Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we are later well, I guess in 2023, facing a prospect of the federal government having changed the carbon tax system. As such, we are in a position having to amend our carbon tax system to be compliant. It is going to have an impact on residents in the North notwithstanding the fact that we are not wellplaced to respond to carbon tax changes and respond to the need to reduce GHG emissions as other jurisdictions in the south might be.

I am particularly cognizant, Mr. Speaker, ridings such as Nunakput, are especially going to be hard hit. They are already...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't necessarily speak to what might be happening mine by mine or project by project. Certainly what I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that indeed, yes, at the Nechalacho Project, Deton Cho are, indeed, the miners of that project. They are the ones running the contract and doing the mining. That is, I think, perhaps maybe a first in Canada; certainly a first in the Northwest Territories. And I can't agree more, this is the way of the future, and it is you know, I think it is something where we are starting to see access to equity change, access to whether it's...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let me just quickly start by saying that I certainly haven't shut the door on the possibilities around the diamond mines, that there is still exploration happening. And while it looks likely that at least one of them will be on its closure date, the others are, you know, I'd like to say that let's just not shut that door just yet. My hope is a little more positive and optimistic.

But as for metal mining, Mr. Speaker, we do have a mineral development strategy. It does need to be updated but it is there. It was developed in conjunction with industry. It is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, that's a responsibility of all Ministers certainly to be engaging with our counterparts. We all have been engaging with our counterparts. I am more than happy to make the commitment to raise quite specifically, you know, what the Member from Nunakput has said around the impacts of climate change on the North and then the impacts of the carbon pricing system which is within the responsibility of the Department of Finance. So I'll certainly carry that message forward. Again, I'm not don't know how much of a response I will get. There have been a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, again, much of a similar response in that I'm certainly happy to work with my colleague. Obviously, you know, we certainly do have responsibility under the carbon tax in the Department of Finance but then the subsidy rests with ECE. So I know that there's some work happening with the income assistance review, and so we will ensure that the two departments are speaking to one another about the perspective impacts of the carbon tax issue and then looking at how that might be addressed, if possible, under programs under another department. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a fairly new roll out. There certainly has been funds available prior to now but it was ad hoc whereas now there is a more formalized process by which interested parties can apply. There are, you know, maximums and some eligibility requirements. But in short, Mr. Speaker, it is meant to be a fund that formalizes an opportunity. So precisely as is asked, that governments and organizations can apply, have money to attend conferences, to attend training, to bring training into their communities and to their people. It is being run as a pilot. And I just say that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, determining any associated fees with the new Mineral Resources Act and the various processes therein, then obviously determining the cost associated is part of the development. So point taken, that we could consider if cost recovery is feasible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think where we're going with this, Mr. Chair, is with respect to communities within Tu NedheWiilideh, and there are no parks capital projects for 20232024 planned in the community of Lutselk'e or Fort Resolution if that is ultimately where this is going. And if not, I apologize. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, let me I'll certainly take that commitment away and just confirm that I am able to, to the extent to which we can break it down and that there's no running up against any procurement concerns. But subject to that, I will provide that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's probably a response that I'll want to have at some length outside of the House but, yes, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has a set amount that it goes towards small capital particularly so for us it would be parks. If that is last, and I don't or carried over, which you know, sometimes there are projects that get carried over but, if anything, it just winds up going to other ITI projects that are then themselves underfunded. I don't know that we tend to carry over a whole lot within the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment...