Katrina Nokleby

As the Member is aware, I have already started to have discussions with fisherpeople out of Hay River. I do commit to the Member to continue having those conversations. The Member has requested that I come down and meet some of the businesspeople in Hay River soon. We are trying to coordinate that meeting. I would be more than happy to meet with the fisherpeople at the same time. Thank you.

I would like to point out that, if we were to advance the Taltson hydro expansion project, we won't have as many diesel trucks on the road, and that would maybe solve some of the trucking issues that we have. I take into note the Member's concerns, and yes, I will commit that as part of our development of our strategies going forward for highways. We will most assuredly, and I believe we already do, engage the trucking industry and get their feedback. As we've been speaking again, as a larger group, we do want to improve our systems and process as a government by ensuring we are listening to...

It is my understanding that, when I speak with the department, they are looking to encourage other fishers to come from outside, to relocate to the Northwest Territories and be actual Northwest Territories fishers. At this time, I am not going to say one way or the other. I do recognize, again, the importance around the larger discussion of keeping Northerners employed and making sure our money is used for Northerners. However, it is my understanding that there is a bit of a strategy within the department that they do want to encourage the movement or relocation of fishers from the South to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a Motor Vehicles Act that would be enforceable on our highways, so I'm assuming that would be one of the ways in which we do enforce the safety. Currently, as well, though, I did want to let the Member know that the Government of the Northwest Territories is working with our federal, provincial, and territorial colleagues to develop a common minimum training standard for commercial truck drivers across the country, so we are providing input and feedback to the federal government and our counterparts on where we see that there needs to be improvements. We've...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Each year the Dead North Film Festival inspires people from across the Arctic to get out and shoot short film creations in the depths of winter. It also brings Northerners together to support the film sector and have fun at this horror and fantasy genre event.

This year marks the eighth year for the Dead North Film Festival. The GNWT's Film Commission, in the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, has been a supporter and sponsor from the beginning. The annual festival has become a staple in the Yellowknife film calendar, providing professionals and newcomers...

I don't think I pretended anything, but we can have a conversation about that outside of this. One of the things we've been hearing a lot is, A, we have no money; and, B, we need to reduce the red tape. Should we go forward with the buildings act, we would then have another layer of regulation that we would need to adhere to, when we already would still be forced to adhere to Canada codes. As well, there is a cost that would come with developing this act that we potentially don't have the funds for. I do commit to the Member to start the discussion with the departments that he's mentioned and...

As mentioned, there is a process that needs to be followed. The federal government also just recently had an election. Therefore, we were waiting for that to happen as well as their budgets to go through, and then we would be making the application again. As stated, we have consistently been trying to get this funding, so this is not falling off my department's radar. In fact, it is one of the things that we are moving forward on. I have met with MP McLeod, and we have started to have discussions about the infrastructure deficit that the Northwest Territories is facing. I sat down and had a...

I am just looking through my notes here to see when the next application will go in for the federal funding. My understanding is it will happen after the federal budget is passed in the House, so the intent is to move this project forward as quickly as possible. There have definitely been issues with the bridge, we do understand. However, I should point out that the bridge is safe. It is currently inspected by engineers. There was an interim measure to preserve the bridge until the project funding could be secured, and concrete deck repairs were carried out in September of 2018 and June of...

The Member is correct in that there is a lot of conversation that will go on within the Cabinet and which I would very much be okay with having a discussion with my colleague about your email. I have to say I was actually quite intrigued when I received your questions and did look at this as maybe an opportunity of something we could change. However, as I learned the processes of the GNWT, I understand that there is a process that has to be followed. Yes, I want to streamline and change processes so that they are more efficient. However, at this point, with the knowledge I have, I do not want...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member's acknowledgement about the difficulty of sometimes changing a process that has been going on a while. They have tried in the past to change some hours or to privatize the office here, and it didn't work well.

Some of the issues in which they were saying was the problem was that the timing and having people working late was leading to situations of harassment and even stalking. If that was to occur, there needs to be a response team available to the office that is located there. That would then mean extending security hours and others. It would...