Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in October 2014, I tabled in this House, Building Stronger Families: An Action Plan to Transform Child and Family Services. I am pleased to provide an update on our accomplishments on this action plan.

The goal of Building Stronger Families is to improve the quality of child and family services offered by our government, with a view to achieving better outcomes for children and families when they receive services under the Child and Family Services Act.

On April 1, 2016, new amendments to the Child and Family Services Act came into effect. Those legislative changes included a new definition of "youth" and allowed for youth protection hearings and transition plans. In addition, we are now able to extend services for any young adult in permanent care and custody by entering into an agreement for services until the age of 23, to support independent living.

Mr. Speaker, we have also evolved our delivery of mandatory training for child protection workers over the years in response to changes in legislation, leading practices, and recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. One important change in the training was the inclusion of an Indigenous traditional knowledge holder and survivor of residential school to educate child protection workers on the impacts of the residential school system in the NWT and to provide broad cultural oversight for the duration of the training. Our training for child protection workers also includes trauma-informed practice, focusing on strengths, permanency planning, and the importance of nurturing relationships, cultural identity, and connection with community.

The Child and Family Services Standards and Procedures Manual

has also been completely revised to improve and enhance the child and family services system, and to reflect the changes to the Child and Family Services Act. The manual clearly states that child protection workers are to make every effort to work with the family to safely return the child to their care and reunify the family.

To support case management in child-protection and prevention services, we also began implementing structured decision-making tools. With the efforts of our front-line and departmental staff, these tools were adapted to be responsive to the cultural context of the Northwest Territories. These tools help to support the complex clinical decisions child protection workers make every day including:

• How urgently do I need to respond to this report of concern?

• What are these child’s immediate safety needs, and do I need to apprehend this child to protect them?

• What is the nature and magnitude of a child’s risk of abuse or neglect, and what types of services does this family need?

• How will this family’s strengths play a part in their care plan and help to alleviate any safety risks and reduce risks of future harm?

Mr. Speaker, we have also recently launched a new information system for child and family services. The new matrix system went live in October 2017, replacing the old child and family information system that had been in use since 2001 – and pretty much everybody hated. This new information system will allow for increased support for complex work done by child and family services staff at all levels, improved data collection, and quality assurance.

One of the action items from Building Stronger Families was to create an annual report of the director of Child and Family Services. I am pleased to share that. Later today, I will be tabling the Director's 2016-2017 Annual Report, which will also include the years 2007-2008 up to and including 2016-2017.

While positive trends have emerged from the director's report, we are still in the early days of transforming our child and family services system, and we recognize that we still have significant work ahead of us to better meet the needs of children and their families.

Through changes in legislation, training, standards, support tools, and our information system, our government has been strengthening our foundation for the delivery of child and family services in the Northwest Territories. We know that there is more work to be done, but we are looking forward to continuing to advance our mandate commitments in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Government of the Northwest Territories has been selected as one of Canada's Top Employers in two categories for 2018, Canada's Top Employer of Young People and Canada's Best Diversity Employer.

Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth time the GNWT has been selected as one of Canada's Top Employers of Young People. This prestigious designation recognizes employers that offer the nation's best workplaces and programs for young people who are starting their careers. It reaffirms that the GNWT remains one of Canada's leaders in attracting and retaining younger employees within our organization.

The Department of Finance continues to manage numerous programs and initiatives aimed at creating employment opportunities for northern students and helping to provide diverse work experiences for young people. These include the Summer Student Employment Program, which provided valuable work experience to 349 students last summer. This is more students then we have hired in any year over the past five years.

The internship program was recently revised and will now provide support for approximately 70 northern graduates to gain the work experience within the GNWT that will support them moving into permanent placements with our public service.

The Department of Finance also continues to work in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment and other departments to communicate programs and initiatives to northern students to help them set and achieve their career goals. Mr. Speaker, our programs help these young people, but they also help our government. The young people are the future of our public service, and the GNWT is committed to attracting our northern youth to the public service and to providing opportunities for growth and development throughout their careers.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has also been selected as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers for the sixth time. This recognition places the GNWT among an exclusive group of Canadian employers who have demonstrated a commitment to creating and maintaining inclusive workplaces.

The GNWT has undertaken a number of initiatives to foster a diverse and an inclusive workforce. These include f ormalizing, within the 2018-2019 Main Estimates, our diversity and inclusion unit within the Department of Finance to support our programs and services related to diversity and inclusion.

The GNWT's Advisory Committee on Employability, which provides advice on ways to promote, support, and increase the representation of persons with disabilities in the GNWT workforce, reduce stigma, and foster a spirit of inclusion.

The Indigenous Employees Advisory Committee, which provides advice on ways to help increase workforce representation of Indigenous peoples at all levels in the public service and to create a working environment that supports and promotes Aboriginal employees in the GNWT.

Finally, a range of programs and services related to diversity and inclusion, which includes the Regional Recruitment Program, the new program to add training positions, enhanced training, and awareness campaigns related to diversity and inclusion, and, of course, our Affirmative Action Policy.

Mr. Speaker, while these awards highlight the achievements of the GNWT in these areas, we recognize that there is still more work to do. These awards may be confirmation that government-wide we are taking the right steps to make progress, but we will not stop here. This government will continue to ensure sustained efforts on these fronts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are continually reviewing and updating our income security programs to make sure that they respond to the needs and realities of Northwest Territories residents. All program changes are made based on research and analysis to ensure that these programs are well-managed and help residents across the North.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment increased the Northwest Territories Child Benefit in July 2017, and we raised the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit in September 2017. Mr. Speaker, we will soon implement additional improvements that will benefit seniors, income assistance clients, and students.

