Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That's all I have for this activity. Thank you.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure on hydrogen as a power source for the NWT. I participated in a useful workshop for officials recently staged regarding this topic. I'd like to know from the Minister what role hydrogen will play in a new energy strategy and action plan for the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chair. So I guess I'll make a couple suggestions.

Can I get a commitment, then, out of the Minister to give us a briefing note on this? Because I've heard different ranges of kilometres. And if that briefing note could clarify land ownership and who's responsible for forest resources along the corridor of the road. The last thing I want to do is interfere with the Tlicho agreement in any way and their rights. But so can I get that commitment out of the Minister? And secondly, can he commit to actually communicate this with the public? Because it's been radio silence with the...

Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm going to let the Minister in on a little secret. I expect that there's going to be a supplementary appropriation probably come forward maybe May/June for this set of main estimates, and I want to encourage him to bring forward an increase in funding for the community harvester assistance program. So I'll just put that out on the record.

I want to move on to the disaster compensation fund. That's a grant; it's on page 74 of the main estimates. And I see that the actual amount for 20202021 was $400,000. And I think this was as a result of flooding of Taltson and...

Okay, thanks. Well, I guess if I hear that communities are not getting the money, I'll come back to the Minister to raise that.

But the other question I have is I had a constituent raise with me the issue of being able to cut wood along the Tlicho AllSeason Road and apparently was not able to get a wood cutting permit. What is going on with wood cutting along the road and why wasn't that sorted out before the road was opened? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks for that. I'll be watching it very closely, and I am concerned about the level of resourcing, but.

I want to move on the Community Harvester Assistance Program. This program has been under review for at least two years. It was even raised in the last Assembly about how effective this was in building some food security and enabling people, particularly in smaller communities, to get out and get country foods. So it's been under review for at least two years. What is the timeline for finishing this review and securing some additional resources for the program? Thanks...

Yes, I have a couple questions I'd like to pursue here. I see that wildfire risk management plans, that there was $275,000 spent last year and only 75 budgeted for this year. So where did the extra money come from to do the plans last year and why are we not continuing that level of funding forward to help protect communities? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's good to hear. And we now have a legislative development protocol with the intergovernmental council, and there's provision for other Indigenous governments who didn't sign on to the devo agreement to be part of that process. So there's a lot of work that has to be done and perhaps some new funding that's provided to the Indigenous governments. There's some public engagement that needs to be carried out, some policy work. Can the Minister tell me if there's any additional resources found in this year's budget to assist with that work? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So can we get any details on what the plan B is? Is that something that the Minister can share with Standing Committee and maybe even the public? Because plan A from the last Assembly's not going do it. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 56119(2) Main Estimates 20222023 and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.