Daniel McNeely

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. We will move that to the appropriate page there, as you mentioned. The overall Justice Department, when you look at the pie, expenditures are good. I am in support of the department moving further once the budget is passed, if it is passed, and implementing the expenditures to improve some of the areas that we are going to be suggesting here today.

One of the areas that I think we really need improvement in is rehabilitation and reconciliation program delivery in our North Slave Correctional Centre. At any given time, if we went there with a taxi later on, I think you...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Looking at the expenditures that are going to kick in here in a few months, or a few weeks, it still allows time for scheduling and planning. My first question related to that is on the funding provided by the federal government for cannabis education. Is the department going to be developing, or has it developed, a community-by-community education plan and schedule? If the Minister recalls, take the Sahtu, for example, only one of five communities was visited by our committee to discuss the legalization of cannabis. Now that we have some money to provide some education...

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It was really encouraging when I witnessed the opening ceremony this past Thursday in one of the schools here, the William McDonald School I believe it was. It was really inspiring to see children from all of the communities, the remote communities, coming into the capital. Just the excitement of coming into the capital and being able to go to McDonald's is a privilege. That bonding is taken back home through the games, and I really could commend the Minister in supporting the continuation of the social foundation.

My next question is: what else does MACA...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 2019 Traditional Games Championship. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the Government of the Northwest Territories offers many diverse programs and services. Together, the departments, boards, and agencies take care of our infrastructure, deliver healthcare, maintain public housing, power our homes, and much more.

These are big, important things, but the GNWT also helps Northerners take care of the little things, and sometimes even these little things are valuable. I want to talk about one today.

This past weekend, the 2019 Traditional Game Championship, sponsored and led by the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, maybe if the department could work with the Department of Health in providing some consultation education sessions, either at the public level or at the school level, in the coming fiscal year. I put that out as a suggestion to the department. There is still time before this budget kicks in. You have got $308,000 there for that, and I imagine it could be shared on a 50/50 basis with the Health Department. Increasing the resources there would address targeting all 33 communities.

My next question is on the RCMP participation. You have $1.3 million to allow forced...

This is more of a comment here. I look forward to working with the Minister as we go through the budget deliberations on funding allocations to support this foundation. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Carrying on to my questions for the Minister of MACA on sports, my first question, Mr. Speaker: the Traditional Games Championship is led by the Aboriginal Sports Circle NWT. How does MACA support this organization? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks for that reply there. I am glad to hear there are efficiencies from the process, that we are learning and benefiting. My question is: what is our government doing to take full advantage of the Inuvik Satellite Station Facility?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up to my statement earlier, my first question to the Minister of Finance is that the recent approval for the licensing for the operators for the Inuvik Satellite Station was good news. This has taken some time. Can the Minister explain why the approval has taken so long? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question to the Minister is: with the experiences to date on reviews of engagement or monitoring, is the Minister of Finance of the opinion that this is a good investment, with the experiences to date and the cash flow to date and the signed customers on the system?