Starting April 1, 2018, the department will implement enhancements to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy. This subsidy provides financial assistance to low- to modest- income residents aged 60 and older to help meet the costs of heating their homes. With the planned enhancements, more seniors will be eligible for more support to assist with their home heating costs. We are increasing income thresholds, adjusting eligible income limits and subsidy amounts, and moving to a monetary based subsidy. Additionally, we are extending the program to include seniors who rent their homes.

By increasing the income thresholds, extending the program to renters, and ensuring all eligible seniors receive the full subsidy, we believe that more than 300 seniors will be positively impacted.

Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard to make sure that all of our programs are fairly applied to put more money in the hands of those who need it most. Currently, under the Income Assistance program, single clients are eligible to receive up to $900 per month for rental assistance, while clients with dependants are eligible to receive assistance at market rent.

Starting April 1st, we will be extending market rent eligibility to all income assistance clients. Finally, Mr. Speaker, our Student Financial Assistance program is one of the best in Canada. It provides students with financial assistance to pursue postsecondary education, leading to improved career options.

Starting in the fall semester, students with dependents will receive an additional return trip each academic year from their home community to the nearest approved education institution that offers their program. We are also changing the Student Financial Assistance application deadlines so that we can process applications sooner. Students will receive an earlier response to their applications, allowing them to plan their academic year. The deadlines for applications will change from July 15th to June 30th and from November 15th to October 31st, effective this year.

We will promote these changes to make sure students are well-informed. Student case officers will also be available to assist in this transition.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is making these changes to income security benefits in accordance with principles of responsible governance, public accountability, and fiscal responsibility, but our main objective, as always, is to do everything we can to support our students, seniors, and our most vulnerable residents. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 2018 South Slave Arctic Winter Games fast approaches. It will be the 25th Arctic Winter Games for the Circumpolar World.

These games will inspire all participants to find their power through a unique and exceptional sporting and cultural experience that Northerners of all stripes will benefit from.

Not only does this provide the opportunity for our young athletes to shine, but it will show off the beauty and unique culture of the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories, the region of our territory that does not get put into the spotlight nearly enough. Every region and constituency of our vast territory will be offering up athletes and coaches to participate in these games, and Kam Lake is no different.

I am proud to say that we have 33 young athletes and coaches coming from Kam Lake to compete this year, such as Joseph Curran, who will be demonstrating his skill in cross-country skiing; or Logan Debogorski, who will be helping Team NWT win in ice hockey; Denae Lafferty, whose athletic ability will be front and centre in volleyball; while Tegan Konge dominates the slopes in snowboarding; and Aaron Wells will be leading our basketball team to victory as its coach.

There must be something in the water other than arsenic because the amount of athletic prowess coming from my riding and from this great city is phenomenal. I would like to congratulate all athletes participating this year, not only from Kam Lake and Team NWT, but from all nations of the circumpolar world. We are showing the rest of Canada and the international community that we have more to offer than just snow. We have some of the most formidable competitors and true athletes in the entire world. Thank you so much for all you do to inspire us.

I would like to give thanks to those who are giving time to volunteer in the South Slave Games. These events are only a success because of the sacrifice and hard work you put into these events. Finally, I would like to commend this government for its continued to support to both our athletes and these games. This continued strategic investment in events like this will help us reap benefits for generations to come, and demonstrates a commitment to our culture, regions, and athletes. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Go Team NWT.

Masi. Members' statements, Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, climate change is the most significant global challenge we face today. Climate change is fundamentally affecting weather patterns across the globe. We are seeing massive floods, fires, hurricanes, and droughts that have become the new normal. In the North, we see reducing Arctic ice, permafrost damage, significant erosion, low water, species migration, and our worst fire seasons in years. These increasing impacts call upon everyone to do whatever we can to reduce our carbon emissions.

Mr. Speaker, we have fewer options than our southern neighbours when it comes to reliable energy. We have a harsh climate and months of darkness. We need fossil fuels for power generation, for shipping of goods and for extracting resources.

We also have a record of innovation. Our hydro systems provide renewable energy. Diavik's wind farm has reduced fuel use up to nearly 15 per cent. Colville Lake solar panel project allows their generators to run 25 per cent less. Yes, we have to build on these successes, but reducing emissions is a collaborative effort. Our economy relies on carbon intensive resource extraction. The challenge is to grow the economy, and simultaneously meet our reduction targets. Some suggest we can't have both. I believe we can.

Mr. Speaker, the extractive industry invests millions in research every year. For example, the Canadian Mining Innovation Council put forward a strategy entitled: Towards Zero Mining Waste. It calls for water use, energy use, and environmental footprints to be cut in half by 2027. A healthy mining sector doesn't have to be an environmental liability. Innovation and technology will help both industry and government meet reduction goals. How can we measure success in emission reduction strategies? One measure is through the international organization for standardization. It develops international standards such as ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 9001 for quality management. On energy management and efficiency, the standard is ISO 50001. Currently, there is one mining company in Canada that is ISO 50001 certified, and others working towards certification. We should consider adopting these high standards in our forthcoming energy strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe in settling for one or the other. I believe that with smart approaches and a push for innovation, we can support the economy, improve our energy efficiency, and meet our targets for reducing emissions. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statement, Member for Sahtu.

Destination Deline, the Deline Gotine Government Tourism Initiative. Mr. Speaker, 2018 is the year of Canada and China tourism relations. The Government of the Northwest Territories "Tourism 2020" is a strategic approach to increasing our readiness to this thriving industry.

Mr. Speaker, 100 million Chinese residents visit international destinations every year.

Mr. Speaker, Destination Deline is the true NWT tourism experience, designed to expand the pristine attractions of the NWT horizons from the community of Deline on the shores of Canada's last fresh water world-renowned trophy fish lake, Great Bear Lake.

This initiative will offer China travellers with lifetime and breathtaking experiences from a small remote community perspective to the unique, traditional and cultural activities where North Slavey language is preferred over English.

