Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My first question for the Minister or sorry, for the Premier is in regards to the very first status on the first piece, which is working with including federal and Indigenous governments to increase funding for housing programs that currently that reads as fulfilled, and given that accessing or working with people or different partners to access funding is an ongoing and kind of a constant within the housing portfolio, I'm wondering if the Premier is willing to change that to ongoing and maintain that as ongoing for the life of this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Sorry, I've got feedback from my earphones.

So I just wanted to start off by saying thank you to my colleagues for the opportunity to speak to this, and I know that some of what I have to say will be somewhat repetitive a little bit. But I think it's important for residents for the Northwest Territories to hear, and I think one of the most important pieces of that is that piece on the number of priorities. And this was something that we talked about a bit in the very beginning of our time together, was the number of priorities that were appropriate for an...

In favour.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act.

Bill 40 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on November 26th, 2021, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. Near the end of the Committee's review period, the Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Health and Social Services identified issues with the bill that could require substantial amendments. The committee is willing to work collaboratively with the Minister of Health and...

In favour.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate that this is a bigger conversation, and I welcome having a larger conversation with the Minister for sure. And one of the things that might be helpful for both schools and residents alike is having a public reporting mechanism where people can really see what the realistic wait times are for different specialty services in the Northwest Territories. And then from there, are able to either make alternate arrangements or look at other interventions in the meantime, especially when it comes to learning and development of students across the...

In favour.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the Minister can indicate what ratepayers can expect to pay for power as a result of the general rate application and how they can get involved in the process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I had to make a list of sentences I heard my dad say the most during my childhood "turn off the lights" would make top three. Now as a parent myself, I get it.

Northerners pay the highest electricity rates in Canada. According to Energy Hub, a social enterprise, the 2021 average cost of NWT electricity was 38.2 cents per kilowatt hour. That's more than twice the national average and even 2 percent higher than Nunavut.

High electricity rates put pressure on residents' cost of living and constituents tell me they can't keep up. Sky high power rates will...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I appreciate that very clear and concise answer.

My next question is in regards to multisport games which we see had actuals of 650, and then is no longer in the budget. I'm wondering, given that it was funding to support NWT or Team NWT participation in major supporting events, is that removed because it's not on Arctic Winter Games year? Thank you.