Tabled Document 931-19(2): Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada: Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas, Independent Auditor's Report, 2023 Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the 2023 Independent Auditor's Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada on Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6153 Tabling of Documents
Question 1517-19(2): NorthwesTel and Bell Billing and Services Mr. Speaker, the master plan and accountability issues of NorthwesTel must be shared with all Members of the Legislative Assembly, and it should include how they're going to lower their rates and create more choices. In this day and age, it is extremely important that the people
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6153 Oral Questions
Question 1517-19(2): NorthwesTel and Bell Billing and Services Mr. Speaker, could the Minister tell us what NorthwesTel's master plan is for addressing some of these issues? Have they shared any plans with you or Cabinet and not with all of us? NorthwesTel and Bell need to start being accountable. Does the Minister agree? Thank you, Mr. Spea
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6153 Oral Questions
Question 1517-19(2): NorthwesTel and Bell Billing and Services Mr. Speaker, in addition to natural disaster emergencies, there's also a major concern about the lack of cellphone infrastructure on all NWT highways. Between Fort Smith and Hay River, there are no cell services. Between Behchoko and Yellowknife, there are no cellphone services.
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6152 Oral Questions
Question 1517-19(2): NorthwesTel and Bell Billing and Services Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, two days ago on May 23rd, I went to NorthwesTel which is owned by Bell in the Northwest Territories, to help a Hay River evacuee pay for their phone bill because it was going to be cut off. NorthwesTel told me they don't do Bell payments there
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6152 Oral Questions
Question 1509-19(2): Improving Connectivity in the Northwest Territories Mr. Speaker, does the Minister agree that increasing access to high-speed internet will overall help to advance economic reconciliation for Indigenous peoples and communities within the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6148 Oral Questions
Question 1509-19(2): Improving Connectivity in the Northwest Territories Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what the Government of the Northwest Territories has done over the course of the 19th Assembly to address the issue of internet disparity between the small communities and regional centres within the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6148 Oral Questions
Question 1509-19(2): Improving Connectivity in the Northwest Territories Mr. Speaker, overall there's a lack of competition with internet service providers in the NWT. Does the Minister agree that having more options of internet services for the NWT residents will help reduce the household costs of internet and also bolster the speed of internet in th
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6147 Oral Questions
Question 1509-19(2): Improving Connectivity in the Northwest Territories Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in April during the CRTC public hearings on telecommunication services in the far North, your deputy Minister of Finance testified. In his testimony, he stated that Indigenous households have an internet take-up of only 63 percent compared to
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6147 Oral Questions
Member's Statement 1511-19(2): Internet Connectivity in the Northwest Territories Mr. Speaker, today I'm going to speak about the state of internet connectivity in the NWT and lack thereof. Mr. Speaker, two months ago the Auditor General of Canada released a report titled Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas, which stated that rural and remote communities a
May 25th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6143 Members' Statements
Motion 79-19(2): Expression of Gratitude to Clerk, Tim Mercer, for Dedicated and Exemplary Service, Carried Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I first got elected to the Legislative Assembly and came here, I found a situation where, you know, like I explained earlier today, that, you know, the slow pace of government and being in private sector for 50 years, I was a bit puzzled
March 30th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6104 Motions
Motion 79-19(2): Expression of Gratitude to Clerk, Tim Mercer, for Dedicated and Exemplary Service, Carried Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an expression of gratitude to clerk Tim Mercer for dedicated and exemplary service. WHEREAS Tim Mercer was appointed Clerk of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly in August, 2003; AND WHEREAS Mr. Mercer has provided devoted and outstand
March 30th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6101 Motions
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Minister Vandal to the House. And just to acknowledge that the two oldest federal day schools that are left standing in the Northwest Territories are both from my riding. One is 64 years old and the other one is 60 years old.
March 30th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6100 Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery(reversion)
Member's Statement 1504-19(2): Pace of Government and Intention to Seek Re-Election Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, of the many things I've discovered as a Member of this House, there's one thing that sticks out to me all the time, which is the slow pace of conducting government business. It takes so much time to simply make a decision about anything and to
March 30th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6091 Members' Statements
Bill 76: An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, Carried Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, be read for the third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
March 30th, 2023Assembly debate Page 6054 Third Reading of Bills