Thank you, Mr. Chair. During my campaigning process to become the MLA for Range Lake, I promised to solicit, listen and act on the concerns and the solution provided by my neighbours. In fulfilling this promise, I spent the last few days compiling every note that was taken, every comment, every solution that they provided, and doing some grouping to define the priorities that I’m going to put forward. They are not in order; they are just as they came.
The first priority that I will talk about is addressing the high cost of living for northern residents. Residents are struggling to maintain their homes and enjoy a comparable quality of life similar to communities in the South. To address this, the GNWT needs to review areas affecting cost of living including the high utility costs, increasing child care supplements for families, addressing the freight costs that are impacting food costs to the communities and supplies, initiate local food production incentives, reinstate the provision of retrofit programs to lower the energy costs, and negotiate the northern tax allowance benefit from the federal government.
The next priority that I’ve taken from the comments of the constituents is to ensure the government services are provided in a transparent, accountable manner. The residents of the North have been really loud in their request for more transparency and accountability. In order to accommodate this, the GNWT needs to ensure public input whenever possible. We need to provide increased opportunities for public awareness of major government issues and initiatives. We need to work in true partnerships with applicable stakeholders to define and evaluate major decisions and initiatives. We also need to review all government departments, including resource allocations and program deliveries. We need to ensure that our budget allocations are approved within a financially sustainable manner with the goal of limited to no borrowing.
The third priority that I have identified is to ensure a sustainable and prosperous economy. As many Members have stated, the low commodity pricing has caused low investments within the North, so we are really in danger of losing our current mining and mineral exploration investments, which will affect many businesses and families within our communities. To address this, the GNWT needs to review the legislation governing regulatory boards and the policies regarding subcontracting, the BIP process. We need to promote mining and exploration opportunities with a northern hire focus. We need to strengthen the northern hire policies and practices, as we seem to be losing a lot of jobs to the South. We need to look at diversifying the economy so that mining and exploration is not the only business that we support in the North. Through that, we need to promote local businesses and we need to invest in renewable resources. We also need to develop the infrastructure to accommodate potential economic opportunities. We need to review the devolution revenue agreement with the federal government and we need to develop and adhere to a long-term strategic plan to ensure economic growth and stability within our territory.
The next group of concerns brings the priority in developing nation-to-nation partnerships to ensure the successful completion of land claims and self-governance agreements. The completion of land claims and self-governance agreements is critical to ensuring easier negotiations for private industries that are interested in investing in the Territories. It’s also really critical to address the healing process that we need for indigenous people within the North. Indigenous people represent 50 percent of our population and they need to be able to define their own future. The GNWT needs to continue negotiations with indigenous groups to complete land claim agreements satisfactory to both the GNWT and the individual groups.
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is we also need to work with the indigenous groups to start preparing for the assuming of programs applicable for self-government agreements. It’s one thing to give an agreement, it’s another to provide the tools so they can succeed.
Another priority identified is to ensure affirmative action legislation, policies and procedures reflect the needs of all applicable populations. The GNWT Affirmative Action Policy has been implemented for a reason. I’m not going to go over them again. We must ensure that they are implemented as intended. We need a complete review of all policies and procedures to strengthen the recruitment and retention of affirmative action candidates. Those include gender, disabilities and indigenous people.
Another priority – I have a lot of priorities – is to address the issue of climate change and sustainable environment. The fact that climate change is affecting the North at a factor rather than other countries and the devastating impact of climate change makes this a critical priority that we can’t ignore. The GNWT needs to focus on water monitoring, alternative energy, public consultation on land issues that are critical, such as fracking, preservation of wildlife such as the caribou, negotiating acceptable land preservation with economic development stakeholders, public education to our population and staying on top of the best practice research on climate change.
We also need to increase northern-based educational resources. So, ensuring that transferrable skills are critical to ensuring a strong North and making sure that we are prepared when the economy does pick up, because it will pick up. In doing that, the GNWT needs to increase our funding to education. We need to ensure, as another Member stated, that the funding for junior kindergarten is available for a program that has already been implemented in the Territories. We also need to ensure funding for classroom supports is maintained. We can’t take from one vulnerable population to give to another vulnerable population. We need to expand our transferable post-secondary opportunities, integrate post-secondary opportunities into the communities and community services such as utilizing the hospital as a community agency to offer programs. We need to expand our apprenticeship opportunities and we need to increase partnerships with accredited universities throughout Canada.
As well, we need to ensure that cultural awareness is provided to all community professionals, provide English classes to all people wishing this support. A lot of people who are new to Canada are saying they are limited to who can obtain English classes, and that is not acceptable. We need to expand our French education opportunities.
Another priority identified by my neighbours is to increase the population of the NWT in a strategic manner. The GNWT receives revenue for each resident of the NWT. However, we must ensure that we have the infrastructure to accommodate these people. We must develop a strategic population growth plan that addresses the need to entice more people to move to the North and considers all infrastructure needs to address the influx of people.
We also need to increase the health support available within the NWT. As stated, Northerners complain about the lack of health care in the North and the disruption to their lives when having to access health care in southern cities. The GNWT needs to increase their professional recruitment and retention practices. We need to increase community health support utilizing local people whenever possible. We need to increase health education opportunities. We need to review the financial limitations on accessing health care. We need to increase the use of health supports such as doulas and alternative health options. We need to increase long-term care support to address the growing seniors population. We need to review indigenous health supports available to residents throughout the NWT. We need to develop a long-term strategic plan to develop additional health support within the Territories.
Another priority identified was to ensure the vulnerable populations are cared for within a comprehensive, supportive manner. The NWT is only as strong as its weakest members. Within the North we are seriously lacking support for marginalized populations including homeless people, seniors, people living with disabilities, low income families, those suffering with addictions and those with mental health concerns.
The federal government has promised investment in social supports and we need to ensure that as Northerners we access this opportunity. We also need to conduct a comprehensive review of the current programs to ensure we are investing our monies in areas of greatest need.
As well, affordable housing. We need to increase affordable housing within the NWT. Affordable housing is a serious issue in the North with single and low-income families struggling to survive with high priced markets and multiple families living in community housing. To address this, the GNWT needs to ensure that the federal government keeps its promise to invest in housing infrastructure.
The last priority identified by my neighbours is strengthening family supports. In an effort to entice and retain people within the North, we need to ensure that the people have the supports necessary to survive and thrive. The GNWT needs to strengthen early childhood development supports and increase support for children, youth, parents and families.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to working with the MLAs in actualizing the priorities identified.