Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a responsibility to ensure benefits from the extraction of Northwest Territories natural resources are provided to residents of the Northwest Territories. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has three initiatives that are advancing the priority set by the 19th Legislative Assembly to advance the benefit retention approach to economic development in the NWT. I would like to offer Members an update of this work.

This month, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment launched a pilot program that will fund capacity...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think, Madam Chair, my understanding at this point is that we are in year one of a threeyear project and so the costs will begin to be incurred in the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So Madam Chair, I mean, it's the same answer in as much as the Member is saying it's the same question which is that, you know, other than I think the Yukon, other jurisdictions don't publish the costs because of the concern that everyone will just simply bid to the known budget rather than trying to put some effort in to minimize costs. So yes, I mean, and just to distinguish it's, you know, actual costs as they are incurred certainly are made available and those updates are made available. But it's the budget that is the issue because it's the budget that we don't...

Yes, I do, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not in a position to give a specific time at this stage. I am live to comments from committee regarding their interest in the larger piece of this, and I have certainly been working in the last little while with the department towards being in a position to give a more specific timeline. It is certainly my expectation that we will still see the completion of the larger act within the life of this government. But, again, I'm just at a stage of being able to confirm that hopefully before the end of this sitting. Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Billy MacKay, the deputy Minister of Finance. And on my right is Stephen Flanagan. He is the drafter from legal division.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm here to introduce Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act. This bill proposes four administrative amendments to the Liquor Act that would benefit from immediate attention.

First, updating personal importation limits to increase the quantities of liquor that a person may bring with them into the Northwest Territories;.

Second, removing enforcement as part of the Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board's role due to potential conflict of interest;

Third, removing the ban on licensed applicants who have been charged with but not convicted of a criminal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to speak to this. I mean, obviously just, you know, noting firstly that the NTPC obviously is responsible for managing its own affairs. That said, I do have the opportunity to meet with their officers and staff and the Minister responsible, and it just so turns out that the Minister responsible and myself are on the steering committee for the Taltson hydro project. So lots of opportunity in that respect to ensure that all the right parties are alive and aware of what projects are in the region, the timeline of the various projects in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a situation of jurisdiction at hand and the federal government does have a jurisdiction. There's been challenges by other jurisdictions around carbon pricing and carbon tax systems. I certainly will commit to continuing the conversation. I want to make clear that there have been conversations between officials from the Department of Finance but as well as officials within other departments who are also taking a lead on climate change or climate change impacts here in the Northwest Territories. But Mr. Speaker, I most certainly will continue to...