaker, politicians as a whole never tend to poll well, except for a handful on election day. Earlier this year, a survey asked Canadians which jobs they trust and respect the most. While firefighters and nurses came out on top, politicians were found to be the least-respected jobs in the country for the third year running. Judges, on the other hand, consistently maintain a great deal of trust in the public's eye despite the fact that they are appointed by the same politicians who rank at the bottom of public opinion.

I wonder why this is, and the answer seems clear: a fair and transparent appointment process that is vetted by local experts who ensure that politicians make honest decisions about these appointments based on merit and experience, rather than patronage, favouritism, or ideology. In short, Canadians and Northerners tend to trust the judicial appointment process, even if they don't trust the politicians making the appointment.

Mr. Speaker, this now brings me to a recent appointment made by the Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission. The workers' advisor is a political appointment made by the Minister who helps workers understand the workers' compensation system and is entirely independent of the commission. This is a very important and well-compensated position with a six-figure salary. In the past, Ministers have put the position out to the public in asking for an expression of interest from Northerners who wanted the job. That was not the case in this most recent appointment. Instead, the Minister appointed his long-time political aide to the post without any form of public process.

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the kind of circumstance that make Northerners question the trust they place in elected officials. Important political appointments like this are entirely at the discretion of the Minister, but that does not mean he should ignore established processes. I want to be clear that I am in no way questioning the merits of the appointment or the person who occupies the position. I am questioning the appointment process and why an individual so close to the Minister's personal political career was selected without any concerns of personal conflict or a chance for a public expression of interest.

Later today I will have questions for the Minister, and I hope he can answer them satisfactorily. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past December and January, I had the opportunity to visit the communities in Nahendeh to discuss various issues and concerns, including the Seniors' Home Heating Subsidy program.

Mr. Speaker, elders from my riding have serious concerns regarding a recent change to this program. It is my understanding that the department is now issuing a fuel subsidy in a dollar amount, as opposed to litres. In 2017, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment conducted a review that examined all aspects of the program, including income threshold zones, fuel allocations, and levels of support.

The review included meeting with the NWT Seniors' Society. However, in speaking with the elders in Nahendeh, they do not remember being consulted about the change. As a result of the program review, ECE immediately implemented changes to the program effective April 1, 2018, which includes increasing eligibility thresholds, extending the program to seniors who rent, and changes for the fuel allocation program to a monetary-based subsidy.

Mr. Speaker, consequently, changes from litres to monetary amount caused many elders to run out of their allotment by February, resulting in having additional costs to themselves. This is why more seniors are beginning the next season with an empty tank. This one change equates to elders going through their allocation subsidies much earlier than they would if they were issued a subsidy in litres. Given the increase in fuel prices, this is a serious concern.

Many of the elders are currently struggling financially and are now finding themselves having to pay for heating and fuel costs on their fixed income. This finds them struggling to find the funds to heat their home, as allocation amounts will not last to March 31^st.

If you look at the subsidy, Mr. Speaker, in Fort Simpson, it is $2,700 in cash, which works out to 2,143 litres. That is a difference in the 2,800 litres.

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe our elders would agree this new change is something that they agree is a good way to save the cost of living. Later, I will have questions for the Minister of ECE. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Mr. Speaker, traditional economy. Mr. Speaker, traditional economy is a significant contributor to the northern economy, especially in smaller communities. Traditional economy has sustained many generations of not only Northerners, but people of many races and creeds from around the world. Traditional economy was, in fact, the original economy in place well before the advent of wage and income economies. Traditional economy has been and continues to be widely practised in many countries throughout the world, and is often referred to as part of the agrarian economy.

In terms of the Sahtu, food that would otherwise be purchased that is being displaced by the traditional economy is estimated to be in the range of $1.6 million per annum, or almost $2,000 per capita.

Mr. Speaker, barter and now cash are becoming increasingly important in traditional economy. Since the introduction and emergence of the snowmobile and outboard motors, cash has become more and more integral to the mobility and productivity of traditional harvesters.

The positive effect of automation on traditional economy is increased opportunities, change, and output. The downside of automation is the burden of operating and capital expenses.

What is the traditional economy? Mr. Speaker, a system of production for both use and exchange, consisting of natural resource, harvesting, hunting, trapping, fishing, gathering, and processing activities by which people provide for food, fuel, other material household needs, as a means of subsistence and source of material for trade.

Mr. Speaker, economic evolution in the NWT has not been equally applied across all communities. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regional centres are viewed as hubs of government and businesses, and occasionally industry. Employment and income opportunities are realized for those who are positioned to take advantage.

