Masi, Mr. Clerk. [Translation] Mr. Clerk, before we start, I'd like to mention the four missing on Great Slave Lake, and I think we should give them one minute of silence and do a prayer for them. [End of translation] Colleagues, I'd just like for us to take a moment of silence for the missing four fishermen and their families on the Great Slave Lake. Masi, Mr. Clerk. Our thoughts and prayers to the families in Hay River.

Mr. Clerk, [Translation] first of all, I'd like to congratulate all the elected MLAs for the region. We have a big job ahead of us. Today, when we look at the situation, everything is okay. Not only that, but when we look and reflect on our community, we have to represent our people. For myself, I represent the Monfwi region. They have given me a job for another four years. I am really thankful to my region. I think they have faith in me to continue, so I'm here again.

When we represent our people, we have to do our best. We have to always take advice from our people and put forward their concerns. That is the reason why we are here. We have to always remember who we represent. Also, we are here for the next four years. We are here on the 19^th Assembly, and we have a lot of issues ahead of us. Let's all work well together and support each other. We said that yesterday, and today we will be like a rock to push our issues forward.

When we look at the government, we are looking at three things. We always want to do the best for them. That is the reason why we are here. When we look at the government and MLAs, I want those two to work well together. We need to be cautious about issues and make sure that nothing goes wrong with our discussions. We also have to consider working with other organizations. We represent the Northwest Territories, 33 communities. We will have a lot of issues to discuss.

Yesterday, we had a meeting. We will also have another meeting next week with the Dene leaders. They will also give us advice on the issues that they want us to consider. Let's all work together on those issues, as well. The 19 MLAs who are here, let's put our packsack in front with all the issues on the table. They are our people's issues, and we need to try to help them with those.

I would also like to congratulate every one of you again. There are a few things I would like to talk about regarding housing, education, and also early childhood issues, our languages, our culture. I will also comment on that. Also, in the smaller, isolated communities, everything is so expensive. I want to talk about that and also talk about how we can improve our economy in the Northwest Territories. I will comment on that. I have said this much in my language, and now I will switch to English. I would like to thank you. Masi. [Translation ends]

Colleagues, I would just like to begin by congratulating all of you here today in our Chamber. I would just like to say masi to my Monfwi constituents, as well, the Monfwi constituents who have allowed me for another four years to serve them in this House as their representative. I also want to thank Mr. R.C. McLeod, who was here earlier, on passing on the torch of being the Dean of this House to me, and I just want to say masi for all the services over the years.

Colleagues, it is my goal for the next four years that we need to look at the 19^th Assembly as a government that takes pride in itself in collaboration and also cooperation, a government that works together for the good of all of the people of the Northwest Territories. This government will be a government in which Cabinet and Regular Members have found a way to work closely together and effectively in a manner that satisfies both groups, both parties, and produces programs and services that truly help improve the quality of life for all Northerners.

The next four years present an opportunity to build on good work done by many people before us here today. We will work together to tackle issues that we know our residents face, such as high cost of living, health and wellness issues, education, employment challenges in small communities, homelessness, food security, and continuing efforts needed to support many, many northern families living with the effects of the history and legacy of the residential schools and the result of Indigenous language lost, and cultural practices and ceremonies.

Goal number one: in four years, the NWT Housing Corporation policy is amended to provide viable solutions to homelessness issues throughout the Northwest Territories. How are we going to do that? Continue to increase available, safe, affordable housing. To do this, we will have to re-evaluate our current policy and system so that it aligns with our community needs and meets our people's, as well; a made-in-the-North solution; innovation and also technology; and creating partnerships with local governments to empower them to build units for their communities and to further explore tiny homes initiatives and building capacity in communities to build them on their own.

Another goal that I would like to focus on is on the NWT polytechnic university or, as we call it, University of the North. My view is that it's been established it will provide Northerners as well as Canadians and international students a means to study diploma degrees and masters programs in a wide variety of trades; develop a post-secondary education act; establish increased post-secondary programming; encourage collaboration between the three NWT campuses to offer the best possible programs that meet the needs of our students; provide research opportunities for Canadians and international academics looking to climate change research and other Arctic-specific issues and challenges that impact studies in the Northwest Territories' climate change.

