Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the wildfires, the floods, COVID have certainly impacted every single sector large and small. Larger businesses might have the ability to weather it better but that certainly doesn't make it any easier. It's also impacted all levels of government and it has impacted this government.

Mr. Speaker, we can't necessarily if I could plan for a large scale natural disaster, you'd see a budget line item for you know, to plan for the large scale emergency. We aren't able to plan for a large scale emergency by virtue of the fact that it's an emergency. What we can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That one, Mr. Speaker, really does lay largely in the purview of the Premier's office. But given the multidepartment nature of the evacuations and the emergencies, quite a number of departments are working together to be in touch with their counterparts. I know ITI officials are in touch with their counterparts. But beyond that, we've also all been contributing to work that's happening out of the Premier's office. And with the invitation of the federal government, knowing that we're going to have some asks, to prepare a very thorough and complete look at what kind of...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, September 29th, 2023, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the Government of the Northwest Territories should agree to receive revenues from an excise duty in respect of the Northwest Territories as imposed as part of the federally legislated Vaping Products Excise Tax. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at a practical level, that's Department of MACA but, really, from a government fiscal perspective, I can say that the Department of Finance is looking quite closely at what we might get. There's a sliding scale for under the disaster financial assistance arrangements. That's the federal program that applies to all provinces and territories. When you get to a certain level, which we most certainly have hit, you can get up to 90 percent of eligible costs. And that's the tricky part, Mr. Speaker, is that I don't get to determine what the eligible costs are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at present, there's two programs already operational, and they were both stood during the midst of the evacuation. The first one I'll speak to out of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. We changed the SEED program that a lot of businesses that are familiar with, added on a directive relating specifically to the wildfires. Under this program at present, there is a contribution amount of up to $5,000 for eligible costs that were incurred. There's also, under the BDIC, they've also had their board brought their board together and established a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the timing is certainly rather challenging in that I don't know how much more this Assembly will necessarily have in terms of time or opportunity but certainly will commit that we will get a detailed breakdown. I know there is that information around; it's just that it's coming in from sources and it's changing as the costs go up and as the fires continue to be uncontrolled and therefore difficult to predict. But we'll get that to Members as quickly as we possibly can, and certainly if there is to be another sitting before this Assembly dissolves, I am...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 99, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) No. 2, 20232024, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I have a vague recollection, in fact, that well, I can certainly, firstly, confirm that, yes, a large proportion of the spending on fire suppression has, indeed, happened over the last, say, month, and in particular in the last couple of weeks. I had a number in my head, and I'm just trying to see if I can find where in my notes that was before throwing it out inappropriately. I think I will not do that since I can't seem to find it quickly. I'll turn it back to the Member but, Madam Chair, if I find it, I will I'll share it. It is it has been a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I know that some latitude is being given here to try to recognize that we are in a difficult position today. I know that many members of the public are likely watching today and from places all across western Canada at this point. Madam Chair, this I am trying to answer some questions that are not directly on the supplementary appropriation but that are at least related to the costs associated or costs that might be associated with amount. Madam Chair, the very specific details of firefighting efforts are really not something that I think we're in a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, I think at this point, ECC would be getting, you know, the benefit of this supplementary appropriation that we're proposing here today, and that would be for the fire suppression budget. MACA's responsible for evacuation/emergency costs, and certainly those have now been quite significant. There's quite a lot that does go into that, whether it's the evacuation of flights that have now been opened up, or whether it's the you know, just the coordination efforts that now span many communities. That is something they do budget for. Now, that said, the...