As we proceed with our fiscal responsible budgetary process, I look forward to balancing our support for the current and traditional economy. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On October 31, 2018, I asked a written question of the Minister of Finance requesting the value of annual production by individual non-renewal resource commodities extracted in the Northwest Territories from 1999 to 2017, along with royalties collected on such production by individual commodities. On February 12, 2019, the Minister tabled the production figures as requested, based on publicly available information compiled by Statistics Canada. The royalties collected; however, were only supplied for 2014 to 2017 and aggregated by oil and gas and then by minerals for 2014 and 2015. The figures for 2016 and 2017 were a total for all royalties collected on all non-renewable resources, with a note that the "values are suppressed due to confidentiality requirements." No explanation was provided as to why earlier figures were not given and why royalties were not broken down by commodity type, as requested.

Last week I tabled excerpts from a privately published book by a former GNWT deputy minister and devolution negotiator that shows royalties and other fees paid to the federal government for oil and gas and minerals from 1980 to 2009. It is not clear why the Finance Minister did not provide similar information in response to a written question from a Member of this House when a retired GNWT deputy minister has the data at his fingertips.

Mr. Speaker, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative was started in 2004. It is a partnership among governments, companies, and civil society. A global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resources has been developed and adopted by 51 countries.

The standard requires the disclosure of information along the extractive industry value chain from the point of extraction to how revenues make their way through the government and how they benefit the public. The initiative and its standard seeks to strengthen public and corporate governance, promote understanding of natural resource management, and provide the data to inform reforms for greater transparency and accountability in the extractives sector. Canada is a supporting country, along with others, such as the US, UK, Scandinavian countries, and other European states. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Merci, Monsieur le President. Thanks to my colleagues. The corporate sector also supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and those supporters including Anglo American and Rio Tinto, which are owners and operators of two of the three NWT diamond mines. Private multinationals seem more committed to transparency than our Cabinet.

What democratic government doesn't support openness and transparency in public reporting of resource royalties? I will have questions later today for the Minister of Finance. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, a wide range of dental services are covered for First Nations and Inuit people. This includes diagnostic services like x-rays, preventative services like cleanings, and restorative services like fillings, as well as more specialized care like root canals, gum treatments, dentures, and orthodontics. Why, then, are good dental services so hard to come by in our small communities?

In Fort Providence, there is no resident dentist or dental hygienist. Local dental services are provided when dental teams contracted by the GNWT visit and operate out of the Snowshoe Inn Centre. Residents tell me that these visits are often inconsistent, brief, and poorly advertised, making people miss opportunities to have their teeth cared for locally. I have also heard that residents struggle to schedule set appointments with these teams, making care even harder to plan for.

The alternative is to make private arrangements to travel through Yellowknife or Hay River, but for many, that is just not feasible. An elder recently visited Yellowknife alone to address a problem tooth, but was mistakenly reported missing by his family. Another resident was told by health centre staff that he would have to travel to Yellowknife on his own. This person does not have his own vehicle or disposable income for travel. Is he supposed to wait until he gets so sick that he needs a medevac?

I am not exaggerating, Mr. Speaker. Medical research shows that gum disease is linked to increased risk of heart disease and that dental infections and tooth loss can also lead to serious health problems, not to mention the pain and lowered quality of life that come with poor oral health.

Our governments have a fiduciary responsibility to deliver dental services to First Nations people, who have a right to get the care that they need promptly and, as much as possible, in their own home community. Not only that, it is also clear that providing good dental services is an important step in preventative care. It just makes good business sense.

I have previously written to the Minister, urging him to take steps to address the community's issues with dental services. Some residents have also suggested that services could be delivered from Yellowknife rather than Hay River, as is currently in practice. Whatever the decision, the community must be involved. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. I don't want to be a sore tooth, Mr. Speaker, but if there is one thing that I know for sure, it is that toothaches point to problems that need to get fixed as soon as possible. Mahsi.

Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the benefits of small-scale mining and value-added processing. Small-scale mining developments are increasingly being seen as the best way to develop new technology materials and specialty material deposits, such as those found in the NWT's rare earths and lithium resources.

Mr. Speaker, new demand for clean technology is creating new uses for traditionally un-mined materials. Investors in spin-off industries are very intrigued by the potential opportunities that are associated with unlocking new rare earth minerals. However, in order to secure long-term funding commitments with high-tech investors, resource samples will be needed to confirm product compatibility and consumer confidence.

