Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I've asked about this, you know, about AI policy for the government, and I happily see correspondence from the Minister's office on how we're managing AI usage as a government. But I'm wondering if we are in discussions or planning to incorporate that into our information technology, like our enterprise-wide information technology systems. Because, you know, we're seeing more and more movement in this space. It's currently driving global markets and, you know, potentially we're entering into a bubble. But, regardless, I think it's safe to say the technology is here to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, on page 24, you can see Range Lake North School rear entrance ramp and accessibility improvements, and that is classified as an infrastructure contribution. So it's doable, and that's what I would expect if it was a renovation that was needed and if it was a retrofit or replacement, obviously there would be a broader discussion. So I will give the Minister that one that we don't know until we know.

But moving to that larger issue, I understand that N.J. Macpherson School is in the top five of infrastructure needs and is in basically dire need of replacement, and its...

Thank you. In the previous exchange of questions, there was a comment about funding mechanisms to pay for some of these renovations, and surpluses were identified. So my concern with that is that's what surpluses are for, of course, and Yellowknife schools, which is relevant to my riding and my work as an MLA, are also funded by taxpayers in the city.

The new education assistant program, that $14 million program that the department has rolled out, has a caveat that surpluses have to be emptied essentially before that -- or in conjunction with receiving that money. The concern that I have heard...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS public safety is a key priority of the 20th Legislative Assembly established through "safe and healthy communities"

AND WHEREAS climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of flooding, wildfires and other natural disasters;

AND WHEREAS the 2023 wildfire evacuations of two-thirds of the population of the Northwest Territories, and subsequent evacuations due to severe climate events, have resulted in continuing trauma and negative mental health impacts;

AND WHEREAS, on June 13, 2024, the Government of the Northwest Territories contracted Transitional...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to my colleague from Mackenzie Delta.

During his briefing to committee, Hale also responded to the possibility of expanding the provision of legal aid services in the territory, highlighting that civil matters, including matters related to estates, may be addressed within the legal aid outreach clinics. It was described that legal aid tends to be focused on criminal and family law matters and that the expansion of services would necessarily also require an expansion of the funding envelope to legal aid. Committee acknowledges these challenges and supports...

Mr. Speaker, we've been at this for ten years, whether it's an MOU, an MOC, an MOA, M-O-U-S-E. Can the Minister just commit to transfer the land to the city of Yellowknife and to all municipalities as laid out by several motions that have been brought to the floor of the Assembly before, that's been passed in this Assembly. Will the Minister just make the decision today to transfer the land so our communities can grow? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I have spoken to information system's consultants, and this is a concern. So will the Member -- the Member's going to get me information -- will the Member -- sorry, will the Minister explore this with her department and see if there are holdups in the Health Information Act and identify any legislative change that needs to be done and report back to either me or the House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members have raised the issue of online bookings for primary care appointments in this House often. If you go to a private clinic in Yellowknife, you can do online booking, as I have done from time to time, to stay out of the emergency room. So my understanding is the Health Information Act is preventing this change. Can the Minister confirm if it is, in fact, the Health Information Act that prevents us from online booking systems in primary care appointments? Thank you.

Well, thank you for that clarity, Mr. Speaker. First, that kind of just slipped by because the fiscal strategy I think should be something that we're consulted on. Will the Minister bring a new revised fiscal strategy to the attention of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight so we can review the fiscal strategy for the next two years and make sure it meets the needs of our constituencies. Thank you.

Okay. That is helpful. There's also a concern about a lack of guardrails at these sections and other sections as well, where if there is a slip on the road, that you can fly right off of it. So is there a plan to improve -- do those safety improvements to the highway and install guardrails? Thank you.