Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I note that the current budget proposes to increase the complement of deputy sheriffs in the Department of Justice by two. I wonder if the Minister of Justice can fill me in on if they have had the discussion about the sheriffs taking over all court services in the justice system and allow the RCMP out of the courtroom and onto the streets where they belong? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am aware that the escalator was decreasing from 6 to 3 per cent, and that was the source of the frustration initially. It does sound like there's some other funding available, and I thank the Premier for making that more clear.

The last thing he mentioned was the THIF, I think, or the acronym for the innovation program that helps with medical travel. The Premier mentioned that it may have been disappearing. I assume that it is not and it is part of this deal. Can the Premier elaborate on that funding? How much is there? Has it increased from its previous level of funding and will it be there...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Premier about the new healthcare funding from Canada. The Premier was very public about his opposition to the deal as was presented by the federal government and a number of weeks later has signed on to the deal and spoke to the great benefits of it. So how did the deal change from when he initially opposed it to when he ultimately accepted it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Tlicho All-Season Road that will connect the community of Whati with the greater Northwest Territories. This is an important initiative for the growth and development of our future here in the Northwest Territories, and shows that this government is capable of working in partnership with many levels of governments, including Indigenous governments who have made the choice to ask for this important strategic investment.

People are very excited about this road, I think, across the territory and the potential that it represents for our communities, for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to move to item 12 on the orders of the day, replies to the budget address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister. I appreciate that this may not be, in fact, our responsibility, and that we are trying to find the responsible parties. The remediation process also involved a water license, and I wondered if the department took a position when Newmont applied for that water license for the remediation process. Has the government taken a position, or been involved with the water licensing of Newmont for the Kam Lake remediation? Thank you.

Does the department have any awareness of arsenic levels in the waters of Kam Lake itself? I believe there was testing done on Grace Lake, so this would specifically be about Kam Lake, and any potential arsenic or contaminants in the water.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the namesake of my riding is Kam Lake. Bordering on both homes and businesses, Kam Lake is sometimes called the hidden jewel of Yellowknife. Its shores are now seeing new growth as the land is developed for new residential neighbourhoods where families will soon live. That is why I found it especially disturbing, Mr. Speaker, when my constituents brought it to my attention that Kam Lake is one of the few bodies of water within the city limits that has not been given an environmental assessment to assess its current arsenic levels. At least, that is what is...

Thank you to the Minister; that's clear. Ultimately, who is responsible for the remediation of Kam Lake? The ongoing remediation by Newmont, not Miramar of the Con Mine property, is having an impact on Kam Lake. Who is responsible for the remediation of the lake as it relates to the remediation of the Con Mine project?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. In my Member's statement, I talked about both remediation and environmental assessment for Kam Lake. Can the Minister tell me if an environmental assessment has been done for Kam Lake? Thank you.