Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was listening intently to the Member's statement. At this point in time I can certainly confirm that there is a design that is meant to balance both the current needs and future opportunities but as to what that might specifically mean, Mr. Speaker, I might need a little more time, and I'd be happy to get that information for the Member. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to highlight the significant strides we have made in advocating for better telecommunications services in the Northwest Territories. Our work with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, has led to transformative changes that will benefit all residents of the Northwest Territories.

On January 16th, 2025, the CRTC announced a groundbreaking decision to introduce a universal subsidy for internet services in the North. This decision marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards digital equity, ensuring that every household in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left, Jeffrey Nichols, senior legislative advisor at the Department of Infrastructure. And on my right, Sue McKinney as the legislative counsel from the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe that it has, Mr. Speaker, but, again, this is where I do want to be cautious. I'll want to just confirm that I've got the right numbers and the right dates and will certainly by Monday have something on the table to the House just to confirm. It is an area where we do want residents to have accurate information and information that is, you know, certainly not seen as being advice from me or necessarily from the department. They should be seeking that from tax professionals. So to the extent that I can confirm that or provide access to those...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we certainly have in the past, through Department of Finance, tried to work with CRA to encourage them to have a more flexible approach to determining what the lowest return airfare is. They do now have a tool that they put out. As far as them requiring or requesting the private actors to do that, Mr. Speaker, I can't say that I've certainly myself had any direct requests to them to do that. This issue did come up just recently from the MLA, and I haven't necessarily been able to sort of determine who to ask. In fact, there's been some change obviously of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that actually is an opportunity to raise something that has been changing in the last couple of years where some of the vehicles that are used by the GNWT staff and fleet are installing satellite-based technology in those vehicles. This is not a perfect solution but certainly if folks are finding themselves in need on the highways, our staff now are better placed to actually provide cell coverage. And, Mr. Speaker, there's other opportunities that we may be able to use, again, to set up towers that would be localized at key points. Again, so just to provide...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I certainly am happy to confirm and to commit that we will take a look at the design. Certainly, this project began pre-COVID, and the world has changed significantly since then and continues to change. So if this presents us an opportunity now today to ensure that we are truly looking at the opportunities tomorrow, then I'm happy to take that opportunity. Thank you.

[Translation] And Zachary Messier who are from Allain St-Cyr School in Yellowknife, and they're both residents of Yellowknife South. [Translation Ends].

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, firstly, the rough math of about $50 million is correct insofar as what I've listed here. There's additional money that we get from the federal government, so this is not the sum total of all that we spend. And, indeed, there is some further and additional funds that do go towards the climate change framework that is out of my colleague's department in ECC. The energy action plan or the energy strategy that is being renewed right now, some of that I can list out as being at around $2.1 million, but that does not necessarily include staffing costs that we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to lay out why I make this point of privilege this morning -- or this afternoon. There's two parts to meet the initial threshold. Question of privilege, as you know, Mr. Speaker, must be raised at the earliest opportunity. The nature of the matter described must show on its face to be a breach of privilege.

Mr. Speaker, I became aware of some accusations made last night only after the rise of House. This is my first opportunity to bring this matter forward. As to the second part of the test, I'd like to...