2019 NWT Election
Kevin O’Reilly
Candidate in the Frame Lake Yellowknife race.
Kevin can be reached on social media, at kevin@kevinoreillyframelake.ca, or by calling (867) 444-2929.
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News that mentions Kevin O’Reilly
1 2 … 23 Next »MLAs swing at the fences on population growth
June 13, 2022
NNSL Media - The past 47-year history of responsible government in the Northwest Territories is well-seeded with dashed dreams and missed milestones. Eight years ago, during his budget speech, former Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger proposed increasing the population by 2,000 people within five years. Yet MLAs are swinging at the fences now and throwing the bat. The reality is, increasing the population by 11,250 people over 20 years is not a very realistic proposition given the circumstances. MLAs can argue now is the time for a bold strategy but we’ve seen this movie before.
GNWT seeks to increase population and housing by 25 per cent by 2043
June 7, 2022
NNSL Media - The Government of the Northwest Territories will take steps to increase the territory’s population by 25 per cent over 2018 numbers by 2043, following the adoption of a motion by members of the legislative assembly. The strategy includes an objective to add 25 per cent more homes as well, or 3,700 new residences. In explaining the motion, Cleveland cited data from Statistics Canada projecting that while Canada’s population will rise by 25 per cent over 2018 numbers by 2043, the NWT is only on pace to grow by nine per cent in the same time period. The motion was adopted by the assembly despite Premier Caroline Cochrane and her entire cabinet abstaining from the vote. And I don’t think we’ve brought it together in a way that is going to ensure that that happens,” said O’Reilly.
GNWT told to grow territory’s population 25% by 2043
June 6, 2022
Cabin Radio - The motion, put forward by Kam Lake MLA Caitlin Cleveland, demands a “comprehensive strategy to match Canada’s population growth” in the Northwest Territories. The text of the motion urges the NWT to set a goal of growing its population by 25 percent before the year 2043. Cleveland said a refreshed immigration strategy must also be part of a population growth plan. “I also think we have to plan for the sustainability of our small communities. We can’t just leave it to chance that people are going to stay in small communities.
GNWT yet to set childcare fee increase cap for year ahead
June 6, 2022
Cabin Radio - Three of 98 licensed NWT childcare providers have so far declined to join a federal program aimed at eventually providing $10-a-day care, the territory’s education minister says. The federal subsidy, an opening move toward the Liberal government’s central commitment to $10-a-day childcare, provides money to daycares and day homes, which then use it to subsidize the fees parents pay. So what’s the definition of ‘necessary’ and when would the minister allow increases beyond the 2.3 percent cap?”Simpson replied: “We don’t have a cap set for the upcoming year. Some parents had reported confusion over what they perceived to be sharp increases in fees before that cap kicked in. Day home operators said those increases were simply their attempts to meet the territorial government’s rules while remaining financially solvent.
Should the NWT refuse to host future royal visits?
June 6, 2022
Cabin Radio - Last month’s five-hour visit of Prince Charles and Camilla to the NWT is expected to cost the territory around $180,000, the territory’s premier says. Asked by Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson last week, Premier Caroline Cochrane said the full cost was not yet known but she expected it to be similar to the sum spent on the last royal visit. “I would rather spend $180,000 on almost anything else,” Johnson declared, suggesting that the territory decline to host future visits by the royal family. Premier Cochrane, however, mounted a spirited defence of the visits. Moreover, the premier said, Indigenous governments seemed to want the royals to come.
Merging departments not about money or jobs, premier says
June 5, 2022
Cabin Radio - Premier Caroline Cochrane says a forthcoming merger of two NWT government departments is based on efficiency, not cutbacks. Cochrane told the legislature there had been confusion over the areas for which each of the two departments held responsibility. “So there was a benefit to reorganization.”Shane Thompson is currently the minister for both departments. The new, merged department’s name has yet to be announced. The merged department would be the only realistic candidate for such a name change.
‘The time to act is now.’ Territories call for climate change support
May 10, 2022
Cabin Radio - The territories stated climate change is having far-reaching impacts on food security, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and culture. (1/2) Today, @premier_silver, @j_akeeagok and I met to talk about issues important to our residents, like climate change, Arctic security, and housing. The territories ask for immediate federal funding to establish and expand programs that support climate change mitigation and adaptation, clean energy, and monitoring across the North. Despite ongoing commitments to address climate change and the premier describing a sense of urgency, not everyone feels the NWT is taking climate change seriously enough. “Younger people are our future and they’re the ones that are going to be impacted by climate change,” she said.
Most human rights complaints in NWT related to disability: Human Rights Commission chair
April 27, 2022
NNSL Media - Disability continues to be at the heart of most human rights complaints in the Northwest Territories, according to the NWT Human Rights Commission’s most recent annual report. From April 2020 to March 2021, the office of the executive director of the Commission received 30 new complaints; Of these, 18 — or 60 per cent — were related to disabilities. The next most common grounds for complaints were sex, with nine, and race, age, and ethnic origin, which had five each. One of the biggest barriers to accessibility, is the territory’s building code, said the Commission’s chair, Charles Dent. Dent acknowledged that the local, territorial and federal governments would all have to be in agreement for the territorial commission to take on a complaint outside its jurisdiction.
N.W.T. wants public input on royalties. MLA says even that process is opaque
April 13, 2022
CBC North - O'Reilly said the documents for public engagement suggest the territory is currently getting a fair share of royalties, but that by his calculations, the N.W.T. The public can make comments on the mineral resource royalty review until July 29, 2022, and access documents on the department's website . Committee chair Katrina Nokleby said she wanted her dissenting opinion to Hubert's report posted to the public website if Hubert's report was to be included. Since 2014, $11 billion in diamonds has been produced in the N.W.T., and of that $250 million in royalties have been paid. (GNWT)Since 2014, $11 billion in diamonds has been produced in the N.W.T., and of that $250 million in royalties have been paid.
MLAs debate mining royalties as GNWT revamps mineral extraction policies
April 12, 2022
NNSL Media - The GNWT’s project to modernize its mineral extraction policies is stirring questions about how the territory can best profit from its natural resources, as well as report these profits in a transparent way. The review of the royalty regime is part of a broader initiative to overhaul mineral extraction policies in the territory following devolution in 2014. In 2019, the GNWT adopted the Mineral Resources Act, the first piece of legislation governing mineral extraction in the NWT that was drafted within the territory. Currently, the NWT uses a profit-based royalty scheme, where the costs of extraction and allowances are subtracted from the final royalty. As part of a public consultation on mineral royalties, residents have until July 29 to submit their feedback.