Kieron Testart

I'm sorry, could the Minister repeat her answer.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I move that this committee defer further consideration of the directorate activity in the Department of Finance on the Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker -- and thank you to my colleague. Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the Minister of Finance, have we given up on Restoring Balance, the fiscal sustainability strategy of this government? Thank you.

Thank you. Well, very quickly, this is not -- this is -- we're constantly chasing ourselves here, Mr. Chair, and I think this problem's not going to go away unless we make some real structural changes to our energy grid. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last time the NWT designed this program, did the federal government not accept what we brought forward? Because, Mr. Speaker, it sounds like there's a chance that we'll design something, we'll send it, and Mark Miller will say no and send it back to the Minister for improvement. Like, I just want to understand the process because we're not getting straight answers today and, again, people are worried. People are worried they're going to be deported from the Northwest Territories. And we can't let them -- have them living in that kind of fear. So can the...

Thank you. I appreciate this is complicated because there's, like, the 7 percent increase that happened has already happened and then that's being compounded into the GRA. But I guess my concern is if it's not -- if it's still like the same, you know, 25 increase but we're doing all these things to lower it but the increase in front of the PUB is still there, that doesn't -- and it doesn't reflect a subsidy, then NTPC is asking for more than it needs, and I would like that not to be the case. So can -- does the Minister confirm that, like what the PUB will be considering is the -- or the rate...

Mr. Speaker, I think -- I mean, I think that's a reasonable think people are looking for. If they're looking for clarity, they don't have it, they're going to be experiencing anxiety until they do. These are people who are worried about their future. We can kind of give them something. So can the Minister at least give me a very clear date when the full program will be available for the public to see so we can start easing those fears? Thank you.

Thank you. So has the rate application been modified with the advent of this $12 million? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about the Northwest Territories Nominee Program. I know that this has been an area of concern for a lot of my constituents, a lot of people in the community, both business owners and people in it the program who are worried if they're going to get kicked out of the Northwest Territories. I know the Minister's been active on this file. Can she update this House as to what people can expect when the new intake occurs for the NTNP program? Thank you.

Thank you. My -- I have $80 million in my head on, like, a general kind of subsidy. I don't know if it wraps up everything in that, but that's my recollection from perhaps the main estimates. But does that number sound accurate at all? Thank you.