Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I am confused, but I did think that we were already in the path of getting more money. What I'm hearing does sound like it's now going to be at least a couple more years before there's any shovels in the ground on this project. And I can tell you 100 percent that that diesel plant is not going to make it five more years at minimum. The road has already been eroded away leading up to the side of it, and once you are not able to drive beside the road you have safety issues and even accessing the site. So can the Minister please tell me what she is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if I think I'm hearing right, that means that we actually have not put in the ask yet to the federal government for more money, which I was under the impression through the last few sittings that when the plan did not go ahead last fall, like when I asked, that it was because the government was getting more money.

Can the Minister clarify whether or not they have gone for more money for the LNG plant, or are they still preparing the application? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sticking with roads, I'm looking at the Tlicho AllSeason Road to Whati. There is a $4 million carryover, which I kind of find interesting because as a committee we travelled to Whati, we talked about the road with them, and at the time there was, you know, a lot of concern about how narrow the road was and the dust suppression issues, etcetera, which I do want to thank the Department of Infrastructure did seem to get quite quickly on dust suppression after we left. However, given that people feel the road was constructed too narrowly, then now we're carrying over last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize former city councillor Julian Morse here in the gallery watching the proceedings today. Welcome.

So I'm thinking I heard that it just goes back into the general coffer for the fund itself, and I'm looking over to just have someone confirm that for me.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And in fact, I have said that before in this House, I'm pretty sure too, and I do agree, that it is cost to doing business that is higher in the North. And I've said it to my colleague beside me that isn't here today that I would rather see us overpay Indigenous groups to do work than to be overpaying southerners that are coming in and that money is leaving.

My next question has to do with - and, again, a little bit - like, maybe not sort of more what's missing maybe from this list. Given my statement earlier about the flooding issues in the North, you know, my concern...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just noting that while that's an overall of 14, it's actually we have $23 million coming and $9 million of a reduction there. So I just wanted to ask a little bit about the Frank Channel Bridge reduction of $9.6 million. I understand that is to do with delays in the project; however, can the Minister give us some update on where that project's at and when are we going to see things start? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So would it not be fair, then, to say given the amount of emergency work and extra work that MACA has had other the last few years, given the number of disasters, that perhaps capacity within the department is stretched which then maybe would impact some of these projects from going forward? Also, I'm assuming that this is not the first that's lapsed and it probably lapsed through COVID. I know for a fact it did as well. So with COVID having shut down a lot of the Government of the Northwest Territories, can the Minister speak to how much the overtaxing of the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will ask the Minister a question. Of this $27 million that's being carried over, for municipalities - or communities to access this money, is it applicationbased; do they have to fill out forms, do they have to provide proposals, etcetera, to get this money? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to probably reiterate a few things that my colleagues have said, but I too am disappointed to see the amount of money lapsing. While I do recognize and understand the government's explanation that this money will come back in future years, what it represents to me is money that was not put into our economy oftentimes at the inability of the government and departments to do their jobs properly or to get things out the door on time that then has caused communities to suffer financially. A great example I keep bringing up is the Tulita Health Centre. I keep being...