Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, not everyone might be watching would have seen although they would have heard the vote. I do want to note and make the point that Cabinet although didn't speak initially to the motion did make a choice together that we would stand and support having this motion brought to the floor. We wanted to have this opportunity for everyone, including Members on this side of the House, with me, as an opportunity to speak to voice the recognition of what is happening in Norman Wells.

Mr. Speaker, everyone is voicing support for Norman Wells. I hope there's absolutely no...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the good news here is that all of the largest GNWT assets in Norman Wells actually are already equipped with biomass heating systems. This is five systems over a thousand kilowatt hours are all operated through a pellets system. And the benefit of that, again, is that it creates the local supply demand -- or rather it creates local demand which then encourages a supply chain and a bit of an economy of scale in that regard. So with respect to whether or not there can be changes also brought in to smaller units, smaller assets, I'll certainly go back and see...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question. There is work happening in this space and one of the ways that we support the supply chains is by actually being one of the larger consumers of biomass products and wood pellet products. For instance, about 32 percent of all GNWT heating load is right now met with biomass which does make us a fairly big player in terms of supporting the local resources that there may be in order to have a supply of wood pellets happening on a regular basis, and this may well be an opportunity for those in the Sahtu, where the almost $2...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this really is a cultural issue and one that we want to ensure -- I mean, I've certainly spoken in the House many times about having an inclusive and a diverse workplace but having one that also can manage change, lead change, thrive in change, that too is workplace culture. I certainly acknowledge that. Again, I know there's a lot of public servants who are watching and who always watch, and wanting to encourage them to have those skills and to seek out those opportunities. The GNWT's Aurora -- or sorry, leadership development program does include elements...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are some efforts underway already. For instance, in terms of the GNWT's core competencies, which is what we use to evaluate the employees that we have in our workforce, we do have within that action management as being one of those core competencies and obviously associated training to try to support that, which isn't to say, Mr. Speaker, that more emphasis and highlighting can't be done, and so I appreciate the opportunity today to do that here on the floor. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that certainly flows well. I'd like to say that we are -- I'm cognizant of us saying we're working on something and us committing to finding a solution doesn't fill the fuel tank of anyone in the Sahtu this week. I'm conscious of that, Mr. Speaker. I believe we are. As I've said, I've spoken with Imperial Oil myself and Minister Cleveland just this morning. We've spoken with Members in the federal public service. A variety of departments are involved. We have follow-ups happening at our department levels. So I do believe that we are pushing this issue. It came upon...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first, I do want to acknowledge we've had a lot of conversations, and I'm grateful for the MLA from the Sahtu. He is in our ears all the time, and it brings the reality of the people on the ground to what can sometimes seem far away when you're not in the moment of it, brought that voice to Ottawa last week as well. And I'm grateful that he was there to do that.

Mr. Speaker, the fuel resupply to the Sahtu is through Imperial Oil. The fuel services division supplies the other Sahtu communities. So figuring out exactly whether we use public dollars to...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Hay River North, Minister of Justice, will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to host the federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Justice meeting.

Mr. Speaker, I also wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes will be absent from the House today and tomorrow in order to attend to a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following nine documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 7-20(1): Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 public accounts; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 37-20(1): Mackenzie Valley Highway Business Case Renewal; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 28-20(1): Consideration for Elders and Seniors in Debt Elimination; Response to Petition 2-20(1): Improved Fertility and Family Planning Supports in the Northwest Territories; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 175-20(1): Marine...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Infrastructure took a fairly significant role last year. You'll recall that just a little later, less than a year ago, we were already in a situation where because of last year's challenged barge season there was some resupply of fuel that had to happen by air into the Sahtu. That came with costs. It came obviously with some uncertainty right in and around the Christmas period. We were able to get resupplied, and then started into the winter road season. We widened the winter road, had increased patrols on the winter road, had increased...