Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Premier for that clarification.

My second question, can the Premier explain the transparency measures and the process for how the work of the envoy to the Government of Canada will be reported back to the House. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. GNWT strategies for federal engagements. I want to discuss today the Northwest Territories economic strategy and preparedness.

Mr. Speaker, in February, the Premier announced the new position of senior envoy to the Government of Canada with a presence in both Yellowknife and Ottawa. I believe this position will strengthen our engagements and relationships, but there must be clear objectives.

Mr. Speaker, there's no question that the Government of the Northwest Territories needs and depends largely on federal funding to advance its infrastructure agenda. We have heard that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that reply. It seems to me there was a lot of excitement on advancing in a productive kind of way during the session.

My third question: It sounds like there has been good progress. What are the primary barriers to internal trade that would remain? Mahsi.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first question following up on my statement earlier is to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. As the chair of the committee of internal trade, what key accomplishments have been achieved under NWT's leadership? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information reply. It's good to see our government taking a forefront role in these national committees. The next question, Mr. Speaker, how has the NWT's leadership encouraged other provinces and territories to take a more ambitious approach to internal trade deliberations? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT is in a vulnerable position because of the national and global tensions. One example is the US tariffs and the resulting trade disputes. The NWT imports more than it exports, so we are more vulnerable to the increasing costs of things we buy every day.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of negative economic impacts on the horizon. I'd rather focus on the positives.

The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment recently took part in discussions to reform provincial and territorial trade barriers when the committee on internal trade, or CIT, met in Toronto...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this motion here. I've encountered, since our election putting us in this building, on numerous occasions welcoming patients that were medevaced to the Stanton Hospital, and I try to ease the pain by being there and then also during discussions of the travel. And as my previous colleagues have mentioned here, I think we can design an accommodation. Circumstances are different. There's some circumstances where I had nothing but cooperation from the Minister of Health and Social Services. There were a few situations, it was -- it varied in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Norman Wells Esso oil field is a unique discovery with a low-cost blend. Refining costs are minimal. Mr. Speaker, this unique discovery has operated within our territory for over a century. To release the potential, the operator and the federal owners released a development expansion in the early 1980s.

Mr. Speaker, the asset, as the operator in industry refers to, has recently moved into two sections being called for an EA or, Mr. Speaker, environmental assessment; one being the oil field operating authority and the second a connection been the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister for that clarification. I'm just wondering if there's any willingness, I would say, into this barging season and I must compliment or acknowledge the support from the Minister for last year's no barging activities to the Sahtu; now this year I see a blank in that category on page 239. Is the Minister open to reviewing this with the possibility that we may not have a barge again this year for entertaining relief? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary question is, is the Minister aware that this EA, over 300 questions, have been recently submitted with a very limited response time placed by the board? This is a significant number of information requests for the line replacement project considering there is another environmental assessment in progress for the overall operating authority of the Norman Wells facility and likely another EA coming for the closure facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.