Mr. Speaker, Destination Deline, getting ready for the Asian invasion, the Deline Gotine government has invested significant capital to this initiative by constructing additional cabins to the community- owned hotel. Mr. Speaker, this is a shared benefit initiative. The program will enhance small community ventures, arts and craft producers, while sharing traffic through the NWT capital.

Mr. Speaker, I am privileged by invitation on accompanying the Deline Gotine government trip to China, and I will be absent from the House for the remaining term. This is a truly a Deline community opportunity on economic diversification. Later, I will have questions to the Minister of ITI. Mahsi cho.

Masi. Members' statement. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, British Columbia's proposed $8 billion Site C hydroelectric dam will flood more than 80 committees of the Peace River Valley. First Nations whose land were directly affected will pay the highest price for the so-called "clean energy project." The environmental impact assessment said flooding land for a reservoir would "severely undermine the use of the land, make fishing unsafe for at least a generation, and would submerge burial grounds and other critical cultural and historical sites."

The dam will have significant downstream effect, including on the Slave River in the NWT. It will alternate between depriving downstream communities of water and flooding these communities to manage the dam's water level. Under section 35 of the Constitution Act, governments must undertake meaningful consultation with First Nations when their Indigenous rights might be deprived. In 2016, Amnesty International issued a report which I will table later this week, saying that Site C violated the human rights of the Indigenous people. Assembly of First Nations National Chief, Perry Bellegarde has said that Canada's approach to the project is not in keeping with the constitution, or the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples and that BC's decision to move forward is "completely contrary to the reconciliation."

During environmental assessments, Canada and BC consulted with the NWT Metis Nation. They determined the Metis claim to Aboriginal rights regarding the dam is weak and that potential impact would be minimal. They also consulted with NWT Treaty 8 First Nations, including Salt River First Nation, Smith Landing's First Nation, and Deninu Kue First Nation. In its representation to the panel, the DKFN outlined the significant changes in the drying up of the Great Slave River watershed and subsequent impacts. Despite this, it was determined that the impact would be low because the dam's footprint was not expected to overlap the Treaty 8 traditional use areas.

Mr. Speaker, these findings completely ignore the downstream impacts of the dam in communities in my riding. People in Fort Simpson can remember losing wharf installations, fishing boats, and fuel cans when the floodgates opened on the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon dams, which are upstream from Site C.

I know an Indigenous research named Jack Yeadon, who has monitored Site C. He said, "Who gave BC the right to play God, damming up our rivers without our prior knowledge or consent?" I could not agree more. I will have questions for the Premier about the NWT's position on this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. An important paper was published last week on caribou, focusing on the Bathurst caribou herd. I tabled this peer-reviewed paper in the House on March 1st. The author say the following:

"As caribou populations have declined in recent years, the governance response has almost exclusively focused on curbing Indigenous subsistence harvesting. We offer the case of the Bathurst caribou herd, where key areas of the summer and fall range have been taken up for mining exploration and development in the last two decades. The tragedy, both ecological and socio-economic, mirrors historic periods of wildlife management in northern Canada during which time caribou management was explicitly about advancing private interests in northern lands and resources at the expense of Indigenous cultures and livelihoods.

"There are other threats for the Bathurst caribou herd on the horizon as new mining projects are proposed, including an all-weather road and deep-water port project that would significantly adversely affect caribou habitat, including areas considered sensitive calving grounds. Even for skeptics and cautious scientists who consider the evidence about the impacts of mining on caribou habitat and population dynamics as incomplete, taking a precautionary approach to limit development, particularly in the Bathurst range, would seem a prudent course of action."

That's the end of the quote, Mr. Speaker. What has been the response of our government to the crisis with the Bathurst caribou herd? A herd range-planning exercise has been going on, led by Environment Natural Resources for the last four years. The draft plan is now for public consultation, which closes on March 31, 2018.

The draft plan presents a conceptual way forward for managing humans in relation to the caribou herd. However, the implementation section is particularly weak, with no concrete set of actions or commitments by governments on either side of the NWT-Nunavut boundary. No costs are predicted.

There is also an ominous disclaimer that says, "The document does not represent the results of community consultation or government policy direction." The draft also states, "The range plan is advisory, and all recommendations are non-binding."

Our government needs to decide whether it wants to commit to protecting the Bathurst caribou herd with other governments or if it wants to build an all-weather road through the heart of its range. It's a simple choice, Mr. Speaker: caribou or roads. I'll have questions for the Minister of Environmental and Natural Resources later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We live in a strange world. There are many aspects of our lives that are simply not fair, but I'd like to think our government is ending any unfairness it is responsible for. This is especially important where our elders are being treated unfairly, as they are when they have to pay to lease for our government's Commissioner's lands.

Dene people used to live on the land in small villages along the Deh Cho or inland lakes where the hunting and fishing was good. When residential schools were built, the federal government and RCMP forced children to go to school in the communities. Houses were built by the federal government so that families could be closer to their children when they were at the mission school.

Today, some elders are living on the same land they had been living on since the 1960s. Of course, these elders are living on the fixed income from the old-age pension. They have to live very frugally or they won't have enough money for their basics of life. They are grateful when their families and friends' families bring them food from the land. These elders' homes are on Dene land that has somehow become Commissioner's lands, and the elders are required to pay to lease it. I know some elders who owe as much as $5,000. It is pitiful that our government hounds our elders to pay to occupy their own lands, Mr. Speaker, just pitiful.

No, it is worse than pitiful. It is unfair and oppressive and a bad hangover from deeply colonialist policies. Some of these elders helped document traditional trails and land use to advance the Deh Cho process. The children of some of those elders have laboured for decades to advance that process.

In discussing the current budget, the Minister of Lands has congratulated himself for lowering the costs of leasing Commissioner's lands. I suppose it is a humble improvement, but I'm saying for the record today that our elders should not have to pay to lease land they have always lived on or land under the cabins they may live in from time to time. I hope the Minister will do something about it and bring a little fairness to our land. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a new radio station started broadcasting to the world this week from the heart of Yellowknife Centre when Cabin Radio signed on yesterday with its first program. I was delighted to be in their studio for this historic occasion.

