Rylund Johnson

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It sounded like we're not going to quite get there in the remaining week. I'm skeptical that the next government will take that on. I know the definition of northern business is complex, and I think you really just have to make a decision and commit to it. I don't suspect there's agreement. But in reviewing that, it says, the Minister's report tabled in July or released in July, it says a new definition of northern business which will result in the removal of Schedule 3 from BIP has been created. I understand it's been shared with Indigenous governments. Can the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We hired an independent panel, and they did some really good work on procurement, and they delivered their report in June 2021. And Mr. Speaker, I somewhat naively thought that, you know, within a few months after that we'd see changes to procurement.

I reviewed their report. I thought they did good work. I didn't really disagree with any of the recommendations. They made a few recommendations to change the thresholds in BIP, increasing the top $1 million to $2 million, recommended creating a local labour adjustment, and a few other tweaks.

They recommended a new...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can someone just explain to me what's going on here with this line item? It was, last fiscal, the actuals were $18 million, and then we were advised sorry, two fiscals there was 18 then we were advised it was 66 and now it's 22. Can I just have a high level explanation of what's going on? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you. You know, and I get that's the nature of these; you got to do a lot of planning work and you got to spend a few million dollars. I mean, we've been spending I think since the 16th Assembly we've been spending a few million dollars every budget on Taltson to do some engineering assessments. And I get the project is kind of evolving and it's, you know, no longer going to the diamond mines and it's relying on a bunch of metal mines. I know Pine Point in their preliminary economic assessment says they're buying power from the Taltson at 11 cents a kilowatt hour, which is very...

Yeah, that's all fine. I get the debate. I get the debate when to build it and, you know, this debate if you build it they will come. You know, I just don't understand why we can't have a rough estimate of what it's going to cost. It just doesn't it's like I'm having a debate with no idea. I don't even know what to ask next. Do we know the route yet? Did we make a decision on whether it's submarine or going around the lake? Thank you.

Can I get an over/under on $2 billion? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. In addition, in that July report, you know, it kind of just says the work to create an Indigenous Procurement Policy is ongoing, there's no kind of timeline on there. I'm wondering if we have any sense of I know that's not going to be done in in the next week, but is there any hope of us getting that done in some sort of timeline, or will we have an Indigenous Procurement Policy as a government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have nine reports of standing committees which I will read in their entirety.

---laughter

Mr. Speaker, no, I will be seeking that all of these are deemed read but there's 18 total motions. So it may take some time.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Thebacha, that Committee Report 7219(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 20212022 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report consideration of Bill 83, Liquor Act.

Bill 83 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on March 20th, 2023, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. Committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Finance on May 29th, 2023. Committee held three public meetings in Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife. Committee also received one written submission. On July 28th, 2023, the committee held a clausebyclause review at which time the two departmentdriven motions were moved and approved....