Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the pace is what worries me. Plans within plans within plans; it does not sound like we're getting anywhere very quickly. So will the Minister -- can the Minister reassure me and Northerners that that plan and the necessary investments in that airport will be done by the time this money starts rolling out? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, another component of this new defence investment is the Inuvik airport but, of course, the Yellowknife airport as well. The Yellowknife airport has its own revolving fund and, you know, last year saw over 618,000 passengers. It's time that it got some real investment. The revolving fund isn't moving quick enough to invest in the needs, and it's certainly not moving quick enough to invest in the needs of $10 billion that is going to revitalise the economy, create jobs and growth. Will the Minister of Infrastructure commit to investing more funding into the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, there's a lot of attention on this obviously because our economy is in poor shape. Mr. Speaker, it's good that this procurement process is going to let other private sector make themselves prepared for this money, but is the government prepared? So a lot of this is about developing new infrastructure, airport hangars, all that kind of stuff. We need land, we need permitting, we need all these things done. Is this government prepared with those steps to support the private sector, support DND, and make sure this money arrives on time and revitalizes this...

Mr. Speaker, the world today is very different from when we took office two years ago. Our once stalwart ally and partner, the United States, continues to violently dismantle the prosperity and security we once built together. Last month, Prime Minister Carney captured this moment clearly in his address at Davos. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.

As Northerners, instability has long been our reality. We are all familiar with the instability of climate change as the North warms three to four times faster than the rest of the world. Our permafrost is thawing, sea ice melting...

Thank you. I welcome that information, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is about access to justice and ensuring there's a level playing field for everybody, especially people we are trying to rehabilitate and return as productive members of society.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that there are other ways to do this. There are ways to make this process an online portal where everyone in the Northwest Territories could access it. Is the Minister willing to look at expanding this, having a one-stop shop, modernizing the approach, because apparently there's ways to do it and do it for free. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, fine option programs are crucial components of the justice system that allow different ways of people who run afoul of the law to repay their debts to society in a way that doesn't involve jail time or setting them up for failure. In recent travels on the Trespass Act, I became aware that there are some concerns in communities around the accessibility of these programs. So can the Minister of Justice tell me are fine option programs and community justice committees, or their equivalent, available in all NWT communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Well, I suppose I will have to take questions to the Premier. But this emergency supports framework, how does the Minister understand this working then? Because it sounds like it's not a system-wide framework that's going to change things. It sounds like these are still up to individual things, at least according to his understanding. So can he clarify what this framework is supposed to do from the perspective of his department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I've heard in this House before that the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs and municipal and community affairs are leading the development of an emergency social supports framework to better integrate NGOs into emergency management planning. So I'd like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs if the SPCA and other organizations involved with the welfare of animals are involved in these plans. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are provisions that allow that Francophone minority language communities to ask for education services to be provided if they demonstrate a need. Can the Minister explain what processes are in place to ensure that when rights holders are applying for their constitution, their Charter rights to education, that those are met regardless of capacity challenges from this government. But when a right is asserted, it needs to be honoured. So does the department have processes in place that when Francophone communities are asserting that, or language...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my former colleague and good cousin Michael Nadli who is here in the gallery today. Great to have you back in the House. And I'd also like to recognize some pages from my riding of Range Lake:

Ava Fuentes

Hayden Purcka

Savannah Martin-Maitland

Tristan Taggart

Mathew Sison

It's great to have you working. You've been good spirits with long days and lots of talking, but we couldn't do this job without you. Thank you so much for being here.