Cabin Radio exists as an online station, livestreaming on the Internet through the labours of six people. Programming and news leader Ollie Williams is joined by program host, Jesse Wheeler, from 7:00 to 9:00 and Shannon Moore, who is hosting the afternoon show from noon to 4:00. Ollie has the 9:00 to noon spot, and the evening drive show is soon to follow. Kevin Macdonald hosts the Saturday morning show, and there is local news twice on hour. As well, the news content is posted to the Cabin Radio website.

The station has given itself a strong mandate for the promotion of northern music and the arts. NWT composer Carmen Braden created the station's musical sound, and a three-minute composition of hers was the first musical airing at station sign-on. Mr. Speaker, Cabin Radio content and expertise isn't just contained to the live signal. Cabin Radio is also a training resource for youth and community radio stations. A workshop at the Lidlii Kue First Nation in Fort Simpson taught young broadcasters the skills that radio production and training is being made available to broadcasters at community radio stations around the NWT. Cabin Radio will also share its content and features with community stations, establishing a kind of syndicated service in the NWT. There is a lot more from Cabin Radio in store. Producers are inviting new programming and show ideas. Evenings and weekends are reserved for shows created by community members with a passion they'd like to share. An FM broadcast licence may be in the future, and there's a phone app in development as well.

Take a listen. You'll find them at www.cabinradio.ca. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the cost of obesity to our people and to our healthcare system. According to Statistics Canada, the Northwest Territories has the highest obesity levels in the country, at 35.3 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, two of the four pillars of health are to eat healthy food and exercise. In small communities, it is costly to eat fresh vegetables and fruits on a regular basis. However, it is still possible to get healthy traditional food, like caribou, moose, fish, and small game, like wild chickens, ducks, and rabbits. In addition, many of the elders will pick berries in season and make them last an entire year.

Mr. Speaker, one physical activity has become very popular, especially in small communities, is hand games. Hand games have grown in popularity right across the Northwest Territories and have proven to be very good for the physicality of participants. This is demonstrated by the fact that hand games and other Dene games, such as finger pull, snow snake, stick pull, and pole push are all recognized competitive sports in the Arctic Winter Games. Further, I also know that the GNWT shares this view of the importance of hand games because of its inclusion in the Aboriginal Sports Circle Program.

Moreover, Mr. Speaker, hand games have proven to be an excellent medium for youth to communicate and make positive social connections with their peers. Mr. Speaker, youth that are involved in sports and recreation like hand games and other Dene games are much more likely to stay out of trouble and away from dangerous activities that involve drugs, alcohol, or crime. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, there are many positive aspects to hand games.

Mr. Speaker, hand game participants get to interact with their counterparts from other communities, participate in physical activity, and stay away from drug and alcohol. Mr. Speaker, whenever you have a situation where youth are in a non-alcoholic, non-drug environment, you can only have positive things come from it.

Mr. Speaker, we all know the government and the social costs when youth do not exercise and become obese and when the youth overconsume alcohol and drugs and end up in the justice system.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was once told by a community leader that they do everything they can as a community to help their youth do well. As a result of their efforts, no youth from that community has appeared in court in over three years. It is no wonder that in recent years the number of youth in North Slave Young Offenders facility has dropped to record low-inmate populations. I urge this government to continue to help people in the Northwest Territories value our Dene games, more particularly the hand games. One day, I hope to see hand games have equal value as other prominent sports like hockey, basketball, and soccer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, across Canada, governments are grappling with the impacts of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders on this country's Canadian rangers, search and rescue technicians, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and other first responders. Last summer, a national survey revealed that first responders were 10 per cent more likely to face these kinds of illnesses than the general population. Whether women or men, rookies or lifelong veterans, serving your community as a first responder comes with an added workplace risk.

These risks don't disappear when they are off the clock. The same survey that I just mentioned showed that the symptoms of what they call "operational stress injuries" increase over time, with more time at work and more traumatic experiences. Although family bonds can help first responders deal with the mental and emotional demands of their work, traumatic experience can also strain those bonds, sometimes to the breaking point.

Mr. Speaker, other jurisdictions have found new ways to confront the reality of first responders' work. Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario recognize PTSD as a "presumptive condition" in their workers' compensation legislation. That means that those governments recognize that PTSD arises out of a worker's employment conditions, if the condition develops during their employment. This opens a door to quicker recognition and improved access to appropriate treatment and resources, from debriefing and stress counselling to clinical treatment.

Mr. Speaker, with this precedent set across the country, this is something that I would like to see our workers' compensation legislation address. Many Northwest Territories firefighters are volunteers, but we need to make sure that both volunteers and career firefighters have access to the best possible supports, training, and care. Also, with the introduction of 911, many new dispatchers will join the ranks of our first responders. Mr. Speaker, we have got to be ready to ensure the safety and care of all of our first responders, on the job and at home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome the two grade 6 classes that we have here visiting today from Weledeh Catholic School, and I also want to welcome their teachers, Trent Hamm and Tyrrell Hughes. Welcome, and I hope you enjoy the proceedings today. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize my constituency assistant, Ms. Ray Solotki. She is here with us this week. She is chaperoning a couple of our Pages, Mataya Gillis and Tyanna Bain, who are very strong ambassadors in the sport of curling for the Northwest Territories and put the NWT on the map with their junior curling.

As always, to the youth, welcome to the two grade 6 classes from Weledeh, and, to your educators, thank you for all of the work that you do for our students. Mahsi.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about post-traumatic stress disorder. My questions are for the Minister of WSCC. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister how our workers' compensation legislation currently deals with PTSD and other mental disorders that develop as a result of an individual's work, as for firefighters and other first responders? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission does recognize post-traumatic stress disorder as a psychological disorder if it is diagnosed by a medical professional. Both are covered within the act, and, if it is diagnosed, they will be provided the support that's provided to anyone, similar to as if it was a physical accident.

