Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today the health Minister delivered a statement about care in small communities that included two recommendations that have been adopted by this working group that includes bringing paramedics into the model of care for small communities. The Northwest Territories is one of, I believe, only two jurisdictions in Canada where paramedics are unregulated. We don't have legislation covering paramedics. So how does she intend to do this without legislation to do so? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reason I brought it up is the theme of the corridor is one of corridors, not any one project as the Premier alluded to, but also the defence aspects of it. We have DND and NORAD funding that's waiting to be unlocked. So will the Premier join the calls from Yellowknife's city hall to the Yellowknife chamber and encourage the investment in the Yellowknife Airport as part, wrap it in, the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor because it fits in with the mandate and it's a vital asset that's not -- that's currently underutilized, and we're sitting on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to join the Premier in welcoming Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty here to the chamber. I had the honour of serving with him in the 18th Legislative Assembly, and I consider him a very good friend. So thanks for being here today, Grand Chief.

Thank you. I just think we need to have some very clear reporting on it just so we understand it. But maybe that is a question for the education Minister.

Finally, I guess if we could put it into terms, we often ask this, like how much money is represented when it's being spent on staffing in particular or programs, how much does it actually represent. So out of $14 million, how many EAs is that employing or EA positions is that creating? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I appreciate -- just to be clear, I will -- I mean, I'm going to continue to ask questions, but I appreciate this emergency funding, and I support it. I think it came a little late, and it's still -- until we know what that total quantum is, it's unclear whether $14 million is a significant amount. So my other question related to this is there's strings attached to this money. The Minister spoke to some of the eligibility requirements. But one of them is that education bodies have to first use their surpluses. So do we know how much surplus money is being spent...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I'm informing the House of a conflict of interest in this motion as my wife is a chair of the board of Avens, the community for seniors. I shall withdraw from the proceedings accordingly to avoid this conflict. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's great news. I'm glad that this hasn't fallen off the agenda. But I'd like to know is the Council of Leaders behind the tax credit as well and can we marshall or combine that combined leadership caucus, get everyone on the same page in calling for this important economic tool to grow our economy and restore our mining decline? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister believe this program -- sorry, does the Minister believe this program should be expanded at a time when mining is in decline, at a time when exploration has dropped by 50 percent when we need more people out there looking; does the Minister believe this program should be expanded? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the requests to correct the decline in mining is financial incentives that will help support the industry, lower costs with very high cost jurisdictions. We hear that all the time. So can the Minister inform us of the mineral incentive program, how -- what its uptake was or is currently and what the economic benefits have been to our communities as a result. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Policy intentions are great, but they don't result in new regulations or a Mining Act that's in force. So when will the -- let's just focus on the outdated 19th century tenure system. When will the tenure system be modernized, computerized, and online map staking available to bring the Northwest Territories in to 2025 like other jurisdictions that are doing far better than we are? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.