Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to talk about one of the main obstacles we face in the NWT. In my view, it is the most important aspect of our evolving responsibilities following devolution. I'm talking about the need to finalize and implement land claims. Mr. Speaker, advancing land claims is a key priority within the mandate of the 18th Assembly. Yesterday, I questioned the Premier on the progress of ongoing land claims negotiations. I was pleased to hear his assurance that significant concrete progress on these claims will continue to be made during the life of this term.

The land claim process in the NWT is many decades old. One of the first claims successfully concluded in Canada was here in our backyard in the Beaufort Delta. That was in 1984, 33 years ago, Mr. Speaker. These many years later, some other claims have been resolved, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Mr. Speaker, we can't afford this slow pace of progress. Our youth, the next generation that will be seeking self-reliance and opportunity are asking us to bring them certainty. Mr. Speaker, without certainty about land ownership and management, there will be no investment. There will be no exploration or new discoveries. No jobs, training, or benefit agreements.

Existing mines are in their declining years. It's crucial for our economic future that we get our own house in order and attract new investment. These are investments we need for the future of our own economic well-being. To be clear, it's not all about resource development, Mr. Speaker. Certainty on land management is also essential to ensure we have comprehensive measures in place to meet our conservation and preservation goals so that we, Northerners, are leading those discussions and decisions, and not the Government of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, land claims are also about fairness and partnership. We need to make sure that through resolving claims and concrete steps towards self-governance, all our Indigenous neighbours are full, responsible, autonomous participants in the future of this great territory. It's fair, and it's the right thing to do. It necessary for our economic future, and it's about time we resolve this chapter in our history once and for all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci monsieur le President. Earlier today, we heard our Finance Minister deliver messages of austerity and fiscal restraint, and a further 65 positions are being cut by this Cabinet. Let's talk about this trip to Vancouver. It's on the mind of many of my constituents, our residents without housing or jobs, taxpayers, and more public servants about to lose their jobs. I was as flabbergasted as anyone when I woke last week to learn that our entire Cabinet had decided to go en masse to balmy British Columbia for a mining conference, literally the week before announcing further austerity and job cuts.

I had to wait for the media to fill in the details, and learn that in addition to the full Cabinet, no less than 24 other government officials were along for the ride for a total of 32 at an estimated cost of $75,000. That money could have been used to save one of the jobs you are cutting in the budget. To start index income assistance payments, or many other better uses.

This all sounds pretty harsh. It should. The utter contempt for the discipline of austerity and for the prudent stewardship of public funds makes us all look bad. This is why citizens have come to believe that politicians are self-serving, interested only in their own luxury and pomp.

The Vancouver trip also reveals a lot about our government and its efforts, or lack thereof, of economic diversification. Our over-dependence on mining is only perpetuated by having all of Cabinet participate in such an event. Can we expect all of Cabinet to attend conferences on agriculture? Renewable energy? Tourism? Other sectors of our economy that continue to grow, make us more self-sufficient and create local and sustainable jobs? Why doesn't all of Cabinet attend the anti-poverty roundtable meetings?

While mining is definitely an important part of our economy, it is clearly unsustainable and brings its own set of negative impacts. All of Cabinet going to this event is the clearest demonstration of how much influence the mining industry has on our government, our policies, laws, and spending. I will definitely have questions for the Premier. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho is the gateway to the NWT with its communities of Enterprise, Kakisa, the Hay River Reserve from Fort Providence and situated along the highway.

Mr. Speaker, these communities have been very busy over the last year. A stand-up crew of 12 led by Fire Chief Blair Porter brought the Enterprise volunteer fire department back to life. The hamlet also welcomed the wood pellet start-up, Aurora Pellets Limited, clearly enterprises on arise. Further down the road, Kakisa opened its brand new long-awaited community hall with a wonderful feast. Kakisa also received national attention during the morel mushroom harvest that Northerners have always admired their strong community spirit.

On the Hay River Reserve, the K'atlodeeche First Nations signed an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding with the GNWT. The chief and Council are ready to meet the GNWT, government to government. The community also took on initiatives on various projects including cultural camps for youth, restoration work at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, and a program that sells products in the Ehdah Cho grocery store in South Slavey.

Last but not least, the Town of Fort Providence. Tired of watching others suffer, residents took a stand against homelessness with the Community Advancement Partnership Society, or CAPS. While Deh Gah school congratulated seven new graduates. The school's principal, Ms. Lois Phillip, won a national Indspire leadership award. But even a beautiful and sunny Deh Cho, Mr. Speaker, all is not sweetness and light.

In 2014, the Deh Cho hosted a labour force of 422 people, yet only 280 of those were employed, while the percentage of those with a high school diploma or greater education had actually gone down since 2011.