I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my second question is: can the Minister commit to exploring the Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario models for recognizing PTSD and other disorders as presumptive conditions for firefighters and other first responders, as in the Firefighters' Presumption Regulations?

Certainly, we can. The Workers' Safety and Compensation Board, just like other departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories, tries to work in partnership with all of the provinces and territories across Canada. We are always looking for best practices. We are always taking from each other, sharing workshops and sharing information. We will continue doing that process. It doesn't make sense to work in isolation. The best practice is working cross-jurisdictionally, looking at what is working and what is not working, and adapting our services based on that; so, yes, we will.

I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, how does the Minister plan for 911 rollout, including planning for workers' from across the territory, including paramedics and dispatchers, exposure to traumatic situations?

It is actually one of the benefits that we're going to be co-sharing the space with the Medicalert. We will be looking at sharing some of the training that they receive as well. That will give us a little bit of a heads up on some of the situations that we may be encountering when people accept 911 calls.

Of course, everyone that does work in that station will be Government of the Northwest Territories employees, and so they do qualify for the employee assistance program, where people can access services, counselling services, as needed, and then, of course, we will be looking at specialized training to assist them. We are doing as best as we can to make sure that we support our workers when they implement 911, because we recognize that some of those calls are going to be heartbreaking, and we need to take care of our employees.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. In October 2016, the then-Minister of Transportation said in this House that environmental considerations, more specifically, potential impacts on the Bathurst caribou herd, played no part in the current alignment of the proposed Slave Geological Province Road.

Can the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources tell us whether his staff have had any discussions with the Department of Infrastructure about the routing of the proposed Slave Geological Province all-weather road and what the outcome of those discussions has been? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ENR staff have provided the Department of Infrastructure with wildlife data to support the development of road-routing options, and, based on preliminary discussions, I understand that the focus at this stage is in obtaining funding to advance the Slave Geological Province. Once we do that, there is still a very lengthy environmental assessment process that we would have to go through, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the Minister for that, and I just sort of wonder when environmental considerations will go into the planning of the road. In December 2016, there was an interim discussion document for the Bathurst caribou range plan, and it recommended winter road access over all-weather roads wherever possible, to reduce impacts. The draft range plan that is now out for public engagement is a lot weaker. It says the following: "New roads in the Bathurst caribou range take into consideration the needs of multiple purposes and users, seasonality of construction and use, routing, and design to minimize impacts to caribou." That is the end of the quote, Mr. Speaker. It is a lot weaker. Can the Minister explain why the draft range plan was significantly weakened with regard to how all-weather roads would be acceptable?

The wording on the draft range plan was modified to reflect recent input received during the last round of engagement, and I think the Member pointed out before that we do have a second phase of public decision-making engagement going on from January to the end of March, as well.

I would like to thank the Minister for that. I looked at the "what we heard" report, and there were no comments from any government agencies about this particular weakening of the report around roads, so I'm not sure where that came from. Can the Minister tell us whether any resources have been dedicated in the 2018-2019 Environment and Natural Resources budget towards concrete actions and implementation of the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan?

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is currently conducting a certain engagement on the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan which had been funded internally in our budget and funding received from Polar Knowledge Canada. ENR plans on returning to Cabinet in the summer of 2018 for approval on a final range plan and funding needs for the implementation of the range planning dependent on the final content of the plan. ENR and GNWT will need to identify funding for implementation of the plan at that time, which will likely involve existing program funding and request for new internal and external, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'd like to thank the Minister again for that. I look forward to the supplementary appropriation for the plan. As I said in my statement earlier today, if our government will not sign off on the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan and claims that it is advisory, not binding and not government policy, just what is the status of this plan and what confidence can the public have that our government is ever going to do anything to protect the Bathurst Caribou herd? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I mean I can inform the public that this government will do all we can to protect the Bathurst Caribou. We know that the numbers have been down drastically over the last number of years. Hence, the reason for trying to put a good range plan together. It will be a Cabinet-approved document and, as such, the GNWT will be responsible for implementing those recommendations following under its authority again. Once we have all the information compiled and we're ready to go out and go get a final approval of the range plan, we will obviously sit down with committee and seek some input from committee, if that's the wish of committee, and we will come up with a good range plan that will work for the preservation of the Bathurst Caribou herd. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was talking about the Site C Dam in BC, and I have some questions for the Premier. My first question is: what discussions, if any, has the GNWT had with the BC Government on the downstream impacts of the Site C Dam? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ten years ago, the BC Minister of Energy along with a planeload of BC hydro officials flew down to Yellowknife to advise our government that they would be proceeding with building Site C and that they were proceeding into an environmental assessment mode. At that time, we advised them of our experience with the effects of the Bennett Dam. We were concerned about it. They told us that Site C would only have a 12-kilometre reach downstream of Site C, so we shouldn't have to worry about it, but we told them that we didn't believe that. Our experience is that it would have a longer reach, so we prevailed on them to consult with Aboriginal governments and communities all the way down the Mackenzie River, right up to the Beaufort Sea. We gave them a list of all of the contacts, and they proceeded to do so.

We also, as a government, the Government of the Northwest Territories, fully participated in the environmental assessment process for the Site C project. The Government of the Northwest Territories provided written comments, attended multiple hearings and meetings, and ultimately provided recommendations to decision makers to address any potential downstream effects to ecosystems, traditional harvesters, and communities in the Northwest Territories. Our government recognizes the importance of maintaining the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier for that answer. I appreciate the government trying to do what we can do with the BC government. Unfortunately, they seem to be not listening to us in some of these areas. Has the GNWT made a public announcement regarding this position on this mega project and the impact it has on Northwest Territories residents and our First Nations communities?

