Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Members. First and foremost I need to take this opportunity to say thank you to the residents of Yellowknife North for putting their trust in me and electing me as the representative to the 18th Assembly. I look forward to being their voice and protecting their interests and the interests of the greater territory as we move forward in advancing the mandate of this government.
Mr. Chair, I would like to start my comments on our government’s priorities today with health and well-being. I believe that Northerners rank health care and protection of their family as their number one priority. We need to know that when we get sick, or when our children, our parent, our loved ones get sick, that our health care system will be there for us.
I recognize that Northerners believe our government has a role to play in helping individuals to help themselves, their families and communities, through effective systems of support while ensuring that all Northerners have the opportunity to build and live meaningful lives in support of environments in vital communities.
We need to work to support those individuals with disabilities by moving forward on the NWT Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities and action the five building blocks which have been identified within the plan.
We need to work to reduce and eliminate poverty through strong support and action on the five pillars identified in the Anti-Poverty Action Plan.
We need to support and take action on the new Cancer Strategy. Healthy living is critical for prevention, but better support has to be in place for those fighting cancer and those providing care for them.
As we all heard over the course of the election and from recent meetings with leaders, we must ensure that those people with mental health and addictions concerns have access to a full range of programs and services to address physical, social, cultural and spiritual health.
Smoking is the single largest health hazard in the North. Forty-six percent of Northerners smoke. This is well above the national average. Our government has to work hard to increase the awareness of the hazards of tobacco use and support bringing educational programs into our schools to educate the next generation on the benefits of healthy living and choosing not to use tobacco.
I would like to talk about economic growth and fiscal responsibility as a priority for this government. I recognize that we are primarily a resource-based economy and we need to continue making the right investments in infrastructure that will allow responsible exploration to advance and make mining more inviting so that we can share our vast resources with the world market. However, I am also committed to diversifying the NWT’s economy to help mitigate the impact of fluctuations in our natural resource sector and increase job security for all Northerners.
I believe through responsible fiscal management we can protect priority programs and services while also reducing the cost of living for all residents and lowering the costs of doing business.
We need to work to establish certainty for the economy by identifying the top priority projects that need investment over the next Assembly and beyond, that will bring a return on investment for the economy and for the people of the territory. An example of one of those projects is the often referred to as the Road to Resources into the Slave Geological Province.
As we heard recently from the NWT Association of Communities, we need to work to ensure recommendations of the GNWT’s Community Funding Formula Review are implemented and meet the funding needs of underfunded communities.
We need to continue to work on developing and implementing a Population Growth Strategy that is inclusive of an immigration policy for the territory, so that we can grow and diversify the labour force as well as grow our tax base, rather than having to consider tax increases to those who currently live here, driving up their cost of living.
We need to work toward improving service delivery to residents and businesses. That means minimizing red tape and establishing one-stop shopping services to reduce duplication and improve efficiency of those services.
Mr. Chair, I would like to talk about governance as a priority for this government. The territorial government must work hand in hand with residents, businesses and other stakeholders to define needs, define workable solutions and determine the direction of government. We need to make it easier for individuals and organizations to engage with government if we are to collaborate in the development of programs and policies that help produce a strong, vibrant and economically successful territory now and well into the future. We must all work toward a cohesive and collaborative method of achieving the priorities of this Assembly, and our government must commit to being inclusive and cooperative in working with communities and Aboriginal governments.
We need to work to develop an open and public process for the selection and appointment of members to boards, committees and agencies.
I would like to talk about arts and culture as a priority for this government. Celebrating the arts and cultural heritage improves our quality of life and adds to our sense of community and belonging. Arts and culture also have the potential to generate significant economic diversification. As a territory, we need to see more people comfortably and confidently pursuing careers in the arts. We need to examine tax credits, incentives and interest-free and forgivable loans that promote arts and culture. We need to identify adequate funding and support for core operational requirements to sustain community arts facilities, music festivals, jamborees, assemblies and special events.
I would like to talk about the cost of living as a priority for this government. I know that life in the remote north has its challenges on many fronts, but foremost is the ability to afford living here. Due to a lack of transportation infrastructure; harsh, cold environment; limited resources and vast geography, our ability to acquire and build the necessary components to sustain life in the North can be very costly. I believe all levels of government have an important role in reducing the cost of living in the North.
We need to work with the City of Yellowknife and other communities that have a willingness to provide the Loans for Heat program that provides low interest loans, grants, or rebates for home energy efficiency upgrades. This supports reducing the cost of living and protects the environment through less use of carbon-emitting fossil fuels.
We need to support on-the-job education, professional development and training programs that promote increased earning potential. We must work to support northern agriculture and food security through the development of the Agriculture Strategy and promotion of community gardens.
We need to work with our federal MP and the new Government of Canada to ensure Northerners receive the increase in the northern residency tax deduction and work toward having that deduction set to a positive index for future years.
Mr. Chair, I would like to talk about education as a priority for this government. I believe strengthening our education system is the key to a healthy and prosperous future. It is important that learning opportunities be accessible, affordable and sustainable for all Northerners. Education that leads to employment will propel our people and territory to prosperity.
We should seek to teach the way children learn. Not all kids learn the same way, so we need a system that allows each child to focus on their strengths and support them to do so. We should be encouraging our students to choose fields of study that lead to employment, and we should be providing incentives through Student Financial Assistance to make this happen. Not every child will be an academic. We should support trades and technology and the arts as excellent career choices.
As children move through the school system, we need to measure what we value as a society and incorporate mechanisms that will encourage students to support those values as they become closer to being contributors to society.
Teachers work in challenging environments where many of the children in their classes are at different stages of learning. We need to be providing them with tools they require to support each and every student no matter what their level of learning might be. The classroom needs to be a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all students at all times.
We need to support the idea of expanding post-secondary education in the North through all means, whether it’s arts, academia, trades, or science and technology. This discussion starts with a review and potential change of the Education Act.
Our education system needs to be adequately funded, and that includes junior kindergarten. There are preschool programs already going on that parents pay out of pocket for, but I believe, like most, that those programs should be free of charge, and support for junior kindergarten helps achieve that.
I would like to talk about the environment and energy as a priority for this government. I believe sustaining the quality of our air, water, and land and wildlife is important to all Northerners, and that comes with the responsibility of properly protecting, sensibly utilizing and respectfully appreciating our territory’s natural heritage.
We need to set investment criteria and energy priorities for the territory so we can reduce and eliminate subsidy for diesel-powered generation. This is a subsidy that neither our residents nor the government can afford to maintain for much longer.
We will soon see the outcomes of the recent Paris COP21 Conference, and with that we will need to be leaders in lessening our dependency on diesel-fired electricity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase generation reliability, and expand cleaner, greener sources, including wind, solar, hydro turbine, and more co-generation within industry and GNWT-owned facilities, all of which will improve the environment and the health of Northerners.
I would like to talk about seniors as a priority for this government. I believe seniors have a pivotal place in shaping our future. Seniors are engaged in their communities like never before, yet too often their voices are not heard when it comes to shaping government policy. I believe that government must tap into the wisdom, experience and know-how of our territory’s elder citizens. I am committed to supporting seniors and encouraging them to contribute to the energy and spirit of the vibrancy of our territory.
We need to ensure that the extended health care benefits remain and that appropriate reviews are made so inflationary costs for medical services are adjusted for accordingly. We need to prioritize development of quality, affordable long-term care facilities which will allow couples to stay together when they require a higher level of care. We need to work to provide seniors activity centres with stable, long-term funding and help address rising operating maintenance costs. We need to develop a senior-specific home renovation and financing program that will allow seniors to live longer in their own homes, putting less burden on the need for more independent living units and long-term care living facilities.
I would like to talk about Aboriginal partnerships and relations as a priority for this government. I believe the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people has a way to go before true reconcilement for both sides can be had. Trust and honesty are there but have to be reaffirmed through new partnerships, open communication, dedication and commitment to restoring Aboriginal pride, dignity, art and culture, language and, of course, land. We must be steadfast and work collectively toward advancement in completion of the remaining land claims and self-government agreements.
We need to support the territorial government’s position to take action on the recommendations outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation final report. We must work to advance Aboriginal employment through support of Aboriginal investment and business ownership opportunities. We need to support the federal government’s recent commitment for the inquiry on murdered and missing indigenous women. As we heard most recently from Aboriginal leaders from all the First Nations within the territory, there needs to be a high priority on the provision of adequate and suitable housing, early childhood and family support, healthy living, and diversified education programs, including on-the-land programs.
These are the priorities that residents of Yellowknife North and Northerners alike have shared with me over the past number of weeks and months. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to share these comments today, and I look forward to working with all Members of the Assembly and using the words that we have heard here today in developing our forthcoming mandate and making our already great territory even greater. Thank you, Members, and thank you, Mr. Chair.