Thank you, Minister of Justice. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, finally, can the Minister clarify is this an optional program, or are all owners of assault-style firearms on the list required to participate in this buyback program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I understand it the letters were sent to all registered owners of assault-style weapons that fall under this program, and it is a mandatory requirement to be completed by the 31st of March, 2026. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Justice. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
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 Yellowknife airport, make it a major project, and develop it so that it's ready for that new military investment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is probably aware that the Yellowknife airport is going through strategic planning sessions on the type of work that needs to be done at the Yellowknife airport. Those are ongoing. They've completed public engagement and are continuing with the engagement. So the Department of National Defence and the Department of Infrastructure and the Government of the Northwest Territories have all been communicating on the types of assets and resources that are required for their projects at the airports. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn't hear a commitment there, but I will ask more details. So has the NORAD northern basing infrastructure program's needs, have they been inserted into that strategic plan? Are we going to see a strategic plan that specifically is focused on those goals, focused on meeting those needs, and focused on bringing those dollars to the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The strategic planning and the work that's been going on has actually been slowed down in order to wait for DND, essentially a What We Heard was coming, and now that we know a little bit more, the work is ongoing and there is plans with the strategic planning and everything else that's been going on with the Department of National Defence to build that all into the Yellowknife airport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
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. As I said earlier, this is ongoing work with the Department of National Defence, and the Department of Infrastructure is constantly working with them. I would hate to say that we're going ahead to do something at the Yellowknife airport that goes against their plans and definitely puts us back. So, again, this is an ongoing working thing with the Department of National Defence, and we continue to work with them in order to achieve their goals and what they're trying to do in the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife and Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Rule 7.2(7)2, I've received follow-up information for the following oral questions from the first session of the 20th Legislative Assembly:
