Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently the BC Premier Eby has announced that he is fast-tracking 18 resource projects in his province, a blend of energy, mining, and critical minerals projects worth around $20 billion and that will employ 8,000 people. There are certainly some people who have issue with the fast-tracking, but he is committed to do it to deal with the trade war. Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are still very much in the midst of a trade war. It's time to fast-track some of our own projects. We have nine advanced critical minerals projects or a mix of projects that could help our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a spectre is haunting our North - the spectre of a zombie carbon tax. Soon, every -- or currently, every major political party leader in Canada at the federal level, Mark -- or soon to be federal leader, Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, Pierre Poilievre, even Jagmeet Singh, have given a death sentence to the consumer carbon tax, and the date of its demise is now set for March 9th WHEN Prime Minister Trudeau's successor will be chosen. All those who are vying to replace him have made it clear they'll be abandoning the consumer carbon tax and removing or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is sitting on funding that it lapsed for disaster relief. Can the Minister explain why that funding that's been received is still with the department and not being sent to communities or individuals who are affected by disaster? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's been a modernization of the federal disaster financial assistance arrangements known as DFAA. The Northwest Territories has -- well, you yourself, Mr. Speaker, in a different role understand this program very well. This modernization is supposed to improve how money flows to jurisdictions, especially when they face climate change induced emergencies. Can the Minister responsible for emergency preparedness through Municipal and Community Affairs give us an update as to how this is going to help our ability to respond more quickly to emergencies...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to be clear, I don't want to circumvent the rights of Indigenous people; that's certainly not what I'm suggesting. I'm suggesting let's work together to fast track these projects.

Will the Minister bring this concern to the Council of Leaders' table or work with the Premier -- I don't know that process -- but will he get this on the agenda at the Council of Leaders so everyone can work together to fast-track these projects for the sake of our -- every community in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

We're having a good day, Mr. Speaker. [No translation available].

Mr. Speaker, let me tell you a story about perseverance and determination. It's about a place where the people are as rugged as the land they call home; where, despite the vast distances between each community, everyone knows everyone. It's about a government that has been tested time and time again by flood, fire, and pestilence, and rose to the occasion when its people needed it most. I am, of course, telling the story of the Northwest Territories. I am proud to be a part of this story. The NWT is my home, and it's the most...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So how has the -- has the policy changed, Mr. Speaker? The Minister spoke of bringing it back to the Council of Leaders. Has the policy changed since what Members have been told? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Northerners continue to be puzzled why this government is stripping away benefits that have existed for many, many years. Yes, I'm talking about the affirmative action policy changes that are leaving people who live -- were born and raised in the Northwest Territories who have lived half their life here, Indigenous, non-Indigenous, why they're being left out in the cold. Can the Minister explain -- Minister responsible for the public service explain why she is so determined to take this benefit away from Northerners. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is good news as well. Mr. Speaker, another thing that this crisis has prompted is taking a look at energy security in Canada. We're talking about getting oil and gas to market -- or sorry, to ports and to finding new ports. The Northwest Territories is one of the largest supplies of oil and gas in the world. Can the Premier tell us if he is pursuing that opportunity and how we are going to unlock this resource to benefit not only Canada's security but northern security as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the Premier for being part of the Team Canada response to the US tariff threat. And I'd like to ask today what the status of that approach is. Where are Canada's premiers and the Prime Minister on ensuring that we can overcome this challenge to our economic sovereignty in the next 30 days? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.