Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the expression of interest that should be going out for the public will be ready in 2025, early 2025. That then goes out to seek the expressions of interest. We're hopefully going to be looking to get four to eight new members on. That will help to then transition off several of the existing board members who obviously do have other responsibilities. And we'd be keeping, of course -- I shouldn't say of course, we are looking to keep at least two GNWT members on the board; we are the sole shareholder. But that transition...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha that Bill 16, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2025-2026, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a resident of Yellowknife South, also a fellow hockey parent, fellow soccer parent Nicole Sok here today. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House that Bill 16, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2025-2026, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was just trying to pull the report out fast enough. I have it in front of me, Mr. Speaker. But, really, at this point, we -- and I've gone through this many a time. We spend far more as a government on -- in terms of our energy, energy supply, energy policy, climate change initiatives, energy efficiency programs, energy and electricity programs, significantly more there than what we take in on this tax. What we don't do in general, not just with this tax but any other form of tax, any other form of revenue, is pick out a certain type of revenue and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not necessarily designed or intended to run with surpluses. It is intended -- our program is intended to align with the parameters that the federal government has imposed on provinces and territories around the carbon taxation and while doing so, doing so in a manner that we can continue to see some benefits here in the territory by not misaligning with the kind of large emitters that we have. So, again, not designed for surpluses but, again, really designed for that kind of compliance mechanism. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I do have some closing remarks with respect to the consideration of the capital estimates. Mr. Chair, I would obviously like to support the 2025-2026 Capital Estimates that are still currently under review by this committee. These estimates outline a significant investment of over $339 million in the Northwest Territories to support essential infrastructure. They advance several key projects across the Northwest Territories, and they provide procurement opportunities for businesses around the Northwest Territories.

These proposed capital estimates, Mr. Chair...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there's a private company out there that thinks they can make money selling power in the territories without a large industrial consumer, I am open to hearing about it. Right now, Naka Power obviously saw themselves chosen against in Hay River and, unfortunately, that led to ten years of litigation. But the decision by the PUB to allow that sale to go forward is what has now led to the filing of the GRA. So, again, individual communities can make their choices about distribution agents. Naka Power is a private corporation. They draw private rates. They...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some of those policy changes have been under development for many years. I've not been in this role a whole year yet myself, but I can say that a lot of research has been done in the Department of Infrastructure, working with colleagues across -- in -- colleagues in the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, other utilities, Indigenous governments, consultations. And Mr. Speaker, I am very much looking forward to an opportunity to start to bring some of those forward I was going to say as soon as possible. I know that people like to have more specific...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to transportation planning studies, we are in discussions with Transportation Canada. They are aware of the challenges of the North. We've raised the number of regulatory problems that continue to arise, which do impact costs and impacts opportunity. So we are in contact with them. Again, I can't speak for where or when Transportation Canada might opt to move forward with us, but we have certainly thus far had a good relationship. I'm hopeful that they will see the need to better understand a region of the country that is unique and distinct...