My vision is that, in 10 years, the majority of NWT students are choosing to attend our University of the North, rather than to go south, because the programs are the highest quality and provide students with the skills and knowledge and the certification required to be ready for a work force.

Another area is to improve JK through grade 12 education in the Northwest Territories; infrastructure for community schools; continued accountability for all schools; continuing to strengthen high-quality early education and JK through 12 education; continue to expand e-learning opportunities for small communities so that all high school students have some opportunity to take advantage of the advanced academic courses, regardless of their location; evaluate the Early Childhood Development Action Plan; a junior kindergarten instruction hours review; improve school formula funding; re-evaluate the NWT Education Act to reflect on the current educational needs and our priorities; programs and services in all NWT communities; quality and affordability of early childhood programs in all communities, including the 10 smallest communities that are currently unable to offer programming to children zero to three years of age.

Another goal to focus on is to increase efforts and the areas of language and culture preservation, advocate for and support language revitalization efforts, build capacity in communities to develop a pool of language teachers and knowledge-keepers, encourage Indigenous language immersion programs in the K to 12 education system so that 10 years from now we have students who are fluent in their language and are proud to use it; continue to support innovative initiatives honouring the Indigenous culture and ways of doing things, both within the government and at the grass-roots level.

I will just give you some examples: initiatives undertaken by the Department of Health and Social Services Indigenous health and community wellness division; Dene Nahjo's on-the-land and leadership initiatives; support on-the-land treatment program and justice program, including urban on-the-land wellness camp; programs that encourage traditional skills such as harvesting and trapping and encourage stewardship of the land and animals. These initiatives not only honour Indigenous languages, traditions, and beliefs but also work to preserve them.

Another goal is to develop a plan to deal with the high cost of living here in the Northwest Territories: food security by means of providing new incentives and supports to get more people back on the land, harvesting wildlife such as caribou, moose, musk ox, bison, et cetera. We need to put more emphasis on agriculture and helping Northerners get the training and skills and equipment to start growing their own food in their community greenhouses and within the schools so that students learn from a young age about agriculture; invest additional funding in expanding the community harvesting funding focused on communities hiring a group of talented and trusted harvesters to go hunting for the community, in particular to go harvest wild meat and fish for the elderly and for the single mothers and for those who are sick and also disabled.

Another goal is to develop an energy plan: establish a plan to reduce the use of diesel generators in communities to cut the cost of living and look at more viable and green solutions such as hydro, solar, and wind power; commit to converting up to 50 percent of the GNWT infrastructures, buildings, schools, health centres, and warehouses, et cetera, to be more energy efficient, using wood pellets rather than using diesel to heat within the next 10 years.

Another goal that we need to seriously look at will be to improve economic viability of the Northwest Territories: settle all outstanding land claims and self-governments as it is in the best interest of the people of the NWT that we support our Indigenous governments in their right to self-governance and autonomy; work with Indigenous governments and the federal government to find a mutually agreeable solution to finalize.

Elected officials need to meet with the Indigenous leadership to identify what are the real challenges and to come up with solutions to support them, as this is the key to economic diversity and growth; investigate opportunities to increase tourism across the NWT with a focus on ecotourism so that all communities can benefit from the economic opportunities that tourism brings; continue supporting up-and-coming mining opportunities by reducing bureaucratic red tape and barriers to mining development opportunities. We need to be open for business for any business, for exploration and also future mining opportunities, but this has to be on our terms, northern terms, and we have a say; develop a plan to encourage mining and exploration in the Northwest Territories that satisfies both our need for economic development and environmental stewardship.

What steps should the GNWT take to achieve this vision? We need to be practical in our vision and not to create a priority plan that is overambitious. Our plan needs to be achievable. The 18^th Legislative Assembly was overambitious. In the end, too many items were not achieved and are still in transition. Most small jurisdictions, provincial or territorial governments, set only 10 to 15 priorities. Our goal is to meet the needs of our people of the Northwest Territories. We cannot meet these needs if we overstretch ourselves. I am looking forward to working with all of my colleagues in this House. Masi.