Canada's 45th general election is less than two weeks away. SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½ has asked more questions to all four candidates. The latest to get back is Liberal candidate Rebecca Alty.

What are your views on having semi-automatic firearms for hunting? Should they be protected or banned in the NWT?

I fundamentally believe in the rights of Indigenous communities to live off the land, and that includes Indigenous rights to hunting. You can expect me to defend and protect those rights as MP. The most recent changes to the Firearms Act prohibited centre-fire semi-automatic firearms that were designed with a detachable cartridge magazine with a capacity of at least six rounds and was manufactured after December 2023. All other firearms remained at the same classification.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has cut the NWT nominee allotment for 2025 to just 150, a 50 per cent drop from last yearSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s figure of 300. The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce has urged Ottawa and the GNWT to increase immigration allocations to address what it calls a workforce crisis across the territory. Are you in support of raising the cap for the NWTSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Nominee Program? Why/why not?

I support the restoration of the NTNP cap to 300 persons. I understand conversations have been had between the federal government and the GNWT on how we can return to the allocation of 300, and as MP, I will work with both levels of government and local residents and businesses to make sure that happens.

At the same time, I also want to ensure we make further investments into local skills training and development programs. For example, a Liberal government will introduce an Apprenticeship Grant of up to $8,000 for registered apprentices, as well as up to $15,000 for workers in priority sectors like health care and construction to access new skills training.

What is your plan for reducing energy costs and moving to greener sources of energy?

I will be a strong advocate as MP for cleaner, efficient, and more affordable energy generation and usage in the NWT. I am committed to working with the GNWT and Indigenous and community governments and organizations to support projects to harness local energy opportunities. Whether it's expanding existing infrastructure or building new projects, I want the federal government to be a strong partner in supporting our energy needs.

On the usage front, if elected, we will invest in powering more homes with efficient and affordable heating and cooling and make homes more resilient to extreme weather. Our government will fund home retrofits and lowering utility bills while making it easier for households to adopt energy efficiency upgrades including insulation upgrades and window replacements.

A Yellowknife MLA recently told me the federal government needs to provide more funding for the early learning and childcare sector. They say Ottawa is not funding the GNWT adequately to implement $10/day daycare effectively. Do you agree with them? How can the NWT implement $10-a-daycare effectively?  

I have heard from many families and child care providers on the campaign trail about the importance of the $10-a-day childcare program. While it is helping make child care significantly more affordable for many NWT families, there are definitely improvements that can be made to make the program more supportive. For example, in many communities there is a lack of available physical spaces that are suitable for the operation of a childcare facility.

As MP, I will advocate for greater federal support for infrastructure in our communities so more families across the NWT can have access to high-quality, affordable child care.