When it comes to infrastructure projects, the Deh Cho riding also sees the lowest capital expenditures of spending despite needs identified in the community, such as the school in Enterprise, the delay at Hay River Reserve Arena, and a water treatment facility in Kakisa. I also raise again in the House, the continuing need for support for highway rescue services.

Mr. Speaker, constituents have also come to me with concerns about the implementation of JK and its impact on Aboriginal historic programming. My colleagues and I have heard many such concerns, and I will speak more on these matters in the days to come.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, colleagues. Facing these challenges will be hard, Mr. Speaker, but I remain optimistic. I look forward to the implementation of the Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy -- key leadership in future morel harvests. I'm also pleased to see strong Deh Cho participation in traditional activities like hunting, fishing, trapping, arts and crafts, and serving country food, while at the same time rates of violent crime and property crimes are going down.

As we dig into the 2017-18 budget, we must keep in mind the mandate that we built together. I think of government's commitment to resolving outstanding land, resource and self-government agreements, and I hope that last year's new appointments to the negotiations team will help all parties to articulate critical issues and forge a path forward. We must all forge a path forward together. In hope, Mr. Speaker, Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to do a tribute to the late Shawn Edward Godard of Ndilo. Mr. Godard was born December 19, 1982 and, sadly, passed away on October 23, 2016 at the age of 33.

Mr. Speaker, Shawn was born in Yellowknife and came from a large family in Ndilo, the Goulet family and also family in British Columbia who all loved being around him. Shawn always had a smile and a contagious laughter. He was well known for his generosity, kindness, and hard work. He worked on the ice road in the winter and was a firefighter with ENR in the summer. He was a great team leader and was well respected for that.

Mr. Speaker, Shawn is survived by his mother, Emerence Goulet; father, Dennis Godard; sisters, Monica, Lisa, Athena; nieces, Tyana, Haley, Rylee, Cayley; and nephews, Taison, Brody, Keathan; and many family and friends. Shawn also had many uncles, aunties, and cousins around Ndilo and Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, Shawn is predeceased by his grandparents, Philip and Madeline Goulet and James and Katherine Godard, uncles Frank Goulet, Reg Godard, and cousins Savanaah and Nazon Goulet.

Mr. Speaker, I knew Shawn. I met him when he was about 15 or 16 years old. Each time I would see him, he would acknowledge me with a polite nod with his head. Mr. Speaker, my sincere condolences go out to the late Shawn Godard's parents, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and all his family and friends. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. He was a wonderful young man that passed away way too soon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our condolences go out to the family, as well. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, it saddens me again to stand in this House and speak about another loss in my riding. Unfortunately, on December 20, 2016, Eugene Villeneuve passed away. Eugene was 56 years old when he passed.

I had the opportunity to meet Eugene about a month after moving to Fort Simpson in August of 1992. He was always friendly and willing to share and discuss issues of the day. I am fortunate to say he worked with my son and was always willing to give him a helping hand and advice as he grew up through his teenage years.

Eugene was the eighth of the nine children born to Theresa and Edward Villeneuve. He had six sisters and two brothers. Eugene was predeceased by his parents, five sisters, and one brother. Eugene attended school until grade 10, when he decided that he wanted to serve his country. He enlisted in the army in 1978 and served four years. After his term with the army, he moved to Edmonton. After living in Edmonton for five years, he knew he had to come back to his home, family, and friends.

During his eulogy, it was stated he was a signature of the community. No truer words have been spoken. He was part of the fabric of the community. He touched so many people's lives, whether it was offering to shovel your roof or the driveway, cut the grass, or just a friendly "hello," "good morning," or "good afternoon." I, like so many others, will sadly miss those interactions.

To do justice to Eugene, I realize the best way would be to share these words from family and friends:

"The words 'good morning' from a man that never wanted more than he had. He was comfortable with what he had. Rarely did you hear him complain. Rest in peace, dear friend. You suffered enough and lost many family members. Now celebrate Christmas with them." That was the mayor of Fort Simpson, Darlene Sibbeston.

"Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed, and I will miss cooking for you and you never complaining, just accepting with a big smile. The Lord is looking after you now," Nellie Jane Hardisty.

"Such a sad day for a community. Thank you, Eugene, for always saying 'hello,' always looking after our place when we were away, especially our old girl. Never once did we ask him for this. It was just the pure kindness of his heart. Rest in peace," Ramona Hardisty-Gillis.

"Known for his genuine smile and how he always went out of his way for others, he had the biggest heart. It won't be the same walking into the gas bar and hearing, 'What's up, cuz?' Rest peacefully, Eugene," Courtney Squirrel.

