Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay, sorry. I did not understand that the assets would actually be transferred along with us just covering their insurance.

Can the Minister speak to any changes in how we anticipate funding to go with the assets? I know there's some longstanding contention about what when the school board owns an asset, they're responsible to maintenance costs up to a certain amount and then the GNWT is responsible after that amount. Do we expect the Yellowknife school boards to now be not responsible for any of that funding and be treated like all other school boards in regards to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. So I think committee received a lot of concerns that in order to get rid of power limiters, that was a tool that the utilities did not have to collect, and then further arrears would then be passed on to ratepayers. And in many ways, this recommendation that everybody preemptively get an extra charge on their bill for a customer crisis fund just to create some transparency to if you have arrears, ratepayers are going to pay for them anyway so why don't we provide some guidance and a clear way, path forward, that if someone lost their job or is in a very a crisis state...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, I guess I must have missed the Minister's announcement so glad we've resigned this deal. I see the deal runs to the 2025. What is the total cost of the deal? Thank you.

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation conduct a review of all household appliances, heating equipment, water heaters, and lighting products in housing units to ensure they meet current federal energy efficiency standards. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. One more, which is probably pushing it. I've recognized there's phase 1 and assuming we get over a billion dollars, we'll eventually build a road to Nunavut, and then assuming we get over a billion dollars they'll meet our road, and then if they get another billion, they'll build a port. Do we have any information on whether there's any progress on the Gray's Bay port side of this project? Thank you.

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Department of Education, Culture and Employment work with the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to address potential barriers that can cause higher electricity bills for people on income assistance in housing units.

Madam Chair, this should include reviewing the 2018 policy change that transferred more responsibility for electricity consumption from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to tenants; and, whether this change resulted in increased income assistance from Education, Culture and Employment or an increased number...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I understand we got about $40 to spend on this perhaps from the federal government. I can't remember the portion of that money that was ours. I guess I I'm still slightly confused as to the timing of all this and the steps and, you know, I note it's quite easy to just spend a few million dollars on geotechnical for a road that, you know, we need another $750 million to eventually build, at least. And I know we have some lessons to learn from the Mackenzie Valley Highway of being in environmental assessment for a decade or so.

I'm just hoping the Minister could...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't anticipate having any questions during the detail, but I would just like to echo the Minister's statements that I'm happy to see this bill coming forward. I think it was great work to get this done so quickly, and to date, the territory has not seen, you know, nearly the level of opiate deaths that many other jurisdictions have had, especially our neighbors in the Yukon are going through a tragedy over there, but I think the more we can make naloxone accessible and make sure is on hand as a harm reduction measure, the better, and we'll eventually save lives. So...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question actually, I'm just going to have one question for the Minister of ITI, who is also responsible for the procurement review.

One of the recommendations was to review the schedule of grandfathered businesses in the BIP registered businesses. So my question for the Minister is will the Minister remove Walmart as a BIP business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, can the Minister give me an update on how much room is left then in our cap; how much more money could we borrow. Thank you.