Mr. Speaker, some advantages to small-scale mining include much smaller capital expenditure requirements compared to a larger-scale mining operations. The cost differential amounts to tens of millions of dollars versus hundreds, or millions, or even billions of dollars for large-scale mines.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the smaller the scale, the smaller the environmental footprint. Small-scale development allows for progressive remediation strategies to be implemented right from the start-up. This enables the site to be fully rehabilitated upon mine closure. Furthermore, local Indigenous businesses can be equity partners in development due to the nature of capital requirements for small-scale operations.

Mr. Speaker, the known subsurface resources at Nechalacho are highly suitable for this type of small-scale development approach. This technology does not require the use of water or hazardous chemicals in extracting the minerals for economic interest.

Mr. Speaker, this sustainable development approach, particularly in partnership with Indigenous groups, represents the future of the mineral industry. At this time, the NWT holds a great opportunity to demonstrate this new model and become a North American leader in the sustainable production of clean technology materials. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the community of Tsiigehtchic, we lack many essential government services. During our January tour of the Mackenzie Delta, voices were echoed regarding the lack of services that we have in our community.

Please be patient with me as, once again, I bring up the need for a full-time nurse. I believe that every community, for various safety reasons, for life and death matters, everyone needs a nurse in each community. We appreciate the regular visits that we have received; however, it is just not enough. This, I strongly believe, has to change.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to point out policing services in Tsiigehtchic. Although we have regular patrols in the community, residents feel the need to have a police officer stationed right in the community, again, Mr. Speaker, for safety reasons and to make the community feel more comfortable knowing that the RCMP is situated right down the street. The outcome, we believe, is less crime, less alcohol, and less domestic violence, to name a few.

These are just two of the services the community is requesting. We also would like to know about hiring an income support worker, probation officer, and all the other services that are offered in larger centres. Tsiigehtchic wants to be a community that offers all essential services to the community members.

Mr. Speaker, our ministerial tour of the Mackenzie Delta has brought forward many more concerns, but I'll only touch on these for now. I'll have questions later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Item 3, returns to oral questions. Item 4, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to recognize a couple of constituents from the riding of Yellowknife North; Mr. Frank Walsh, who is the president of Local 11 and a Yellowknife North resident, and also Mr. David Connolly, who does a lot of community relations with Avalon, Advanced Metals Inc., and TerraX Minerals. I'd like to welcome you to the House. Thank you for being here.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my cousin, Ann Peters, who is also your CA. Welcome to the House, Ann. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I did not know the Member was going to do that. I apologize. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that I have four Pages here in this session, Jeremy Beauchamp, Gordon Kwon, Ehxea Antoine, and Desiree Pitt. I'd like to thank them for all their service to us in this session. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you to all the Pages. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you to everyone who has joined us today, and thank you to everyone watching around the world on social media and on satellite television. We always appreciate people engaging with our democracy. Item 5, acknowledgements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge former Yellowknife North resident Alex Czarnecki, who passed away recently.

Alex came to Yellowknife in 1972 to become a teacher at St. Pat's School. He became a well-known member of Yellowknife's artistic community, a frequently performing musician, a director of more than 40 local theatre productions, and a producer of films about the North in cultural transition.

Alex Czarnecki passed away early in January this year. Members, please join me in offering condolences to his friends and family, and applauding his life and contributions to the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our condolences are with the family. Acknowledgements. Item 6, oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Earlier today I reviewed how the Minister of Finance did not provide the information requested in my written questions on resource royalties from October 31, 2018. Can the Minister explain why the information requested, a breakdown of resource royalties from 1999 to 2017 by commodity type, was not provided in his response? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The resource royalties for the period from 1999 to 2013 by commodity type were not provided because the information that is available combines the Northwest Territories information with data from the other three territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks to the Minister for that. So that explains some of the reasons, that the federal government combines it, and so on, but last week I tabled extracts from a privately published book by a former deputy minister and devolution negotiator that clearly showed the resource royalties paid to the federal government from 1980 to 2009. Can the Minister explain how such information was published, and yet he could not provide it in response to a written question from a Member of this House?

The excerpts from the book that the Member refers to are from the public accounts of Canada. The data represents the three territories combined until 2003, when Yukon went through their devolution, and combined the Northwest Territories and Nunavut as of 2003 until 2014, when the Northwest Territories went through devolution. The Member has requested Northwest Territories royalties only. We can provide this table to 2017, but it will not match the production value table, because the data is an aggregate for the three territories over the same years.

