Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, refusing to allow slight accommodations for late paperwork not only excludes individual children from sport but also goes against the best interests of youth and the spirit of the Arctic Winter Games. How does the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs justify upholding a decision that penalizes kids rather than supporting their participation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Members, most of the Members who spoke to the bill, especially those who said they would support it. And I want to give a special mention to the Minister of Finance who gave the response on behalf of the government.

I am not -- this is not a situation -- like, you'll note there's not a whereas clause that says whereas the government is not providing leadership on this file. You know, that's not in the motion because I don't think that's the case. There's areas that we -- of course, we are advocating for that are in the motion that maybe aren't being...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS electricity rates in the Northwest Territories are among the highest in Canada, reflecting the territory's remote geography, harsh climate, limited interconnection, reliance on diesel generation, high fuel transportation costs, and aging energy infrastructure;

AND WHEREAS residents and businesses across the Northwest Territories are experiencing an increasing number of power outages, due in part to the unique challenges of maintaining reliable electricity systems in remote northern conditions, including logistical constraints, diesel reliant micro grids, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will stress that these are 22 Canadian projects regardless of their investment sources. And if it's foreign investment we're looking for, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment should be talking to those foreign sources. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister outline how much money the territorial projects have received since Prime Minister Carney started shifting towards a new critical mineral strategy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we face the imminent closure of diamond mines, critical minerals becomes all the more critical for our economy. We have 25 out of 34 critical minerals in the Northwest Territories.

On March 3rd at PDAC, the federal government announced up to $165 million for 22 Canadian projects to unlock upwards of $434 million in critical mineral projects. These were all over the place: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. But the Northwest Territories is not on the list.

So I'd like to ask the Minister...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I guess we've just got the two to look forward to and then we'll move on.

Speaking of moving on, another part of the statement was talking about the Mika AI Scribe tool. So my question with this tool that's being touted as innovative as listening to the physicians who have asked for more AI tools and more innovation, we use paper-based charting, Mr. Speaker. That's how we do charting in the hospital system and in the health system. How does an AI help with that? And to that end, is it compatible with our EMR, our outdated EMR that needs replacing? We have this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, the issue here is about weapons, largely. It's about the presence of weapons in the emergency room and how they cause concern to both patients and staff. Has the Minister -- is it time for a metal detector in the emergency room to ensure the safety of the public and the safety of staff? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier today, the safety at the emergency room at Stanton Territorial Hospital is of top concern for the community and certainly for the people who work there. A number of high-profile incidents have been reported in the media. I am sure there are many more that are not reported. How is the Minister of Health and Social Services addressing safety concerns at the emergency room? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Committee Report 38-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Public Accounts, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It was suggested by numerous stakeholders that enforcement powers in Bill 34 should be expanded to include peace officers (i.e. municipal bylaw officers). The City of Yellowknife recommended this change, stating this would increase the city's ability to respond to incidents of trespass on municipal property without increasing the burden on an already over-extended police force. The RCMP was in favour of this change, also providing the example of the potential use of sheriffs to broaden enforcement capability even further. While the City of Yellowknife submitted its...