Denny Rodgers

Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, yeah, listen, in no way am I insinuating that the work that's being done currently by DMs, and certainly by the Premier's office. Hasn't been good work. And I just wanted to correct myself, so the Northern Operational Support Hubs is what the -- what Minister Blair was talking about, Mr. Chair, and they'll be located in Inuvik, Yellowknife, and Iqaluit, and it appears they're planning on putting some personnel in there too, so I think this is great news. But I just think as a -- you know, as part of that, I think it just gives it more oomph, if you will, Mr. Chair...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize three residents from the town of Inuvik here to attend the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, Mr. Speaker. We have Mayor Peter Clarkson, mayor for the town of Inuvik. We have Cynthia Pihlaja, the SAO for the town of Inuvik, and Melinda Gillis, town councillor, town of Inuvik, chair of the Inuvik Community Corporation, and member of the board of directors for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Mr. Speaker, all three of these members are a part of the amazing leadership team in the town of Inuvik, and I'm so happy...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 275-20(1), the 2025-2026 Main Estimates, Department of Housing Northwest Territories and Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, continuing on, and I'm kind of a role of collecting information on what we're spending on renewable energy, and I would like ask the Minister of ECC if he can kind of let us know -- I understand that this year's budget's currently being negotiated but in previous years, what we spent on the climate action plan, what we budgeted for that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that, and that's encouraging that we continue to meet with the SDL proponents in the Beaufort Delta.

The Premier mentioned the Indigenous governments, mentioned the Inuvialuit specifically, of course, because that is in the Inuvialuit settlement region. Can he maybe elaborate a little on what engagement has been, again, ongoing and have been going on with the Indigenous governments in the region as well as it pertains to the LNG development, particularly given that they are now the LNG developer in the Beaufort Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that, for that information.

Just kind of flipping gears for a second, Mr. Speaker, I also spoke about the Mackenzie Delta LNG report that was tabled in this House. I believe it was 2022 but I could be incorrect; it could have been 2021. I guess, Mr. Speaker, my question is have we taken this report off the shelf and given it some dust off, and how are we continuing to promote this amazing opportunity in the Beaufort Delta? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement and my comments around the energy strategy, my questions are for the Minister of Finance. Can the Minister give me an -- and I understand this will be more than one initiative and there's a lot of -- probably likely a lot of categories, but a ballpark kind of what our spending is on renewable energy -- our renewable energy initiatives, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I began the week with my reply to the Budget Address speaking about energy and economic development, and I'll continue today on energy security, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, non-renewables are still important to the Beaufort Delta, have been for quite some time and will be for quite some time. Given the potential shift in the federal government and their thinking around LNG development and, regardless of who forms the next government, Mr. Speaker, we heard in the Liberal leadership race, again, speaking about the importance of LNG production as we move forward...