Thanks to the Minister for that. I spoke earlier today of the world-wide movement toward more transparent and open public reporting of government revenues from non-renewable resources. Even most of the diamond mining companies operating in the NWT support the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Can the Minister of Finance tell us whether he and his staff have studied the standard developed by the initiative, and when we can expect it to be adopted or implemented by this government?

The Department of Finance, we are aware of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative standard for reporting. To date, the government has reported aggregate royalties rather than royalties by mine to respect the confidentiality of financial information of individual mines, as required per the Northwest Territories Lands Act.

Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Now we get that it's restricted because of wording in the Lands Act, so I look forward to that being changed. Canada is a supporter of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and has provided funding to a variety of countries, such as Peru, Indonesia, Tanzania, and even Mongolia to fix up how they report revenues. This country has adopted the standard through the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act, so can the Minister tell us when our government will get on board and begin to report royalties paid by commodity type, or even by individual companies? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I understand that the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is reviewing the Mining Regulations and transparency and accountability principles, and that all will be taken into consideration as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I talked about fuel subsidy for seniors, and I talked about, in Fort Simpson, that $2,700, which works out to about 2,143 litres. Typically, when a fuel tank is filled to between 80 and 90 percent, that works out to be about 960 to 1,080 litres, or two tanks. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment please advise why those changes were made to this program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment regularly reviews programs to make sure they are still meeting the needs of people; in this case, seniors in our communities. We recognize that there was a need to expand our program because we weren't subsidizing people who had rental accommodations; we were only subsidizing homeowners. In my personal opinion, oftentimes, not always, but oftentimes homeowners are often at a financial advantage to people who have to rent. Not always.

So we expanded it so that we could include renters, and we increased our income threshold so that we would reach more people. By doing this, actually, we have increased our intake. We have approximately 100 more seniors in the Northwest Territories who are actually accessing this program because of the changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's great that we see this increase of 100 seniors getting through this program. It's of value. However, we went, in the Nahendeh riding which had 2,800 litres, to $2,700. Can the Minister please advise the amount of money allocated to each zone, so we get a bigger picture?

We tried to look at it more in a fairness and equitable manner, because I couldn't really justify how the funding was provided beforehand. We used a market basket figure to look at how the communities are, so looking at similar costs between communities of the cost of living to define how we would do it.

In zone 1, a person who is making $56,000 or less is entitled to an annual amount of $2,700 a year. In zone 2, someone who is making $64,000 or less is entitled to $3,600 a year in fuel subsidy. In zone 3, which is our most isolated communities, someone making an annual income of $73,000 or less is entitled to a subsidy of $4,200. Remembering this is a subsidy program, it is not meant to cover the full cost. If people fall under that and they are still struggling, though, they should consider other programs, such as income support. Come to us. We will see if we can help you.

The Minister talked about the number, a high number or less. A lot of elders are not even close to that threshold, and even when we see this subsidy provided, it still has a hindrance to these communities, and so our elders are having to make choices. My next question to the Minister is: can she please advise if the monetary allotment has a living index to it?

Currently, it doesn't have a cost of living index included into it. This is just the start of the program. We have increased the threshold. We have increased the amount. We have looked at it on more of an equitable basis, so based on communities that have a similar cost of living.

Once this season is over, this summer, then we will be doing a review of it again to make sure, but I cannot stress enough. I take heed of the Member from Nahendeh stating that many seniors do not even reach this. I mean, $56,000 for the lowest zone is quite a bit of money, although you can struggle on it. So if you are not making it, please, please come in and talk about accessing income support or other services. People need support, and we want to try to help them as a government. Reach out and ask.

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister providing those answers to us right now today. I mean, it is great that we need to get in there right now, but will the Minister look at actually putting a cost to it? Previously, it was 2,800 litres, and each zone had litres and not a monetary value. It is great that some people are able to access monetary value, but for those elders who are under that, will they look at the ability to, instead of monetary value, actually put it in litres or the value of those litres that they were supposed to get? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As stated earlier, we will be doing a full review of the program. This was the first year that we have implemented the changes, so we will be doing a full review in the summer coming up here. Yes, if it makes sense. We try to work closely with the Seniors' Society, recognizing we don't ask every single senior in the Northwest Territories, but we do try to work with the society that is in charge of representing them to do this. We will work closely with them and we will look at it.

