Michael Nadli

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understood that this process was completed in our last session and a decision was made. Unfortunately, we’re talking about this again, so I won’t be supporting the motion. Mahsi.

Thank you. The Minister indicated that part of the efforts to address the need for daycare subsidies is that it’s something that quite possibly could be expanded.

Why doesn’t this government provide a financial aid package that matches the real costs of education? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Northerners aspire to further their education, there becomes different trails that students take, especially in regard to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. We all want, in the North here, to ensure that we have enough doctors, lawyers, management professionals, teachers, just to name a few, so our students can aspire to those positions.

In small communities there has been a trend in terms of our schools not doing well, especially our students compared to larger centres. Four out of 10 of our Aboriginal students compared to the non-Aboriginal students don’t...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has indicated that the Education Renewal Initiative is underway and primarily to try to address the achievement gap between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. That’s the main purpose of the Education Renewal Initiative.

Could the Minister, by this spring’s session, commit to giving an update to this House and indicate to us how and what kind of performance measures he will undertake to ensure that his department addresses that gap? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There’s no dispute obesity is a serious health issue with adverse impacts on people’s quality of life, longevity and public health care. Obesity used to be a personal issue, but with the increasing burden on our taxpayers, it’s turning into everybody’s problem. This government can take action by introducing a tax on junk food. It will help raise revenues and guide consumers toward healthy choices. It’s already a very popular idea.

A coalition of health and education experts has called on the Quebec government to introduce a sugar tax on soft drinks and energy drinks. Ontario...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank my colleagues. This initiative goes to the very heart of community economies. It has always been the standard of this government to try to develop the traditional economies of hunting, fishing and trapping of the smaller communities. This is a step in the right direction. If we support this initiative, then we’re supporting that very concept.

There are entrepreneurs out there who would like to work with each other or else at least get the northern spirit collectively in trying to look at partnership arrangements. Hopefully, this will set the stage for...

WHEREAS non-timber forest products, including wild mushrooms, can offer wide-ranging health and economic benefits;

AND WHEREAS world-wide demand for gourmet mushrooms is increasing, as well as awareness of their availability, nutritional content and value as a natural resource in the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS commercial wild mushroom harvest may represent a significant economic development opportunity for residents of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS a large crop of valuable morel mushrooms associated with forest fire burns is anticipated this year in areas accessible by road on...

Thank you. It seems that at this point – you know, sugar is a candy – and recent studies have indicated that if you consume it, at least for diabetes, and we have a high rate of diabetes here in the Northwest Territories. Recent studies have indicated that sugar intake on a daily scale could lead to some forms of cancer.

Would the Minister, perhaps in the next session, indicate to the House whether it could be probable for the Minister of Finance to categorize the junk food tax as a form of sin tax? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I made a statement on the idea of a junk food tax. My question is to the Minister of Finance.

What level of taxing authority does the GNWT have in implanting indirect taxes on goods and services sold or bought in the NWT? Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is in terms of fracking. I know that it’s a practice that is happening here in the NWT and now that we’ve taken responsibility from the National Energy Board, the functions of this act in terms of regulating control and activities related to oil and gas, I wanted to ask if there are any further advances that this government might undertake in terms of trying to add our further substance to the guidance document that this government has developed in overseeing fracking and practices and how it could be employed here in the North. Mahsi.