Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Is there any funding in here for remediation work at Cameron Hills? I understand that the property is in bankruptcy and there is still a court-appointed receiver, but it is certainly heading our way. Do we record a contingent liability anywhere in the department for the remediation that is required there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. The recent release of the Health and Social Services System 2019-2020 Annual Report paints a picture of many major health conditions and trends for the Northwest Territories. There are some positive outcomes shown, including a decrease in potentially avoidable mortality due to preventable causes, as well as those due to treatable causes; a decrease in the rate of children in permanent care; a decrease in the proportion of mental health hospitalizations due to alcohol or drugs; and a decrease in workplace safety claims.

However, the overall health of our residents...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can someone just give me a rough figure? Like have 50 percent of these been converted now to fee simple title, or 10 percent, or 3 percent? Can I just get a rough figure of how many of these equity leases have actually been converted to fee simple title? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

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

Thanks, Mr. Chair. It's not often that we have to deal with motions in budgets in Committee of the Whole. Look, as I said earlier, we don't have the funding for this. This shouldn't come as a surprise to the Minister. I raised this in January with the Minister that, if the funding had not been secured by the time this came to the floor, I would bring it forward, so it doesn't come as a surprise to the Minister. I'm not saying anything against our staff who have probably been working hard, trying to get the federal government to pay some attention to us, but the fact is: we don't have the money...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think that's all I have, but in reply to the Minister, yes, I had to have a second round because I wasn't actually getting any answers in the first round. That's it. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm wondering: if this was deleted, could the funding be brought back through in a supplementary appropriation once the agreement is signed? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just made my point. We are not making a financial contribution for land use planning in the Gwich'in or the Sahtu settlement area. Yes, we are at the table. We help participate. We provide information and so on, but we don't make a financial contribution there because the federal government pays for it, as they should, in terms of the land rights negotiations agreements that were reached for those two settlement areas. Why are we paying for land use planning in the Wek'eezhii management area? This should be a federal responsibility under the Tlicho agreement. Can I get an...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I think we have a difference of opinion about that. There were provisions in the land rights agreements, as well, for the arbitration panels to serve this function, and I think that would have been a far better way to deal with this than set up this separate legislation. We don't have the money secured for this. Why is it appearing in the budget if the money has not been secured, and what would happen if there was no agreement signed with the federal government? We would have to expend our own money? Is that what would happen? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I thought I was patient, but 22 more years, it better not. Look, I'd understood that the subsurface for Edehzhie needs to be transferred to the federal government so that it can actually formally set up as a national wildlife area. The money can then flow from the federal government. This is on hold while our government continues to twiddle its thumbs about whether we're actually going to transfer the land back to the federal government. It should never have been given to us in the first place under devolution. I don't know why that ever happened. It's my understand you have to transfer the...