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Track Kieron

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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word is know.

MLA for Range Lake

Won his last election, in 2023, with 55% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Question 713-20(1): Staffing of Yellowknife Emergency Department May 26th, 2025

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that we're talking about the whole territory, not pitting regions against each other. To that end, we know that the Inuvik hospital often suffers similar shortages and staff. Can the Minister guarantee to this House that labour and delivery services at the Inuvik hospital will remain open over the summer, preventing moms and their families from travelling to Yellowknife, or farther, to have their babies? Thank you.

Question 713-20(1): Staffing of Yellowknife Emergency Department May 26th, 2025

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. That didn't sound like a guarantee and I'd like to -- perhaps we could see the schedule at some point, but that might be breaching operational concerns. But I will ask this: If we can't get a guarantee, what is the Minister's answer to a patient who arrives at Stanton ER for emergency treatment, there's no emergency physician, what does the Minister want them to do to get emergency care? Thank you.

Question 713-20(1): Staffing of Yellowknife Emergency Department May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know -- I spy some healthcare workers in the gallery, so I thought I'd ask some health care questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Will the Minister of Health and Social Services give her guarantee to this House that Stanton Hospital's emergency department will have an emergency physician physically present for all times this summer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Thank you.

Question 710-20(1): Northwest Territories Nominee Program Extensions May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister been able to work -- or look at what's happened in the Yukon and crack the code? They were able to do it, so why can't we? That's the fundamental question here. We see another northern jurisdiction with a very similar program that's also maxed out its utilization rate, and they were able to do this. So what is the difference between our program and the Yukon's program? Thank you.

Question 710-20(1): Northwest Territories Nominee Program Extensions May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've heard from the Minister that one of the reasons we can't extend the permits is because we're redeveloping the program for 2026. So can the Minister confirm if that information's correct? Because that seems like it's our problem and not the federal government's.

Question 710-20(1): Northwest Territories Nominee Program Extensions May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to -- I too wish to turn to the NTNP worker program that we have foreign workers in the Northwest Territories. We had a town hall a couple months ago. The response was significant, and people are very concerned. So the Yukon has extended their work permits. They were able to do that with their existing relationships with Ottawa. So why are we not able to extend work permits here in the Northwest Territories? This is something that nominees are asking for. They're desperate. They're very concerned about their future. So why can't we extend the permits here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 705-20(1): Cost of Electricity in Northwest Territories May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some of -- the net metering policy is long overdue, so I hope the board agrees with the Minister because we could have had some cheaper renewables a long time ago if we had had a more favourable rate like they have in Yukon. So we're in 2025, Mr. Speaker. We have AI technology. We have new technologies. There's lots of companies out there who are promising to save this government money by implementing some new systems, some new RFPs.

Will the Minister look to the many, many options out there of AI and new -- emerging technology companies that can provide cheaper power with our current systems. They can optimize our systems to lower the costs which will result in lower rates for Northerners. So will the Minister commit to looking to those solutions? Thank you.

Question 705-20(1): Cost of Electricity in Northwest Territories May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre talked about the challenge to the Taltson project and perhaps the optimism around it that might not be realized, and certainly, these are large scale infrastructures. So she said with projects that will take time and investment to pull off and, of course, federal investment. Hopefully, our northern Prime Minister understands that. Nunavut pays more in subsidies. Will the Minister increase the power rate subsidies to give Northerners a break? Thank you.

Question 705-20(1): Cost of Electricity in Northwest Territories May 26th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in the day, my constituents are very frustrated with the high cost of power in the Northwest Territories. We have a limited rate base, and we keep squeezing them, and there's nowhere else to charge. So does the Minister have some concrete policy proposals, infrastructure investments, or other forms of change that we can bring to our power system to give Northerners some relief because they're tired of paying these bills, and it's driving people out of their homes as I said. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement 654-20(1): Cost of Electricity in Northwest Territories May 26th, 2025

Mr. Speaker, not only are perspective residents turning away from our territory due to soaring housing costs that prevent them from finding a home, but we're also now losing families long rooted in our communities to a cost of living crisis that is pricing them out of the homes they've lived in for generations. For these families, leaving the North was once unimaginable but with every power bill, the uneasy reality sets in: They may no longer have a choice.

Northerners now pay nearly double the national average per kilowatt hour, prices exacerbated by the fact we consume far more electricity than those in southern provinces. While it's true the North often ranks higher on price indexes due to our vast and remote geography and challenging climate, this is no justification when we now not only pay significantly more than Yukon but have officially surpassed Nunavut to hold the unfortunate title of having the most unaffordable electricity rates in the country.

This summer I've heard again and again from constituents -- and the summer just started, Mr. Speaker -- who are looking forward to the relief from the milder weather. Usually, that relief usually brings to their pocketbooks, a time when they can unplug their vehicles and turn down the heat. Yet, despite their optimism, they've been afforded no such break. Many are still facing power bills well over $500 a month. The Minister has stated repeatedly that she has protected these families and all Northerners from steeper rate hikes, but what comfort does that offer when their bills remain unimaginable and further increases loom on the horizon? Reducing the pace of these increases isn't enough. We need lower energy prices outright otherwise, in a cruel twist of irony, the government might solve our housing shortage, not by building more homes but by triggering an exodus of Northerners in search of affordable living elsewhere. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.