Kieron Testart

I appreciate that offer from the Minister. You know, this is an area that is kind of a very fertile ground for economic development for Indigenous governments, either through dev corps or other enterprises like that. I know anecdotically, as well, that a number of First Nations have buildings, commercial buildings, that the GNWT does, in fact, rent and, you know, sometimes increases like this are representative of rents that haven't gone up in a decade because they've been basically frozen as a result of a favourable rate to the GNWT and then you get, like, a big kickover like this. So I think...

Can the Minister explain her budget, then? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'd like to move a motion that we don't have planned, so we need to take time with staff. Essentially, I move that the activity directorate under the finance operational expenditures be deferred until a later date. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, the reason I'm confused, people are confused, is because we have a date of February, which is a month not a date, and we're unclear on how people will be prioritized. So, again, for people who have lived in the North, who have contributed to the North and whose permits are running out, are those people going to be prioritized? That's what the chamber wants. That's what our residents want. That's what business owners want. Can the Minister commit to that or at least -- at least give clarity that that is the top consideration that is going into this...

What would be the cost to eliminate the -- like, to mitigate the rate increase? Like, what -- what's the dollar amount of that subsidy that would not -- would kind of not require this rate increase? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, immigration is a hot topic. I got an email whilst we were having that exchange earlier and, you know, the concerns are really -- are a live issue. In this email this individual says, quote: What makes this even more frustrating is the recent news that the NTNP program will reopen soon but with conditions that grant all applications equal opportunities regardless of how long they have lived in the North or how much they've contributed to the community.

Now, I know that the Minister has put a pause on those changes, but the perception out there is that it's...

Thank you. So for clarification, so the new rate application in front of the PUB will be a 15 percent increase? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the workers who are already here and have expiring permits, I think those should be the priority. It makes sense that they're the priority. Will the Minister commit to prioritizing applications based on when work permits are expiring? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So how much -- is there a calculation for -- this $12 million, like how much we're saving taxpayers from the general -- or consumers -- sorry, consumers, not taxpayers because we're not saving taxpayers. We're spending their money. But how -- and I'm okay with that if we're getting to a public good and, in this case, we're taking the pain off the utility bills. So how much are we saving the average household with this? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT has been sustained since time immemorial on the traditional economies of First Peoples who harvested the fur, fish, timber, and other natural resources that our land is rich in. But as our economy has grown, so has the needs of our labour market, and immigration has become an important part of our story. This is how the Northwest Territories has built a diverse community that it boasts today, because of this welcoming nature of our people that has encouraged migration from every corner of the world. From France to the Philippines, Lebanon to India, these people come to...