Through the environmental assessment process for Site C, the Government of the Northwest Territories provided numerous submissions, including advice regarding potential downstream impacts to aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest Territories.

Our Government of the Northwest Territories submissions are pubic and are available on the Canadian and environment assessment agency's website. The Government of the Northwest Territories incorporated into its submissions concerns heard about the Site C expansion from Northwest Territories residents and Indigenous governments and organizations. As the Member has stated, several Indigenous governments, including the Deninu Kue, Salt River and Smith's Landing First Nations, and Northwest Territories Metis Nation also participated in the environmental assessment process.

I appreciate the Minister and the answer he's provided here. My next question is: what is the government doing during this Assembly to mitigate the negative impact of this project on our Northwest Territories First Nations and communities, and has the Premier contacted in writing the Premier from BC?

Following the three-year environmental assessment process, the Site C project received federal and provincial approval in 2014. Construction of the Site C expansion project began in 2015, and the decision to approve the project included 80 conditions, which are intended to prevent or reduce impacts to the Peace River.

As well, our government negotiated transboundary water agreements with Alberta and also with British Columbia. The Transboundary Water Agreement with British Columbia primarily focuses on the Liard River basin, whereas the Peace River system flows into Alberta, so we are relying on the Transboundary Water Agreement with Alberta to monitor the impacts and effects of the water quality and water quantity. We have increased significantly the monitoring at the border on the downstream impacts so that we will be aware of any negative impacts. We have a process set up through the Mackenzie River Basin Board where, if there are any concerns, we can raise them with the applicable government. We're working very closely with Alberta and British Columbia on transboundary waters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement on Destination Deline, my question to the Minister of ITI is: Mr. Speaker, we saw record-breaking tourism numbers last year, which bodes well for the future of this important industry in the Northwest Territories. Is the GNWT Department of ITI going to change the way it looks at tourism because of the new numbers? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member stated, with the high numbers, no, we are not going to change the way we are looking at this. We believe that our approach to this whole thing coming forward is showing that our strategy of tourism 2020 is actually working for the Northwest Territories and it's showing great success. We're on track to hit our $207 million spent by tourism by 2021.

As I've said in this House just recently, our numbers are up, hitting record-breaking numbers again. The NWT marketing plan, which I tabled last week, is a big part of that equation, as well.

Thanks to the Minister for the reply. The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang were broadcasted around the world, and I was pleased to see TV commercials advertising the Northwest Territories as a tourist destination. I'd like to ask the Minister who developed and placed these commercials? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

I'd like to take credit. NWT Tourism does our marketing plan and our destination marketing for our organizations in the NWT. I had a chance to see our "Just a Bit Different" commercials as well, and we provide a lot of funding to the organization NWT Tourism to carry out these marketing initiatives. Kudos to them for having them during the Olympics. I just want to update the House. The Premier and I were just at PDAC, and I never even had a chance to tell the Premier this, but I ran into the old ADM of Tourism for Ontario a couple of days ago while I was down there, and he just finished working there, but he said his Minister pulled him aside there lately and said, "What the heck's going on in our department, here? How come Newfoundland and NWT have such good commercials, and ours aren't very good? So what's going on here?"

That's a positive report and positive comments. My third question, Mr. Speaker: the tourism industry is certainly working at large centres like Yellowknife, but can the Minister tell me what the GNWT is doing to promote tourism in the regions like the Sahtu?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Even this month coming up, we're going to have our first-ever tourism conference on March 21st and 22nd in Tulita, and we're doing that in partnership with Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. So kudos to Tulita for hosting that here in the next couple of weeks. We've talked in this House about a number of programs and supports we have around tourism, and all the people within the Sahtu region and the NWT can access those, as well. Lately, we've supported a couple of business initiatives in his riding in particular: a paddleboard business, ski trails, cabin maintenance and renovation to the museum. We've also, I think, helped out the Norman Wells Historical Society. So there are a number of initiatives going on, along with training and mentorship programs that can be accessed, and there are a number of them doing them in his region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear the Minister included cabin maintenance. I'm hoping that will include the shelters for the future highway. My last question here, Mr. Speaker: this government has a mandate to expand tourism options, specifically by building new parks, such as the Dodo Toi Canyon Park. Can the Minister provide an update on work being done to develop the Dodo Canyon Territorial Park? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is well-aware that the remediation of the Canol Trail is the responsibility of the federal government. We continue to hold their feet to the fire on that, but the federal government has tendered out the next step of this contract. It has been awarded, and remediation is expected to begin next summer on that project. Since 2015, the Government of Canada and Dodo Toi Territorial Park has through us, I guess, and working with the Park Corporation cleaned up 350 kilometers of telephone wire along that trail, and that project has been completed as of last summer. This year, we're going to add two additional shelters to complete the work on the trail that we're committed to for this coming season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I talked about reducing the effects on climate change while growing our economy and wondering if it's possible to do both at the same time. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and I recognize and appreciate that we're in a bit of a unique situation here in the North. We've signed on to the Pan-Canadian Agreement on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and, yet, we're mandated and we want to reach the goal of growing our economy. So I have a question to the Minister: does the Minister believe that our obligations to reduce the impacts on climate change can be met while we undertake initiatives to grow the economy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I believe we can do both, and the Member is right. We signed on to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and the Paris Accord Agreement. These are commitments that we have made as a government. We are moving on those. We are moving on these strategies. They're all in lock sync. The Energy Strategy, the Petroleum Resource Strategy, and the Climate Change Strategic Framework is coming out. They're in lock sync together. All of these departments have been working very closely together. It's a complicated issue when all of a sudden we shift our economy from a resource-based economy, around mining, around petroleum and oil and gas, and all of a sudden now we're signed on to these international agreements. We've had to change how we think and move forward. It is a challenge on how we pull these things all together because we're such a small jurisdiction and we live in probably the harshest part of the country, but our government is working very hard on how we can grow these initiatives to continue to grow our economy as well as meet the obligations that we've signed on to.

