Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased that the Minister is aware of what -- the diagnosis of the problem; what we need is the solution. These businesses also want to know what specific infrastructure upgrades are planned to prevent on going surges and blackouts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as temperatures drop and nights grow longer, winter is coming. But Northerners aren't afraid of White Walkers or of Undead Dragons. No, they're bracing for power bills they simply cannot afford. My constituents can't remember the last time they caught a break on their energy bills, and with each passing year they're forced to make even harder choices just to keep the lights on. It's no surprise that the cost of electricity is one of the most frequent concerns I hear about as an MLA. Northerners have a right to be frustrated when they are paying the highest power costs in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, one of the reasons I'm interested is I've been speaking with paramedics and they'd like to be regulated and they'd like to see an Act. So lest a Member bring it forward in the Private Member's bill, which probably isn't what the Minister wants to hear, when can we get assurances that there will be a bill in this House to review, to vote on, that will regulate paramedics and allow them to do the jobs that are so crucial for our communities, especially our small communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today the health Minister delivered a statement about care in small communities that included two recommendations that have been adopted by this working group that includes bringing paramedics into the model of care for small communities. The Northwest Territories is one of, I believe, only two jurisdictions in Canada where paramedics are unregulated. We don't have legislation covering paramedics. So how does she intend to do this without legislation to do so? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reason I brought it up is the theme of the corridor is one of corridors, not any one project as the Premier alluded to, but also the defence aspects of it. We have DND and NORAD funding that's waiting to be unlocked. So will the Premier join the calls from Yellowknife's city hall to the Yellowknife chamber and encourage the investment in the Yellowknife Airport as part, wrap it in, the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor because it fits in with the mandate and it's a vital asset that's not -- that's currently underutilized, and we're sitting on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to join the Premier in welcoming Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty here to the chamber. I had the honour of serving with him in the 18th Legislative Assembly, and I consider him a very good friend. So thanks for being here today, Grand Chief.

Thank you. I just think we need to have some very clear reporting on it just so we understand it. But maybe that is a question for the education Minister.

Finally, I guess if we could put it into terms, we often ask this, like how much money is represented when it's being spent on staffing in particular or programs, how much does it actually represent. So out of $14 million, how many EAs is that employing or EA positions is that creating? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I appreciate -- just to be clear, I will -- I mean, I'm going to continue to ask questions, but I appreciate this emergency funding, and I support it. I think it came a little late, and it's still -- until we know what that total quantum is, it's unclear whether $14 million is a significant amount. So my other question related to this is there's strings attached to this money. The Minister spoke to some of the eligibility requirements. But one of them is that education bodies have to first use their surpluses. So do we know how much surplus money is being spent...

Oh, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I thought I heard Great Slave but thank you very much for the opportunity to ask questions.

So I too want to query the Minister about this subsidy program for the service gap related to Jordan's Principal funding. Jordan's Principal funding is fundamental to our schools in the Northwest Territories. That's how it's been described by both -- well, I think the Minister at the table and the Minister of education, Minister of health, to the point where it is being referred to as foundational. So I think that creates a challenge because, one, I get the advocacy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the scope of practice of paramedics is unlikely to be changed without legislation to guide it. Is the department planning on bringing forward a legislative proposal or legislative changes that would bring paramedics into the Health Professions Act? Thank you.