Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member's statement, Northerners are sick of paying for power bills that are the highest in the country, and it's not just households; it's businesses as well. I've received letters from businesses in my riding that are complaining about the power failures in particular, not only the costs that results in tens of thousands of dollars annually in equipment damage, lost sales, and reputational damage. They want the Minister responsible for NTPC to answer this question: Why has reliability failed to improve, and in fact has gotten worse over time, despite...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have nothing further on this only to say that, again, I think it's important we get budgets as accurate or estimates documents as accurate as possible because of the nature of our fiscal responsibility policy and how it impacts our available capital. So that's why, perhaps, in other governments you would see less -- I mean, less questioning around some of these numbers and how they come to the House because they operate differently. But in this case, every time we are -- we have a revised surplus, it means debt. And we saw how quickly our debt hit the limit until we...

Oh, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I thought I heard Great Slave but thank you very much for the opportunity to ask questions.

So I too want to query the Minister about this subsidy program for the service gap related to Jordan's Principal funding. Jordan's Principal funding is fundamental to our schools in the Northwest Territories. That's how it's been described by both -- well, I think the Minister at the table and the Minister of education, Minister of health, to the point where it is being referred to as foundational. So I think that creates a challenge because, one, I get the advocacy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the scope of practice of paramedics is unlikely to be changed without legislation to guide it. Is the department planning on bringing forward a legislative proposal or legislative changes that would bring paramedics into the Health Professions Act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if he can direct the federal envoy to begin discussions with the federal government on a clear plan to advance the asset -- or the asset potential and resource needs of the Yellowknife Airport. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has three major projects that it's identified as priorities: The Taltson hydroelectric expansion and submarine line, the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor, and the Mackenzie Valley Highway. We know the Mackenzie Valley Highway is well advanced. But all these projects are very important to the future of our economy. Today I want to ask the Premier if he views the Yellowknife Airport as a strategic asset worthy of that list. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this week, we continue our call for a red alert on the economy and for the -- primarily focused on the revitalization of our mining industry, starting with modernized regulations, expanded incentive programs, and an independent review of this sector's decline to drive the exploration needed to reignite the NWT economy. However, a world-class mining sector needs more than just incentives and policy changes; it also needs robust infrastructure.

Recently, newly proposed projects are emerging to better connect the North with global markets. Chief among these is...

Thank you. And I know it's not matching, but the criteria is very much dependent on you use your surplus before you get to these numbers. And that has caused consternation from some school education bodies who have expressed concern about this. And I want to stress that education bodies are not in a position to criticize programs every time I've met with them regardless of where they're at in the territory or which region they serve. It is very clear that this is a -- you know, they have a lot of needs and students with a lot of needs and are chronically underfunded. So anytime funding comes...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Well, I appreciate that answer. I would love to ask those questions to the federal Ministers directly, so I'll take that as an invitation to join the Minister on the next trip to Ottawa. That's what -- I think that's what I heard, but I'll follow up with her. Maybe they will this time.

Okay, so -- okay, the total -- we just heard the total amount for JP funding last year was $58.6 million. So if we -- do we have a calculation for -- if we remove the multi-year funding that is not being lost, so for school districts like Yellowknife Catholic schools that have multi-year...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, one of the reasons I'm interested is I've been speaking with paramedics and they'd like to be regulated and they'd like to see an Act. So lest a Member bring it forward in the Private Member's bill, which probably isn't what the Minister wants to hear, when can we get assurances that there will be a bill in this House to review, to vote on, that will regulate paramedics and allow them to do the jobs that are so crucial for our communities, especially our small communities? Thank you.