One of the things that is noted, though, is, when we only moved litres, there are a lot of seniors in small communities, Mr. Speaker, who are only using a lot of wood heat. If we are only providing litres, we are neglecting a huge population of people who are still using wood heat. That is why we moved to a financial compensation versus litres, because under the litres, if you are using wood, you weren't always getting the amount of money. So, right now, it has moved to financial. You get the payout. It doesn't matter what you use it on, but we will review it in the summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation and Safety Commission's appointment of the Workers' Advisor, why was an expression of interest not issued to the public? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under Section 107 of the Workers' Compensation Act, the Minister responsible does have the authority to appoint a workers' advisor. Because, as some Members know, our last workers' advisor was retiring, we needed to fill the position, and the process of the Minister responsible appointing a workers' advisor is left up to the discretion of the Minister. That was what happened. I look forward to the new workers' advisor doing a great job working in this position and working for the safety and the well-being and the wellness and health of our employees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I acknowledge that the Minister has the discretion. In fact, I said that earlier today. The Minister's predecessor made the last appointment with a public process. Why did the Minister not follow the same process that Northerners have come to expect surrounding this appointment?

I can't speak of my predecessor and the decisions that they made. I can speak for the decisions that I make in this House, and I just answered the question earlier, that it was my decision, discretion of the Minister, and I am very glad to have a long-time Northerner working in this area. Like I said, he is going to do a great job working on the health, the well-being, and ensuring the safety for our employees across the Northwest Territories.

Again, I am not questioning the merits of the person who was appointed, and I am sure they will do a good job, but the Minister knows quite well that this is a long-time political aide of the Minister. Can the Minister confirm whether or not he brought this issue up with his Cabinet colleagues or with the Conflict of Interest Commissioner to assess whether or not it was a conflict for him to make this decision?

This is legislated. I did mention in the Workers' Compensation Act under section 107, and I will say it again, section 107, so everyone can hear that. I, as the Minister, have the authority to appoint a workers' advisor. It is legislated. It was a decision that was made, and anybody who is in that position is very well-qualified to do that work.

Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that everyone knows that the Minister is capable about making this appointment. It is the Minister's judgment around this appointment that is the issue. Will the Minister agree to re-assess this appointment with the advice of someone who is skilled in assessing conflict and make the appropriate decision after that time? Will he at least look into this from a conflict perspective? Thank you.

The decision was made, a legislated decision, and I stand by that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In her response to the Aurora College foundational review, the Minister said that the transformation of the college will begin with the creation of an NWT-wide vision of post-secondary education. My question is: isn't the first thing to resolve the issue of where the headquarters and the main campus are going to be located? Masi.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I think that the first thing to do, actually, was to hire the person to actually become the associate deputy minister, would be the first priority, and that is what we focused on. Actually defining where the headquarters are, we spent a lot of time, Mr. Speaker. I went to the three communities, Inuvik, Yellowknife, and Fort Smith, a total of three times. I met with the community counsellors there. I met with public meetings. I spent a lot of time, and I heard clearly, I heard clearly, that students and staff see the benefits of all three communities, and I see the benefits of all three communities, so defining where the headquarters will be is something we need to look at down the road, once we have an implementation plan.

I have committed that the person who will be hired fairly soon, I will be announcing that fairly soon, as well, will be located in Yellowknife, because we have to work very closely together on the planning stage. After that is done, then we will be defining if and where we need a headquarters. At this time, Mr. Speaker, all three communities have stated very clearly both orally and in writing that they do not want one community over the other. They want, as my vision was, three strong communities and three strong campuses.

I have no quarrel with the idea of three strong campuses, but I don't understand how the Minister and her staff are going to create an implementation plan when there is not a vision for where the main campus is going to be. I get the idea of three, but I do not think they are going to be equal, so how can she go forward with an implementation plan without knowing where the headquarters is going to be?

Once that person is hired, which I will be announcing, again, later on, the implementation plan will take place at that time. Again, we have committed. I have said that we will take that person, they will located in Yellowknife so that we can work very closely with them over the next couple of years, but the question still remains, Mr. Speaker: do we need to move every single position out of Fort Smith, at this time, into Yellowknife? Do we need to move the finance? Do we need to move aspects of that? Those are questions we need to look at more in depth. Also, it cannot be about one community over another. I recognize I am an MLA for Yellowknife, but on top of that I am a Minister for all communities in the Northwest Territories. My commitment is to making sure that all communities are taken care of, and that is why I have said from the beginning and will say till the end: three strong communities, three strong campuses. I will not let one be detrimental to the others.

The Minister has been unable to answer my question. At some point, there is going to be a new campus built, and my understanding is it's going to be built in Yellowknife. There is going to be money needed for this, so where along this whole road does the decision get made that there will be a new campus in Yellowknife and that it will be the headquarters for the new polytechnic?

