R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work has begun under the arts strategy to look at the programs, look at how we fund different organizations, and that is the work to determine whether or not something like an arts council would be the way to go.

We provide more funding for the arts and culture in the Northwest Territories than any other jurisdiction in Canada per capita outside of the Yukon. So it's not like we are not providing these supports. But we also provide we spend twice as much on education per capita as the rest of Canada, three times as much on policing. I don't know how much more on...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 41, Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time.

This act amends three statutes administered by the Department of Justice. It amends the Jury Act and the Summary Conviction Procedures Act to reflect changes made to the Criminal Code of Canada. It further amends the Summary Conviction Procedures Act to clarify the role of the Attorney General for the Northwest Territories under that act. It also amends the Partnership and Business Names Act to recognize the authority of an Indian...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a separate process, but it is still income security staff so they are able to assist with that.

I want to point out that this is one of the reasons why the department is dedicated to creating a separate stream for seniors in terms of income security because why should someone have to go and apply for multiple things to get one thing. So that work is ongoing and should come to fruition before the end of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've seen the article the Member's referring to. I don't believe that 300 percent increase is a retail price that people are paying. And I think it's probably related to the fact that the price of propane plummeted last year, and it is now back to the more normal levels. So we are seeing a slight increase in the cost of propane. It's around 10 percent from two years ago, although significantly higher than last year, but it's closer to the average right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So one of the first things in the art strategy is to review all of the different funding, how it's working. Now, I had the option to just not put out an art strategy, and I considered that because I knew that people would want something a little more concrete and specific and I thought, well, we can just do this work without sort of telling the public what we're undertaking. But I thought, no, for the sake of transparency let's release the strategy, say, this is our plan; it's going to take some time but it's our plan. And then after we take some of those steps in that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I will say that our immigration strategy is a strategy for 2017 to 2022, and so it ends next year. So the work to renew that will necessarily involve meeting with industry stakeholders, meeting with employers, and determining what we can do to address any of those systemic or systematic barriers that they are facing. So I can definitely commit that we are going to do that work.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So there is a Northern Immigration Summit where Nunavut, the Yukon, and the NWT get together with IRCC and they discuss the environment and ways to improve immigration services and, frankly, get more immigrants to the Northwest Territories and the other northern territories. And so through this work, we do work with our neighboring territories. And from this work, there is also a new position that is being funded by immigration Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada to coordinate these efforts even further. So it is a panterritorial position to help coordinate...

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Followup Letter for Oral Question 79019(2): Land Issues in Tlicho Communities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I don't have to sell the value of education to the federal government. When I meet with Minister Vandal, when I meet with any Ministers, they appreciate the value of education. It's pretty easy to look at a chart and see that the more education you have, the more prosperous you are as an individual and the more prosperous your community and territory are. So there's plenty of excitement.

And I would also say that in addition to those interactions I have, the officials from the Aurora College and the Aurora College transformation team are in contact with federal...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The ask that resulted in the $8 million contribution from the federal government was an ask for $8 million. We got every penny that we asked for. It is for the:

Development of a facilities plan, including making sure we go and do the proper engagement;

A research services team pilot, which is a way to advance the research environment in the Northwest Territories, bring more money into the Northwest Territories via research and really build connections among the research community in the Northwest Territories; and,

Money for the Western Arctic Research Centre expansion...