Kieron Testart

Thank you, Madam Chair. Well, I appreciate that answer. I would love to ask those questions to the federal Ministers directly, so I'll take that as an invitation to join the Minister on the next trip to Ottawa. That's what -- I think that's what I heard, but I'll follow up with her. Maybe they will this time.

Okay, so -- okay, the total -- we just heard the total amount for JP funding last year was $58.6 million. So if we -- do we have a calculation for -- if we remove the multi-year funding that is not being lost, so for school districts like Yellowknife Catholic schools that have multi-year...

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, Mr. Speaker. So 2027 is the plan. Is the Minister able to work with partners because it's very important that we do; it's part of the devolution agreement; it's part of our co-management system. But is the Minister able to work with partners to expedite this process to indicate the dire state of our exploration? Exploration's dropped by 50 percent since 2018. That's a huge decline. Can the Minister bring those concerns to that table and expedite this process? Because we desperately need reform now. We don't say red alert idly. Will the Minister act and expedite this process so we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today we called for a -- some of us called for a red alert into mining because the situation is dire. We have aging legacy mines that are closing, no new mines on the horizon. Can the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment speak to why the MRA was passed at the end of the 18th Assembly. It's been ten years before it's come into force, and we do not see a clear path forward. Can the Minister speak to the status of the Mineral Resources Act regulations? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Premier Bob McLeod raised a red alert over oil and gas development in the Beaufort Sea after Prime Minister -- then Prime Minister Trudeau declared a moratorium without consulting the Northwest Territories. At the time, I was fairly critical of that. I was focused on other aspects of the economy, particularly mining, but now I owe him an apology because I see the real value of that red alert in sending a clear signal across the country and the world that the NWT was open for business and fighting to preserve the opportunity to develop its own resources.

Mr. Speaker, today...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I'm informing the House of a conflict of interest in this motion as my wife is a chair of the board of Avens, the community for seniors. I shall withdraw from the proceedings accordingly to avoid this conflict. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's great news. I'm glad that this hasn't fallen off the agenda. But I'd like to know is the Council of Leaders behind the tax credit as well and can we marshall or combine that combined leadership caucus, get everyone on the same page in calling for this important economic tool to grow our economy and restore our mining decline? Thank you.