Jackson Lafferty

The Minister alluded to an action plan. Obviously, I would like to see that plan of action from ECE, more specifically on interpreter training that is available to us. On another note, I talk about short-term, long-term goals of this ECE department with respect to working with the Indigenous governments' organizations. Question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: I understand that there is a five-year language plan. What is the status on this plan?

Masi, Mr. Speaker. I have to juggle around with my questions here. [Translation] At this time, I would like to ask a question regarding the interpreters. I wanted to ask one of the Ministers regarding the interpreters. [Translation ends]

I would like to ask questions on the language interpreters' training. I did ask that question a while back ago; now I want to follow up again. Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to know, point blank, who is responsible for providing language interpreter training here in the Northwest Territories. Masi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, on behalf of Behchoko, I am going to be talking about some of the emotions about the Behchoko. There are more houses. There is a huge population in the community of the Behchoko. It is one of the largest native communities in the Northwest Territories. I am talking about the regional office. I will be talking about the regional office. I will ask questions, Mr. Speaker. [Translation ends]

[Microphone turned off] ...town in the Northwest Territories. It is the territory's largest Indigenous community. It is the centre of one of the most dynamic and vibrant...

Masi, Madam Chair. [Translation] Today, we know this is a big issue. We know for a fact it has been an ongoing issue for a very long time, and now it's in front of us. All of us today, all of the Ministers and MLAs, have spoken, and some support it. Some do not support it. Right now, the federal government had money there. We see $2.5 million. That is a lot of money that we are looking at, seeing it today, and we see for a fact, in the communities, we know we need training in all communities and departments, and also we know that we have concerns about the caribou because we know, when the...

As it stands, obviously, we would like to follow what the Chief Medical Officer recommends, and I understand that she has stated that she doesn't have the authority to stop this from happening, people coming from the South. It is this government that is responsible, and we have had experience with PDAC participants who came back and there are some issues. This is becoming a pandemic, as it has been called. We have people coming in from the South. We don't know where they have been, but they are it bringing into the Northwest Territories. Not only the Northwest Territories, but small and...

Masi, Madam Chair. I highly urge this Minister to seriously consider possibly making -- because it is a policy change, similar to what we've done with ECE in the past, and it worked really well for seniors and elders in the community. Housing is a big challenge in the community, people accessing it, and there are so many complaints and issues. I think, once the Minister looks into this and makes some minor changes with regard to household income versus the head of household income, I think that will make a huge difference. I am seriously hoping that the Minister will consider that as we move...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. My final question, obviously, pertains to the process. When I spoke to our MP, Michael McLeod, a couple of months back, he was also asking about the proposal, the bridge, the Frank Channel Bridge, if it was submitted. I just want to ask the Minister of Finance if there was a submission made for the Frank Channel Bridge with the federal government, the corridor funding. If I can get some sort of correspondence pertaining to that, Mr. Speaker, I would greatly appreciate it. Masi.

That leads to my next question about being transparent. I want to see for myself if this Minister's department has given sufficient weight to the Frank Channel Bridge replacement project. With this in mind, could the Minister of Finance, working with her colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure, please provide historical data comparing her department's submissions, milestones, application timelines, intergovernmental meetings, relating to the Frank Channel Bridge and the Slave Geological Transportation Corridor.

Masi, Mr. Speaker, I'll do it for a third time. Mr. Speaker, last August 14, the territorial government announced that it had secured a $30 million contribution from the federal government's National Trade Corridor Fund. This contribution coupled with a corresponding $10 million from GNWT to fund an environmental assessment and planning for the Slave Geological Transportation Corridor. The planning component of $40 million investment will, among other things, bring the first section of corridor to a "shovel-ready" state. Mr. Speaker, that section is running from the end of our existing Highway...

Madam Chair, just on the SAFE program, the CARE program, seniors aging in place retrofit and repairs, we've identified the 2020 main estimates. I'm just curious, the program itself, is it all income-tested, household income? The reason I'm asking is there were questions on that with ECE, I believe. There is a seniors fuel subsidy, and we only income-test the heads of households; not family members living with them, but just the two heads of households. Have we considered that for these programs? I know there are some people living in the community who don't qualify because their household...