Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to say I have two young pages in the House working with us today. Khalif Joseph and Junaid Mutoola are both residents of Yellowknife South. Thank you for being here.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the GNWT is having significant challenges maintaining its operations. We are struggling in the health care system obviously with the health authorities running a fairly significant deficit that continues to grow, and struggling in the energy sector right now because of the lack of interconnectivity between our systems and the tremendous costs that continue to build up because of the reliance on diesel and the volatility of fuel. But our fiscal challenges aren't necessarily being driven by operations and maintenance on the highways. Those costs are going up. I...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We certainly can produce that. The information that's presented in this format wouldn't necessarily show it the way that I think the Member's looking at. So we'll produce that. And I think just better than that is I propose I'll probably table it in the House since that does seem like information that would be valuable. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, Mr. Chair, assistant deputy Jenkins does indicate what we are told is that they're getting started this year, so I'll -- we'll go back and see if we can't get something more definitive from the partners that sit at that table, and then we'd be more than happy to follow up or at least give an update if I'm waiting on someone else for information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left I have Robert Jenkins who is an assistant deputy minister with the Department of Infrastructure. And on my right, I have Celeste MacKay who is an assistant deputy minister in the Department of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm certainly happy to do that. So this project obviously represents a pretty significant potential in infrastructure investment. At this stage, the project is focused on planning as far as Lockhart All-Season Road. That would take from the end -- what is now the end of the Ingraham Trail, commonly known thereof as Ingraham Trail or Highway No. 4, all the way up to Lockhart Lake, and the funding that is here right now would get as far as having a regulatory application in 2025-2026 in order to begin an environmental assessment.

This certainly has been around, as I said...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this project is a retrofit of the existing location. The Member -- yes, quite correctly, there was originally back -- way back, 2016, looking at replacing the camp, and there was funding back at that time to do so. There was some challenges in that the first site that they landed upon was determined to actually not be suitable for this kind of camp based on the geotechnical and the investigation of the area and, unfortunately, no new sites could be identified in the area that were both compatible with the technical needs, compatible with what was required for...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput that Bill 13 -- supplementary -- oh okay, now I'm like all flustered.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.