Kevin O'Reilly

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 56119(2), Main Estimates 20222023 with Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yeah, if you're willing to entertain debate from other Members, I'd like to make a few remarks if I could.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. As short as these meeting summaries actually are, I've learned more about the move to map staking of the Mineral Resources Act regulations than I've ever seen before, and I want to suggest that the department become more forthcoming with all interested parties.

So can the Minister tell us when her department intends to publicly release a full schedule and plan for the development of the regulations under the Mineral Resources Act? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madame la Presidente. I give notice that on Monday, February 28th, 2022, I will move the following motion:

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Minister's statement 29219(2): Annual Status Report on the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 20192023; and Tabled Document 56719(2): Annual Status Report 20192023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, February 2021January 2022, be referred to Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Okay, thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks for that information. So how do we actually get the socalled "industry partners" to actually do this if it's not an actual regulatory change? Just kind of look for volunteers, or how's that actually going to work? And would it be put in place in time for this summer? That's what I guess I'd really like to know. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. I was hoping to kind of get an understanding of how these new costs compared to previous new builds, but I want to move on.

As the Minister and this House knows housing is certainly one of my own top priorities and we need to close the gap in terms of core housing need. Can the Minister confirm that the 60 units under the NWT carve out for the Housing Corporation will become part of their inventory and how will this affect operation and maintenance requirement and costs? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Yeah, thanks, I was furiously trying to scribble all of that down. But I want to confirm from the Minister, I asked for that information before and I have not received it, the itemized list. So I'm happy to get that from the Minister.

The mobile caribou conservation measures, this has been under discussion for probably three or four years now. The diamond mines actually do this to a great extent. It was actually done in the Kivalliq region in the 1980s when there was a boom around uranium exploration. They were called the caribou protection measures back then. I just don't understand why we...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I'm just going to say to the Minister, I've got a wood pellet boiler in the House. I'd be happy to show her. But my questions are, again, for the same Minister, Minister responsible for the Housing Corp, and they're about the federal coinvestment fund and the NWT carve out. Can the Minister confirm that the NWT carve out funding has now all been accessed and will result in 66 new housing units for small communities? Mahsi Madam Speaker.

Yeah, okay, I'll give the Minister 50 seconds if he can read it out quickly, please. Thank you.