I am a little bit shocked. I am wondering if the MLA has more information than I do, because I didn't know that we were having a new campus in Yellowknife at this time. We are still working with the City of Yellowknife to define if that is a brick and mortar or if it actually is building on what they have already. So those decisions have not been made, and my commitment has been to work very closely with the municipal government to determine that need. Like I said, the first couple of years are around planning, and the definition of what headquarters looks like or where it will be will be future, down the road.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I hear is the Minister is punting this decision down the road to the next Assembly so that she is not going to disappoint anyone, but I want to put on the record that this decision is going to have to be made. Whether we are talking about bricks and mortar, whether we are talking about distance learning, whatever it is we are talking about, this thing is going to exist somewhere and the Minister is going to have a make a decision about it, so at a what point is that going to come, if not some future Assembly and some hapless Minister of the day having to make somebody unhappy?

I think that I have been called many things since I have taken this position. However, I have not been called "easy" and I have not been called "lazy," so I am not looking for easy answers out. I am doing my job as a Minister, and that means protecting all people in the Northwest Territories, in all communities. As stated, I see benefits in all three communities. Climate change is affecting our northern communities more so than Yellowknife. Not to say it's not affecting Yellowknife, but it's affecting them more so. Would that not make sense to study there? If we are going to do ENR programs, does it make sense to do them in Yellowknife or does it make sense to do it outside the community? Those are questions we need to look at.

Before we even get to defining what the headquarters looks like, Mr. Speaker, we have to develop a vision. One of the recommendations says we try to do too much for everyone. We need to stop that. We need to look at what we are good at, what we should be specializing in, and what we should be leaving to other universities and polytechnics throughout Canada. So that is the first step, is defining what we need, what we are good at, what we should be focusing our energies on. After that, then we will be looking at the structures of how we support all three communities and all three campuses. Not only the campuses, but the 22 community learning centres also need to be in that picture, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to continue, then, on down the road of questions with regard to the polytechnic, but I guarantee I will not ask any questions about: where shall it go? Mr. Speaker, I will go down this road, however. There are some people who are very excited about this transition. Obviously, Aurora College has served the Northwest Territories very well. The government has accepted a number of recommendations with regard to the review. That means we are going to transition into a polytechnic university, so I would like to start simply by asking the Minister if she can tell us what work has been done so far to prepare for the transition of Aurora College, that has served us well, into this polytechnic university? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do want to take a moment to state that I do not see the MLA who just asked me the question as a coward. I see him as a very capable MLA, so I will start with that.

What have we done? What have we done so far? We put out the ad, and so again I will be releasing very soon where we are with the hiring practise. That will be coming up, by the latest, on Monday. I will be doing a Minister's statement on the polytechnic at that time. We have done visits, three visits to all three communities, and that was a lot. In fairness, when I went to the communities, there was a lot of fear-based. It took three visits to get them actually to feeling a place where they could see a future, that they can actually take hold of this and say it is the right thing to do, so that was very worthwhile, my time. We have also met with the community learning centres. Because there are 22 in different areas, we could not meet with them individually, so we had a teleconference with all of them to define what they see their strengths are and their needs are. We have done the draft of what the vision questions will be. I have submitted those to the MLAs. I believe I gave a timeline to get that information back so that the MLAs can give me final feedback on if the survey questions are appropriate. We are expecting that as soon as the beginning of next month. We will be submitting that out, the visioning out, throughout the Northwest Territories.

I know at the beginning the MLAs had asked me in committee if I would have an implementation plan, and I actually did not want to do that because I took the recommendation that said ECE is too entrenched, so I wanted to hold off, but I could not wait. As a person, I am a little bit "get her done," so we have started a draft implementation plan. Once this person is in place, they will take that draft and they will actually make it a final implementation plan. So we have done a little bit of work. We have much to do, but I am excited about the work to come.

Thank you to the Minister for the reply, and I appreciate the preparation that is under way. Residents, though, Mr. Speaker, although they are very excited about the opportunity that another level of education will provide to Northerners, they are still a little bit troubled to understand exactly what is undertaken, or what does a polytechnic university look like. Can the Minister maybe describe to us exactly what a polytechnic university looks like? What distinguishes it differently from Aurora College? Thank you.

A very broad question. In responding, can the Minister please take note of the time and the fact that we are not even halfway through questions? Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Okay. I am going to really try because, you know me, I like to talk. What is a polytechnic university besides Aurora College right now? A polytechnic university is actually really hand-on learning. It looks at taking in practicum plus the academic learning with that. So what it gives us that it does not have at Aurora College is that Aurora College is limited because it is a college. They have partnerships that can access university monies, but they don't actually get that money themselves. I don't know this money. It came out in a city report. I believe that it said that there was, like, $500 million floated through that we didn't access. We could only access a couple hundred thousand dollars of that money.

Moving into the polytechnic university will give us specializations in what our strengths are in the Northwest Territories, and it will also give us access to a lot more research money, which will lessen the dependency of Aurora College on the Government of the Northwest Territories, which is critical for sustainability.

Thank you to the Minister for the reply. The Minister has indicated a couple of times in previous replies and earlier in mine that there is soon, I guess, to be announced a new associate deputy minister. Once this particular ADM is hired, what will be the actual first steps and actions that this position or this person is going to have to take?

One of the first things, of course, that that person will have to do is get used to what he is walking into, or she is walking into. They will have to look at taking over the overall supervision, the operations of the normal day-to-day operations within all the campuses. Because we will be starting the vision exercise, they will be actually working with that close vision exercise, not only for the Northwest Territories, but taking that vision and then what we define as a vision of the Territories, they will be defining what the vision is for the polytechnic university. They will be taking our draft implementation plan, whatever state it is in, and finalizing that work. As well, they will be looking at their management team to make sure that they have the best-placed people in the best places. They have a lot of work to do in a short period of time. Like I said, I am a pretty hard Minister, and I want this done. I will be on them constantly to get er done.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for the reply. Clearly, there is lots of work to be done. As we know, we have little to no resources actually identified in this particular budget with regard to this initiative. There is a little bit of a concern toward how much are we actually cementing this initiative into the mandate of this Assembly. I would like to ask the Minister: what can we expect that will be done on this file in the remaining life of this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Sometimes, in honesty, I think that sometimes we work too slow. Then I have to remind myself I only got this portfolio in April. I won't even have an actual year until it is finished, but I think we are making a lot of progress. What can be done? The person will be hired as our associate deputy minister. Our overall vision statement for the Northwest Territories and for the polytechnic will be done in this Legislative Assembly.

We will be doing that drafting of the framework for the evaluations of the programs, the education and the social work. That was a personal commitment and a personal concern of my own. That will be done. We will also be bringing forward the legislation to guide and make sure that all post-secondary education within the Northwest Territories is providing quality education to our students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the situation in Fort Providence of dental services, or the lack of dental services. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services. You know, we are elected here to serve the interests and the well-being of the public and ensuring we provide efficient programs and services. With that in mind, can the Minister sketch out for us the way that dental services are delivered in our small communities, including responsible parties, and how this compares to services in regional centres and in Yellowknife? Mahsi.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing the time, I will try my best to do this quickly. Dental services are not provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories. They are provided by private clinics and private practitioners. That is for all residents of the Northwest Territories. Dental services are not an insured health service.

However, the department does administer portions of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program (NIHB) on behalf of the federal government, who do have some responsibility for ensuring that dental services are provided to those who are eligible for NIHB. The health authorities have and do enter into contracts on behalf of NIHB with dental providers, private businesses, to travel to the regions and communities that do not have local or resident dentists.

The actual dental services, as I have indicated, are provided by these private providers, and they will actually invoice the federal government directly for the cost of those services. Dental services are based on self-referral. Every resident can call a dental office or other to book their own appointments. They would do that directly with the dentist, not through the Health and Social Services system.

If dental services are not available in a home community, like Providence as an example of residents, those who are eligible for NIHB can make arrangements to travel to access dental services and have some of those costs covered through NIHB. In larger centres that have private dentist offices, individuals who are eligible for NIHB also book their own appointments directly with the dentist, and the dentist will invoice the federal government for coverage under NIHB program.

If services required are not covered by NIHB, which is the case for some procedures, or they exceed the benefit levels that are covered, then the cost is the responsibility of the individual. That is similar to individuals who are covered by employee dental insurance programs and other things, like our GNWT employees, who have some of the best benefits in the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the Minister covered a lot of information. I wanted to talk about the location of the services whenever it arrives in Fort Providence and perhaps at least acknowledging that communication has been problematic. Talking specifics about Fort Providence, residents have asked me why the dental team is using the old dental room at the Snowshoe Inn Centre when there are facilities and a new health centre. Can the Minister explain?

I have asked the department to provide me with some clarity on the use of the Snowshoe Inn Centre. It is my understanding that the dental providers out of Hay River actually weren't under contract with NIHB to come. They had actually made those arrangements themselves and made their arrangements in the community.