That's a reply that I like to hear; that we can grow our economy and meet our environmental obligations at the same time. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of studies out there that are looking at different types of weather events around the world, such as heat waves and precipitation and the huge storms that we've been having, and many of those same studies also look at the impacts on agriculture, industrial output, even labour productivity. So I'd like to ask the Minister: what is our government doing to measure the impacts of climate change on economic activity in the Northwest Territories?

While I believe we're already doing it because climate change is already here. When I'm speaking down south, I don't say climate change is something that's coming; it has already impacted the Northwest Territories. As a number of Members in this House know, we continue to say that it's already warmed up by 4 degrees in some parts of the Northwest Territories. So, as the Ministry of Infrastructure, in particular, we know the challenges around climate change. We have changes around construction, around maintenance, around building of ice roads, operation of government infrastructure, and that's just on our side. That's not even on the private side of things or what industry faces around climate change, around the difficulty of the ice roads for the diamond mines. So we're already doing certain measurements of impacts because we know what it's already costing this government and how we have to plan for the future around our infrastructure needs, but I think, as these new strategies roll out and we sign our bilaterals with the federal government on investment of our $500-and-some million that we're going to be receiving from the federal government around these things, there is a climate lens put on most of those programs going forward, and we'll have to have a serious look at how we're going to roll them out and how they're going to be a part of our economy.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. I appreciate it. The Minister spoke about this a little bit earlier. We have a number of forthcoming strategies: the Energy Strategy, the Climate Change Framework; we also have the Mineral Resources Act, and other environmental pieces of legislation under review and set for change. Are these new strategies and laws being looked at through the lens of having the economy grow while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time?

As I've said, we are very concerned about this. When we went out and did our public consultation, some of the biggest things we heard is the cost of living and how it relates to our economy and how we're going to move these initiatives forward. We have to be very careful, and, at the same time, we have to meet our commitments that we've signed on to. As I've said, this is all a whole bunch of departments working together on how they pull these things together, and a big part of it is going to be our federal infrastructure dollars and how it rolls out and how do we invest those dollars and our commitments to the federal government on how we spend that money. We'll continue to work on that at the same time to meet our greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister. My final question: I spoke about industry taking the lead toward initiatives such as toward zero mining impact and meeting new ISO certifications. I would like to ask the Minister: is our government talking with industry specifically about how we can both reach our goals of enjoying economic wealth but while also meeting our global demands to reduce emissions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, industry is a big part of our consultation process as industry is one of the biggest parts of our GDP of our Government of the Northwest Territories, so we have to consider their factors in, as well.

When we start talking about industry, I tend to lean a little bit more towards the mining side because they're the biggest part of our economy right now. We've taken their concerns into serious consideration on how we're moving this forward. There has been some great talk with them specifically around the carbon tax and how this is going to make implications on them. At the same time, we have to identify a model, as I've said, to meet our international goals and our Canadian goals, however we're going to meet our greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we want to minimize the impacts on our economy and the cost of living for residents of the Northwest Territories. These things are all considered while we're doing that. We don't know where we're going to end up on the carbon tax side of things as yet. There are ongoing discussions with the federal government. Going forward, we will be working very closely with industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my member's statement, I speak of the importance of hand games to the youth of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to ask the Minister of MACA questions: does the Minister and the department support and encourage funding for hand game tournaments? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs recognizes that preserving Aboriginal culture is important to the residents of the Northwest Territories, and hand games is part of that tradition. There are a couple of requirements though. Of course, if there's money being exchanged during the hand games, we tend not to support that as that is more promoting gambling than the actual physical activity of hand games. Then we also try to encourage that because traditionally hand games are more for male, men and boys’ sports, so we also try to encourage the applicants to look at a traditional activity for girls and women, as well.

Mr. Speaker, we see school championships such as Super Soccer and Spike It, to name a couple. Does the department fund a territorial championship for hand games?

The department supports the Aboriginal Sport Circle's annual middle school territorial games championship, which includes hand games during those games.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister about, you know, I talked about all the benefits of hosting events and so on: does the department help fund the traditional games that go on across the territory?

As stated in my previous answer, yes, through the Aboriginal Sport Circle, we do fund the annual middle school traditional games championships. If the Member is thinking of other games that we should be looking at, I am more than willing to work with the Member to consider those as options, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the department do or get some reports on the traditional activities, traditional games at middle school games, as the Minister stated, and report that to residents or develop some sort of report that the MLAs can see? Thank you.

Yes, the department does report on these events. I'm not sure about the past, but, if we haven't been providing those to MLAs, I will make sure that we do provide those reports in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of Lands. As people might be aware in this House, the very fundamental questions on the ownership and jurisdictions in the sovereignty of the Deh Cho hands is being negotiated. My question is to the Minister of Lands. Why is the government requiring Dene elders to lease the land they live on, now designated as Commissioner's lands? Mahsi.

Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently on Commissioner's lands, lessees are charged 10 per cent of the assessed value of the land. As was mentioned previously by the Member opposite, we are looking at reducing that to a more reasonable amount of 5 per cent. Currently, those leases are still charged and assessed.

Mr. Speaker, you know, despite the modest decrease in terms of the rates, the bills are still piling up for elders and has put them in a very stressful situation. What will the Minister do to remedy this injustice?

As I mentioned earlier, we're contemplating lowering the rate we charge from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. In addition, seniors do receive a 50 per cent discount. We have made efforts to make life easier for our senior citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I think there are a few elders that would be more likely categorized in a very stressful situation where their bills have piled up to the point where they're more likely pondering the idea, if they're aware of the option, of bankruptcy. Could the Minister and his department consider an interim arrangement? How long would it take for the Minister to remedy this injustice?

