This is page numbers 5827 - 5874 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that is -- it's -- the number that's put in here is based on historical averages and so that's why you see $7.6 million there, and it does obviously vary year by year. But based on historical averages, that's the number that is used. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Okay, thanks. So when do we actually know how much is in the heritage fund? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. So when royalty payments come in, you know, end of the fiscal year and are reported upon and, again, keeping in mind the fiscal year for the mines themselves, then that is when the total contribution is known. So you would see it -- you know, probably this is an occasion where looking at the actuals and not just the budget is the way to go to understand what is actually in there. This is just the budgeted amount, again based on an average. It's not obviously what actually comes in. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Okay, thanks, Madam Chair. So yearend, March 31st, when do we actually have some sense of what is going to go in for the previous year? Is it like June, July, September, December, when do we kind of know how much is going to go in there? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. The contributions or payments are made over the summer months, so either between July to before the end of August.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Okay, thanks. And is that when the funds go out to Indigenous governments under the net fiscal benefit arrangement? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that's correct. Approximately -- so, again, sometime in and around by August and let's say early fall at the outset. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yeah, okay, thanks. I don't think I have anything else. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5845

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

All right, thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is about the aviation sector support. I do know obviously that was the money that was put in during COVID to help keep our airplanes afloat, for lack of a better word. And so I note that there was an additional amount of $2 million put in in the revised estimates that we hadn't planned on. Can the Minister speak to -- I probably should know what that is, but if she could explain why we ended up putting in another $2 million last year that we didn't plan? And then I guess I'll ask my other question after. Thanks.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. That was the last round of funding received from the federal government under this initiative. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. So then I'm just guessing it wasn't in our predicted mains because we didn't know we were getting it, and I see the Minister nodding yes so thank you for that.

Given that there was a recent article about Canadian North and issues perhaps around financing, without getting too much into their financial details, does the Minister anticipate there's going to be another need for any aviation sector supports coming? Like, I recognize that the pandemic has played its course as far as being like an emergency, but, you know, our travel industry, our airlines are still quite fragile, and I'm just wondering, you know, given supply chain issues and all of that, cost of fuel, are we going to be bailing out our airlines again coming up? Thanks.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope not. And, you know, Madam Chair, I do have the opportunity to meet, and have been taking the opportunity myself and Minister Archie to meet with all the major airlines that are servicing the Northwest Territories, arising actually more from the lack of access to routing as oppose to worrying about their finances. And in doing so, it gives us an opportunity to have a better handle on what is happening in that industry. We've certainly not had any asks; I can say that. And if anything, Minister Archie and I are more concerned with seeing what they can do to expand services in the North. So there are routes being added and I'll take that as a good sign for now. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 9th

Page 5846

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I mean, yeah, I take that as a good sign too of an expansion but then we all know in the past too, sometimes if someone expands too much too quickly, they can't financially keep up with that. So I'm a little concerned we're in a little bit of a teetery position here when it comes to our airlines. And I guess it's worth noting as well that, you know, the issues that Canadian North faces, or Air Canada for that matter, are obviously a lot different than what our small regional carriers face and such and I know that's a bigger conversation. So I will leave that one there.

My next question is around the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link. I guess I'm not super up to date on where things are at currently with that and the redundancy and tieing all of the -- some of these communities onto the fibre optic loop. So can the Minister speak a little bit about what the plans are next for the $12.25 million that's slated here? Thank you.