Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not going to speak about a hypothetical sketch that I don't have in front of me. I don't know what this sketch is, who drew it or where it's from. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that the reason we've signed this MOU is to lay out a framework by which we work hand-in-hand with the Indigenous governments who are the landholders on whose lands this route is to traverse. But, Mr. Speaker, it's always been well known that it's going to have to involve a region where Yellowknife is obviously very prominently centered, as well as other Indigenous governments in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, flowing from the words I've been listening to this morning, I am going to continue to work in partnership with Indigenous governments from around this territory, abide by the MOU that we have just signed with the Tlicho, with the Yellowknife First Nation, which mentions within it working with all Indigenous partners, and we're going to make sure that the route we choose is one that balances all of the needs, including, as is mentioned in there, the economic needs and the economic importance of this route which requires that it passes through rich regions...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I've already signed an MOU that says that we are committed to drive significant economic activity for Indigenous and northern residents and communities through responsible and environmentally sustainable critical mineral development. That is what the MOU that we just signed says, Mr. Speaker. I intend to follow through on that. I am more than happy to present on this project to committees, to MLAs, to the mayor, to the city, whoever wants to have those conversations. We are only at a stage of development, but quite frankly we're behind. We need to get this moving...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I meet frequently with the city. I have presented at the city quite recently, and I am happy to continue to have those discussions with the city to see what best way we can continue to work together and to discuss with them the state of the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, quite a large number of stakeholders are going to, of course, be included in a project the size of the proposed Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, running all the way up to the Nunavut Coast. Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife municipal government is not a landholder akin to that of the Tlicho government or to the Yellowknife Dene First Nation, who anticipate, of course, settling the land claim, hopefully in the near future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I believe it was all three of those programs were unfortunately cut as a result of the sunset and conclusion of funding that we had been receiving from the federal government, a fairly substantive amount coming from the federal government now with the signing of the new low carbon economy fund. That should -- that now is, in fact, more than what it was previously, at least for the next some period of time, a short period of time. We do expect to be able to bring back a significant amount and more than cover the losses in funding. But whether or not or what specific...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. And, Mr. Chair, I share my colleague's view on this. There's a lot of lessons to be learned, and we can't build projects in pieces. It's not effective. And this is a message for the federal government as well. When we're given small -- really what are small amounts of money to do simple, small parts, but without knowing whether or not the whole of the project is ever viable, you are building something that is massive in tiny pieces. It's not effective, and it's not efficient.

Next steps, Mr. Chair, as I said, we had members of strategic infrastructure in all Sahtu communities...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I may need to come back. Oh, let's see here, Mr. Chair, we may -- oh well, so there is -- yes, there's $40 million allotted entire and $35.9 million in prior years, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

That was what was budgeted for 2026-2027 in the capital plan, Mr. Chair. It wouldn't necessarily -- it wouldn't be the total cost of the project. The total cost of the project to run a transmission line from Taltson's facility all the way to Fort Providence would be well, well beyond that.

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.