Mr. Speaker, once the leases are in arrears, the matter goes to the Department of Finance, who will then send out letters. I know they try to work with individuals to see if they can repay the amounts that they owe. I do also understand that, under Section 3 of the Income Assistance Policy Manual, applicants who reside on Commissioner's land from the Department of Lands or the NWTHC may qualify for a monthly allowance to assist with the cost of the land lease. There are various ways that seniors could be assisted.

As I mentioned earlier, apart from reducing the proposal is to reduce the current leases from 10 to 5 per cent. In addition, of course, there is the seniors’ discount. We are doing things for senior citizens, and there are other programs that appear that they could access. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the Minister of Lands. Will the Minister come to Deh Cho communities to speak with our elders and leaders to explain his position on this and what is he doing about it? Mahsi.

Yes. I certainly could consider such a visit. As I mentioned, we are rolling out a new proposal to reduce the rents from 10 per cent to 5 per cent of appraised value. Now, that's the appraised value of the land itself, so, even if a very nice house is built on that land, that doesn't affect the 5 or 10 per cent that we have been charging on the land itself. I think we are going to try to be in touch with people who are in a situation and make them realize or give them the information that we are reducing the lease fees from 10 to 5 per cent. After that, I would certainly consider such a visit. Perhaps it could be combined with some other activities. Thank you.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-46, the federal government has proposed changes to drug-impaired driving laws in response to the impending legalization of cannabis. I have questions for the Minister of Justice about how these laws will be handled in the NWT. I know we can't discuss legislation that is before a standing committee of this House, so we will keep the discussion confined to the enforcement of the proposed federal legislation and not touch on our own legislation.

Nationwide, the RCMP have been testing roadside oral fluid swabs as a way to detect drug-impaired drivers. These devices are supposed to be able to detect whether a person has consumed one of several types of drugs, including cannabis, in the previous few hours, which is a relatively tight timeframe when compared to blood and urine tests, which can detect THC in the system for days or even months. However, there are still concerns. Similar devices have been used in the UK and Australia for a few years now, and there are still questions about their accuracy and about the lack of scientific data when it comes to determining what actually constitutes impairment. We want to keep the streets safe, but we want to also make sure that we don't charge innocent people.

I have some questions for the Minister. The first one is: could the Minister please provide this House with a summary of the type of roadside testing that we will be employing in the NWT to detect drug-impaired driving? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This of course is federal legislation, and the federal government has contemplated some very ambitious changes to the criminal code that will set a legal limit for certain drugs or drugs and alcohol together in a driver's system, the various penalties that can be applied, and the rules around law enforcement, which will allow them to demand drug testing, what tests can be used, and what happens when someone refuses to take the test. I understand that the oral fluid drug screener has been used for some time. I am told that it is highly accurate, so hopefully we wouldn't have people charged that shouldn't be charged. As I mentioned, the proposed levels involve a certain amount of THC in the system; I think it is 2 nanograms. If it is 2 but under 5, that would be a summary conviction or a less serious charge; at or over 5, a more serious offence. It is a hybrid, which means that it could be summary or indictable, a lower limit of 2.5, if it is combined with 50 milligrams of alcohol.

Now, I am not certain whether all of this proposed law will come into force, but that is the proposal. We are also assured by the federal government that the oral testing kits are accurate. Thank you.

From what I have read, including in the report by Public Safety Canada on the effectiveness of these devices, their effectiveness is very much based on the training that the officers receive. Could the Minister please give us some details about how many officers in the territory are trained, maybe how many will be trained, and where these officers might be located, any details he can provide about the training?

Yes, there are really two types of training. There is the standard field sobriety test called the SFST and, also, evaluations by drug recognition experts. Now, I understand that, currently, there are 10 SFST-trained officers who are located in Hay River, Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Behchoko, and there are also three drug recognition experts, two with the traffic division and one in Yellowknife Detachment. These numbers will doubtless change over time as officers are transferred in and out of the Northwest Territories, but we hope that these numbers will increase.

I believe the Minister said there were three drug recognition experts, and I think that is the type of training that I am talking about. Does the department have a plan to expand this training so that all officers receive it at some point, and can he give us some details on that plan?

I rather doubt that we would be training all officers, but three certainly does not seem to be very many. I understand that a funding proposal was launched in mid-February. They expect to finalize the proposal by March. The GNWT has been informed by Public Safety Canada that areas of funding will include -- I am reading here -- "investments to increase capacity of police services to train members as drug recognition experts (DRE), investments to increase capacity of police services to train members in standardized field sobriety testing, and investments to purchase oral fluid testing devices."

The federal government is taking this matter very seriously. They have clearly allocated funds. I am not sure how much money will be headed our way, but we will be making application for funds.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment spoke of his recent attendance at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Conference, otherwise known as PDAC. Can he update the House as to his experience there and whether or not we are going to see some results from the conference? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I don't have a problem updating the House off of the top of my head here. We had a full slate of meetings over the last couple of days. We had an NWT event where we got to speak and have a bunch of panel discussions with NWT Indigenous corporations and industry. The Premier and I also attended and I got to be the keynote speaker at a CanNor event around CanNor's continued funding in the federal budget moving forward.

I have met with a number of stakeholders, toured the trade show booths, had an opportunity to meet with a number of people there, as well, and had an opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with some institutions on investing in the Northwest Territories. I also made a quick stop and got a quick update from the Canada Infrastructure Bank on where they are at in their process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister. It is always good to hear our Ministers are being productive when they are looking for more investment in our economy. One of the issues that PDAC lists as a key consideration is access to capital, and they note that exploration is the riskiest part of mineral development, with only 1 in 10 exploration projects leading to drilling and only 1 in 10,000 leading to a mine, and that access to capital and financial incentives is crucial to securing the success of those projects.

What is the Minister doing to ensure that exploration companies have access to capital? What is this government doing to ensure that?