Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago two high school students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, bought 50 pink T-shirts in support of a boy in their class, or at the school, who was bullied, and today we celebrate that as Pink Shirt Day. Those values, Mr. Speaker, today seem more relevant than ever. I honestly thought bullying was a thing of the past, left in the schoolyard, becoming a relic of childhood, and because adults, as we all know, should know better, be better, and act as role models for their communities, and especially for their kids. Mr. Speaker, this year I have been absolutely disgusted by the actions of some of those who occupy positions of power, or aspire to occupied positions of power, both in the world and in our own country.

Mr. Speaker, the last time I spoke in this House, the climate of fear, discrimination, and hate has been like we have not seen in decades. Bullying has always been a part of the human condition, but recently some have chosen to not hide this fact, and have celebrated it openly, fanning the fires of fear in order to seek power for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, these leaders are cowards. They are bullies, and their behavior is unacceptable. This kind of behaviour has no place in the schoolyard or in the outside world, Mr. Speaker. Canadians and Northerners demand better from those who choose to lead, and I am proud to say that we in this House conduct ourselves with respect and decorum due to the honour bestowed upon us by our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, today, on February 22nd, we are encouraged to practice kindness, to demonstrate that we will not stand by and let others disparage the most vulnerable in our society. My thoughts fall with the LGBTQ community, Muslims, women, and all those who feel unsure or unsafe in the current climate of political discussion in this world. I say to all of them, this is not the norm, and most of us are decent, positive, and highly uncomfortable with these types of bullying and will always rise to speak against it.

Mr. Speaker, this atmosphere of intimidation must end. Let us declare today here and now that Northern leaders will be the type of role models that the whole world deserves. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a constituent and relative from Nunakput, Mr. Patrick Joss, and also a relative of mine who had been around here for a few days, Ms. Anne Peters from Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to take this opportunity to welcome and recognize a good friend in the gallery, and a good friend of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Patrick Joss. I know he is a big fan of the Legislative Assembly, and I am really glad that he could be joining here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Have we missed anyone in the gallery? Welcome to our proceedings. It is always great to have an audience. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the IRC-GNWT partnership on housing in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. My questions are for the Minister of Housing. Mr. Speaker, my first question for an update: can the Minister speak to the Housing Corporation's plans to work with Inuvialuit Regional Corporations on seniors' units? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I will be going up to Inuvik this Friday to sign an MOU, so it is a memorandum of agreement, with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Excuse my pronunciation. So we have been working with them for quite a while to actually decide what they were going to do, how we were going to work this, so we are looking at developing, within this fiscal year, a four-plex in Tuktoyaktuk and a six-plex in Inuvik. Both of them can be used for seniors' accommodations if that is the requirement, if that is the desire of the IRC, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister has answered a couple of questions. Mr. Speaker, my final question: is the Housing Corporation partnering or otherwise assisting the IRC in housing projects going ahead, specifically for 2017-18?

As the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, I have made it a priority to try to work with Aboriginal governments and municipal governments to try to address their housing needs, so it was really an honour, actually, to be invited to sit in on a partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.

So during the next fiscal year they will be accessing $10 million from the federal government towards their housing needs. We are working with them in partnership. We will be looking at defining what the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation would like to see as their needs, also taking into account the results of the survey that are going to be finishing here at the end of this month and presenting that to them and developing a game plan on how we will be moving forward.

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation does have funding for shelters. However, they are looking to partner with us to access our land, so that is the partnership agreement that we are putting in. We are putting in the land. They are using their finances, which will bring economic development for their region, which is really important and will provide housing for people. So, yes, I am looking forward to a long-term partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talked about the Taltson River dam on the Taltson River. When the dam was built in the early 1960s, or maybe mid-1960s, there were no public studies, consultations, or attempts to build relations with the people of Taltson River. Would the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation please describe the planning and consultation that would have to take place if the dam was proposed today? Thank you.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, the Northern Canada Power Corporation did in fact build the dam on the Taltson River at Twin Gorges. The dam was completed in 1965. I am sure that what the Member opposite has stated was likely the case in that there was little or no consultation with local residents. Of course, any expansion of the dam would involve an environmental assessment that would be very comprehensive and take a considerable amount of time. So times have changed and the requirements for these types of projects clearly have changed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It appears that the Power Corporation is not taking responsibility for flooding the Taltson dam, and I know that there is some question on, I guess, the hydrology around that. It would appear that is what the issue is, from the Aboriginal people. I would like to know how the Power Corporation will communicate any future issue where, this time around, it appears as though the water levels were unusually high and, for some reason or other, it got higher in the middle of winter. How would the Power Corporation consult with the people using the Taltson River at this time in the future?

The dam at Twin Gorges on the Taltson is a run-of-the-river dam, so the water either flows around the dam or through it, so it would have little impact on the river downstream. If there was something exceptional, of course, the Power Corporation should and I think would advise those who use the river.

I was wondering if the Minister could advise the House when the current water licence for the Taltson River dam will be expiring?

I don't have that information before me, but I could look into it and supply the information to the Member opposite.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if there was a possibility that some independent expert could look at what the issue is currently and, if it is proven that had the dam not been there this unnatural phenomena of the ice breaking up in the middle of winter would occur, and would the Power Corporation consider compensation? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I know that any complaints of the type mentioned by the Member opposite are treated seriously by the Power Corporation, are carefully considered, and promptly responded to. I think the Power Corporation, within its own staff, would have the ability to look into and respond to the questions of the type brought forward by the Member opposite. I don't think we'd be prepared to hire an independent scientist to look into this matter in view of the likely expense, which would have to be passed on to the ratepayers.