Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 9, 2016, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on June 9, 2016, it shall be adjourned until Monday, June 13, 2016. And further, that at any time prior to June 13, 2016, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and...

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, what efforts is the territorial government making to ensure that Nutrition North becomes a more useful program in the North for providing nutritious and affordable food? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, households that depend on government for income are at greater risk of being hungry than other households with low income. The government has acknowledged this fact by raising the food allowance portion of income assistance. Can the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment confirm his commitment to follow through with increases to the food allowance in the next two fiscal years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t feel like I made that decision. I haven't, until yesterday, seen the business case for this road, so I encourage the government to bring this investment forward for consideration especially given the fact that the economic benefit of the road alone without the mine is so small. Is this road in fact a subsidy to the mining industry?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. You have addressed my questions. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke about the economic evaluation of the road to Whati and I have questions for the Minister of Transportation. Fortune Minerals wants this road built as a pre-condition of developing its mine. What kind of a commitment is the government getting from Fortune Minerals? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm pleased to hear the Minister say that because for example there are a number of pots of money that deal with heritage and with languages and with performers and maybe there's some scope to bring them all together. That's just a remark. Thank you, that's all for me.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thanks, colleagues. The direct stimulative nature of the Tlicho road investment is larger than that of the Nico construction project itself. That is because this contrasts with the Nico project, whose economic impact is most felt outside the NWT because the majority of its mining and milling equipment and all of its smelter and refinery capital expenditure will also occur outside of the NWT, specifically in Saskatchewan. I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question really was whether there's any more work of this type coming along. Thank you.