Having said that, we did construct the new health centre in Fort Providence, which we opened in 2015. Subsequently, a dental room was requested to be added to the new centre. The dental room has been completed, and the required dental equipment has been installed and commissioned in that health centre. Although the authority is currently exploring options for a dentist to be available to residents of Fort Providence who are eligible through NIHB coverage, we are talking to the federal government right now about doing an RFP or some other mechanism to find a dentist who will come in on a regular basis into that community to use those facilities.

The department is doing some very important work on oral health for infants, children, and youth. I don't want to take away from that, but I am also mindful of adults in need. How is the department taking action to improve adults' oral health in the NWT?

We did release the oral health strategy here in the Northwest Territories, and the focus is on prevention rather than the actual provision of services, because the provision of services is the responsibility of private dentists and others. We do accept and we do agree with everything the Member said about the value of oral health and healthy gums, a healthy mouth leading to overall health. We do have the oral health strategy. There is a lot of focus on youth, as the Member has said.

However, with regard to oral health initiatives for the adult population, there are a number of action items within the oral health action plan that will benefit adults as the action plan is implemented over the next three years. Some of those notable examples include the provision of oral health toolkits for all residents of long-term care facilities in the Northwest Territories; large-scale oral health promotion programs into the general population; the expansion of community water fluoridation in the territory; upgrading and replacement of dental equipment in dental rooms across the Northwest Territories, like we did in Providence; and augmenting oral health services for expectant mothers through prenatal oral health programs. There are a number of things that we are doing that are focusing on supporting adults as well as youth and children.

Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister did state that dental services, providing services to the community of Fort Providence, is really left up to private clinics. Can the Minister assure the residents of Fort Providence that, clearly and definitely, he will have a role in ensuring that private clinics do provide dental services to Fort Providence as soon as possible? Mahsi.

As I indicated, we have been in touch with the federal government about possibly issuing an RFP to find a provider to provide those services in Fort Providence. That is going to take a while. We are looking to see if there are any providers locally who might be able to do something immediately, but in the meantime, we are also trying to get some more communications information from the NIHB that we could share with community members, showing them how they can get some financial compensation to go to appointments, so that their ability to maintain their health or deal with emergencies isn't limited by financial situation.

A number of things are happening. I don't have those answers for the Member today, but we are looking into it, and I will get back to the Member as soon as I have more information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I talked about small-scale mining. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI a couple of questions. Will the Minister work with the small-scale, high value-added mineral industry to adjust their requirements to a small scale from what would be a normal, large-scale operation? That would be proportional approvals, proportional requirements, and costs. Thank you.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All resource projects in the Northwest Territories are reviewed in the same laid-out regulatory regime that we have within the Northwest Territories, according to their scale and scope. We have a multifaceted regulatory system in the Northwest Territories. There is a process to adjust the requirements and make changes within that process, but also, in the Northwest Territories, we have a lot of players. We have the Government of the Northwest Territories and our departments; we have the federal government and their departments; and we have Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories that need to be involved in the regulatory process.

The one thing that I can say, as I said in the House here last week about this project, it is something that is very interesting that I will be following very closely with my colleagues on this side of the House, particularly the ones that manage natural resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Specific to that project, will the Minister work with the governments, regulators, and firms like Avalon and Cheetah to facilitate an accelerated timeline at Nechalacho to achieve small-scale production?

We will definitely work closely with them, as we do with many other companies in the Northwest Territories that are trying to get business done here. We want it done right, and we want to help them avoid any red tape unnecessarily to move their projects forward. The nice thing about ITI is that we have developed a Client Services and Community Relations Office within our department, and their role is to help the companies work their way through the regulatory system in the Northwest Territories. We certainly encourage Avalon and Cheetah to work closely with that division and help move their timelines and scope along.

As these companies move forward, the potential for ownership with the Indigenous governments and Indigenous groups, will there still be requirements for impact benefit agreements should these companies have ownership along with the Indigenous governments?

As you know, we introduced our bill here last week, so I want to speak very carefully about what I am going to talk about here, because it is in the standing committee's preview right now of the bill.

In our bill, we proposed benefit agreements, not impact benefit agreements. There is already a process laid out for that, and that is through the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. When you look at our proposed bill, the benefits side of things, we want to make --

Minister, the bill is before standing committee, and it is inappropriate to discuss it at this point. If you could answer the question perhaps without direct reference to the bill that is properly before the committee? Thank you.