Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is over 12,000 kilometres of highways in Canada that don't have cell service, most of the highways in the Northwest Territories that don't have cell service, and while I recognize that this is the most travelled portion of highway, it is certainly not by any stretch a unique challenge faced in Canada or this territory or other territories or provinces. The costs of putting in cell towers and maintaining them is prohibitive at this time. We are certainly hopeful that with the increase of satellite services that that might assist with through...

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is correct.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had a conversation earlier with the Member, and I did receive this letter. So I have details of the specific incident that's given rise to these questions but the questions are ones that should be posed in the context of the work we're doing on the procurement review. Certainly no Minister who is responsible for any project wants to have to hear that, in fact, bids are not being received as we expect them, that the processes and policies we have in place are not being followed. Even vendor performance management, we don't want to have to use vendor...

I'll turn that over to the chief information officer, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not in a position to give a specific time at this stage. I am live to comments from committee regarding their interest in the larger piece of this, and I have certainly been working in the last little while with the department towards being in a position to give a more specific timeline. It is certainly my expectation that we will still see the completion of the larger act within the life of this government. But, again, I'm just at a stage of being able to confirm that hopefully before the end of this sitting. Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Billy MacKay, the deputy Minister of Finance. And on my right is Stephen Flanagan. He is the drafter from legal division.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm here to introduce Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act. This bill proposes four administrative amendments to the Liquor Act that would benefit from immediate attention.

First, updating personal importation limits to increase the quantities of liquor that a person may bring with them into the Northwest Territories;.

Second, removing enforcement as part of the Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board's role due to potential conflict of interest;

Third, removing the ban on licensed applicants who have been charged with but not convicted of a criminal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't necessarily speak to what might be happening mine by mine or project by project. Certainly what I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that indeed, yes, at the Nechalacho Project, Deton Cho are, indeed, the miners of that project. They are the ones running the contract and doing the mining. That is, I think, perhaps maybe a first in Canada; certainly a first in the Northwest Territories. And I can't agree more, this is the way of the future, and it is you know, I think it is something where we are starting to see access to equity change, access to whether it's...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let me just quickly start by saying that I certainly haven't shut the door on the possibilities around the diamond mines, that there is still exploration happening. And while it looks likely that at least one of them will be on its closure date, the others are, you know, I'd like to say that let's just not shut that door just yet. My hope is a little more positive and optimistic.

But as for metal mining, Mr. Speaker, we do have a mineral development strategy. It does need to be updated but it is there. It was developed in conjunction with industry. It is...