"I'm feeling sadness this morning thinking about my childhood friend, Eugene Villeneuve, and his passing. You may be gone from my sight, but you'll never be gone from my heart. Go rest high on the mountain, buddy," Frank Hope.

In closing, I'd like to say the Northern Gas Bar will not be the same. Every morning, you could find him there. He was part of the place. Getting your morning coffee, hot chocolate, or juice will not be the same without his "good morning," "hello," and friendly bantering. My condolences go out to his family and friends. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences go out to the family, as well. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, down in Vancouver, a group of currently serving police officers, retired police officers, and community volunteers have come together to share their anti-drug message with young people. This group calls themselves the Odd Squad, and their stated mission is to design programs that honour and motivate youth, encourage them to set positive goals, lay their own path, and to stay on track by keeping drug-free for a long and healthy life. Parents and educators throughout British Columbia, not to mention the youth themselves, can attest to the value of the Odd Squad's work. Through public presentations and video documentaries, thousands of young people have been given a fresh perspective on the realities of drug use in our communities.

Here in the NWT, our own policies and programs recognize the same thing that the Odd Squad does, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In fact, students in the NWT have already benefited from the Odd Squad's work. Volunteers travelled to the Sahtu region in 2014 to work with students and community members. Now, members of this organization would like to visit us again and are proposing to visit in the spring of this year.

As the fentanyl crisis begins to spread to the north, hitting our communities and residents, we are at a critical stage for prevention and anti-drug education. Work like this could add to the GNWT's current work and make all the difference for the next generation. The Odd Squad relies on donations to maintain its operation. Given the educational resources they can offer, I hope they'll be able to look to the GNWT for support for a visit to the NWT in the near future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'll have questions later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've heard more about junior kindergarten than any other issues in my 14 months as an MLA. There are people in Hay River who are philosophically opposed to junior kindergarten or believe it is not needed in Hay River, but I found that most residents are in support of JK. Only if it's fully funded, however.

Today, we heard from the Finance Minister that junior kindergarten will be funded by the end of this Assembly. While I'm glad to hear that the government has moved from its position of drastic underfunding, I'm still concerned about the adequacy of this commitment. I've seen various estimates for the cost of implementing JK, all greater than the amount committed today. It's also unclear if that amount includes all the costs associated with the renovations and equipment that will be needed to accommodate four-year-olds. For schools that expect only two or three JK students, there are minimal costs associated with implementing it. However, for Hay River there are significant capital costs, operating costs and logistical challenges. In a CBC article today, the Minister is quoted as saying that although the committed to fund JK by the end of the Assembly, school boards can apply for the money and receive it in the fall; however, I'm not convinced it'll be that simple.

School boards have to keep a small amount of money in the bank, a rainy day fund, so if there are unforeseen circumstances they can still make payroll, keep the buses running and keep the schools opened. I've been told my multiple school boards that these are the funds that ECE wants school boards to dip into to top off JK funding, and I'm concerned that ECE will deny the additional funding unless the school boards do so.

Mr. Speaker, I'm trying to get a handle on this JK situation, but it's turning into a he said, she said situation. I'll have some questions for the Minister of ECE later today and hopefully we can clear some of this up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to start by recognizing one of my constituents from the Range Lake riding, Ms. Erin Currie is in the House. There were two other ones. I don’t see them here. I'm not sure, Tracey Mueller and Tram Do, if they are here, I'd like to recognize them as well. I also want to recognize two of our Mayors, Mr. Brad Mapes from Hay River; welcome to the Legislative Assembly, and Mayor Lynn Buckley not only is the Mayor of Fort Smith, but Ms. Buckley also attended the campaign school that we just had in Hay River on Women in Politics, and I'm really proud to say that within her community she actually leads a gender balance municipal council which has equal representation of women and men on it. I am very proud to hear that and to support her in the House. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize two constituents, Lynn Napier-Buckley, who you've heard about, Mayor of Fort Smith since 2015, and also my constituent Marcel Leguerrier, a parent of one of our pages.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I know that a number of folks have left already, but I'd like to recognize those who took the time to come earlier especially on this important day of the budget address. So Yellowknife North resident Amanda Mallon who was here today on behalf of NWT Teacher's Association. I'd also like to recognize Mayor Mark Heyck that was here on behalf of the City of Yellowknife. He had with him today their future senior administrative officer, Sheila Bassi-Kellett, also a Yellowknife North resident, and Mr. John Stephenson from YK1 and also a Yellowknife North resident. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mayor Brad Mapes. He's been a great ally as I've been an MLA. I've learned a lot from him. He's also good for counsel, so I appreciate him coming out and showing his support.