Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Auditor General's audit of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs found that the department failed to adequately support community governments in their delivery of essential services, and, although the department monitored community governments' provision of some of these services, it failed to ensure that these met their basic requirements, namely the health and safety of Northerners. To put it simply Mr. Speaker, the department did not do their job.

MACA has accepted all of the recommendations and committed to updating their policies and accommodate the findings of the audit, but, Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time they have committed to improving their support for our communities. In fact, time and time again, they have made the same promises over the long history of this department, and they have, time and time again, failed to live up to these commitments. Northerners expect more than lip service this time. They want results and that this House will hold the government accountable to its citizens' expectations.

Over the years, MACA has centralized its policies, pulling away from the communities they serve. At one point local governments were asked to provide feedback on the performance of the department's regional offices, but this practice has since stopped, cutting off the department from crucial feedback to improve its operations. Since the New Deal, communities have been given more responsibilities and authority but without the necessary capacity building to successfully complete these transfers of power. The department has known about this capacity gap since 2009, so, Mr. Speaker, this concern is not something new to the department, nor is it new to the Minister.

Mr. Speaker, the New Deal should have been an initiative to empower decision-making in our communities. Instead, it appears to have allowed this government to download its responsibilities onto local government without the capacity to manage these crucial aspects of public government. It is unacceptable to me to see our small governments overburdened and set up for failure by a lack of preparation and support on behalf of the department. Only in the face of public scrutiny, Mr. Speaker, has the department accepted responsibility. I hope that this new Minister will now rise to the occasion and clearly correct these problems without delay, for, when it comes to the health and safety of our citizens, no excuses are acceptable and its time for this department to make things right. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the staff of the Status of Women Council of the NWT. They are Samantha Thomas, Lorraine Phaneuf, the executive director, and Annemieke Mulders, and I'd like to welcome them to the House today.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Mr. Todd Parsons. I'm not sure he's still here, but he was with us earlier. He's the president of the Union of Northern Workers and one of the co-sponsors of the United Way program here, in Yellowknife. I want to thank him for all the work that he does on behalf of our employees. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a Yellowknife North resident, as well the chair of the United Way for the Northwest Territories, Tracy St. Denis. I also too want to take this opportunity to recognize Lorraine, Annemieke and Samantha who are all with the Status of Women, for being here in the House today. Thank you and welcome.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my wife, Lori Schumann, and I too would also like to recognize Tracy St. Denis for all the work with the United Way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Lorraine Phaneuf, Samantha Doucet and Annemieke Mulders who have done so much great work promoting women's equity in the Northwest Territories and good friends of mine. So thanks for being here today.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be remiss if I didn't also recognize Lorraine, Annemieke and Sammie as the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. I'm really grateful that you're here. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize the pages from Ecole Boreale that are here with us also all week, Victoria Tweedie-Pitre and Reegan Jungkind. I want to thank them for their excellent work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Did we miss anyone in the gallery? Welcome to the Chamber. It's always great to have an audience as part of the proceedings. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to rise in the House to inform you that Mr. Frederick (Sonny) Williams McLeod, 82 years old, entered into peace on Thursday, September 15, 2016. Mr. McLeod's final days were spent surrounded by family and friends. Fred had an effect on each of us in some way throughout his memorable life. It is comforting to know both Fred and Violet have given themselves to the Lord. He now joins his wife, Violet, in paradise. Mr. and Mrs. McLeod are survived by their five children and their spouses, ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews and extended family. He will be sadly missed. My condolences go out to his family. Thank you.

Masi. Our prayers out to the family as well. Masi. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my question is for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Earlier on I spoke about active fish species, and my first question to the Minister, Mr. Speaker, is how is the department involved in monitoring changes to species range and habitat? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Environmental and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, they do have the lead role in managing Canada's fisheries including those in the NWT. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, we're responsible for managing sport fishing regulations and issuing licenses to NWT residents and visitors. We also provide funding through the Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program to conduct studies on salmon, among a number of other things. In the case of salmon, this is a partnership approach with the University of Manitoba and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to determine how the movement of salmon into new habitat will affect species like char and act as indicators to climate change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my second question to the Minister is can the Minister explain how invasive species are different from species like Chum salmon that are becoming more widespread in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the change in climate is causing a movement and introduction of new species in the NWT every year. The impacts of these new species are complex and will take some time to determine how they affect our ecosystem. Invasive alien species are generally species that are introduced by people and the movement of salmon to different parts of the Northwest Territories is naturally occurring, not by people, and the salmon are therefore called invasive alien species. They are considered pioneering species.