Masi, Olivia Rockwell. That was an ever beautiful voice. Olivia is serving as a Page in the Assembly, and we thank her and all of the other Pages for their hard work.

Colleagues, today marks the 53rd anniversary of the national flag of Canada. It was on February 15, 1965, that our Canadian flag first flew above our nation’s capital. Our national flag has been flown with pride since that day. In 1996, February 15th was declared National Flag of Canada Day, to commemorate and celebrate what has become one of the most iconic and recognizable flags across the world. Not only is our flag recognized the world over as a symbol of this great country, but it is associated with the rights, freedoms, and ideals that we embrace as Canadians.

In 2018, the national flag of Canada is celebrating its 53rd anniversary during the 2018 Winter Olympics. This important symbol of our identity will be flown, cheering on our Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Members, please join me in celebration of national flag of Canada day. Thank you, colleagues.

Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical to ensure that the northern post-secondary education system meets the changing needs of our students and the demands of the Northwest Territories labour market.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s long-term labour market assessment tells us that 78 per cent of Northwest Territories jobs in the next 15 years will require a post-secondary education. This government has an ambitious agenda that will help us establish a modern post-secondary education system to support our residents’ academic and employment success.

Mr. Speaker, the department is examining all aspects of post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. We need to make strategic decisions that will result in more graduates working and leading productive lives in the Northwest Territories.

Our first step was to conduct a labour market review through the Skills 4 Success Initiative, completed in April 2016. This information is the grounds for our next steps in making sure post-secondary education and training programs support Northwest Territories labour market demand, and that they help to close the gap between residents’ education levels and labour market needs.

The next step in meeting our commitments is the completion of the Aurora College Foundational Review. I updated Members on the progress of the review earlier in this sitting. The review will be a tool to help establish a renewed foundation for the college and will help and inform its long-term strategic plan. Finally, Mr. Speaker, we committed in the mandate to develop new legislation that will outline a quality assurance system, on the basis of which post-secondary institutions will be recognized or authorized in the Northwest Territories.

We envision a new legislative framework that will govern all post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. The primary objective of this framework is to create a process of recognition for post-secondary institutions that ensures they are effectively governed, that they have appropriate quality assurance measures in place, and that their programs are in alignment with national and international standards and best practices. This legislation will give students the confidence that the post-secondary institution they attend is recognized or registered by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and that it has met the standards for its designation.

Mr. Speaker, the proposed new legislation will create transparency and clarity for new post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories. It will also create opportunities for existing qualified institutions to obtain degree-granting status. However, it will not replace the Aurora College Act. The legislative process will include engagement with all key stakeholders. The framework will be a collaborative effort, reflecting the unique cultural, social, economic, and geographic contexts in the Northwest Territories today.

Mr. Speaker, the development of a skilled workforce is a pillar of the Government of the Northwest Territories’ vision for a strong territorial economy. By making system-wide, foundational improvements to the adult and post-secondary education and skills training system, these initiatives will foster sound, modern, and sustainable post-secondary institutions and programs for the Northwest Territories and a thriving Northwest Territories workforce.

Our proposed post-secondary legislation, the Aurora College Foundational Review, and the new Aurora College strategic plan are all significant pieces of work, but they do not stand alone. They are aligned with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s comprehensive frameworks, including Education Renewal and Skills 4 Success, and with strategies like Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification, Immigration, and, soon, Small Communities Employment.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been working hard to carry out our agenda for post-secondary education and make a better future for our residents. These three major pieces of work, along with the work of other departments, governments, stakeholders, and this House, are coming together to create a stronger social, economic, and educational foundation for the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie River is our marine highway to the Arctic Ocean. A reliable shipping route for generations, the Mackenzie River is the northernmost link of an intermodal supply chain that stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Beaufort Sea and beyond.

2017 marked the year that the Government of the Northwest Territories assumed responsibility for scheduled tug and barge services to our communities on Great Slave Lake, the Mackenzie River, and the Arctic coast. In 2017, the Government of the Northwest Territories Marine Transportation Services Division registered and reactivated six tugboats, transported more than 37 million litres of fuel, and carried more than 10,000 tonnes of deck cargo to communities and commercial clients.

Other key accomplishments included maintenance work on Canadian Coast Guard vessels and substantial charter work for large industrial clients. The cost-effective and effective delivery of such services to NWT businesses is one example of how the Government of the Northwest Territories is fulfilling its mandate to strengthen connections with private sector partners in transportation infrastructure.

At the peak of last season, Marine Transportation Services employed over 140 people. Sixty of those were from the Northwest Territories. Last season, Marine Transportation Services issued almost $3 million in contracts to Northwest Territories businesses and created many indirect spinoffs for local businesses.

Continued investment in our supporting marine infrastructure, including Canada's northernmost inland shipyard, will allow us to take advantage of such opportunities. The Government of the Northwest Territories continues to pursue opportunities for funding that may be available through initiatives such as the federal Oceans Protection Plan. As we prepare for the 2018 sailing season, we begin from a much better operational situation than we did from our first season. Experience from the 2017 sailing season is informing service improvement strategies, and work to determine an appropriate business model for the longer term continues. Commercial, industrial, and tourism activity in the Arctic is increasing, along with the economic and development opportunities that go with it.

To support this anticipated growth, we are pleased with the recent announcement by Transport Canada that they will provide funding to the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium to establish a Marine Training Centre in the Northwest Territories. The establishment of a centre for marine-related training is a strategic investment that supports the government’s priority to develop a skilled Northern workforce.

Mr. Speaker, our priority remains that essential goods will be delivered without fail and at a reasonable cost to residents who rely on Marine Transportation Services. We are committed to building new business relationships, training our people, creating jobs, and stimulating the economy of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.

Mr. Speaker, our Premier has stated that the dreams of Northerners are dying. If that's the case, then to many residents, the answers this House received yesterday on questions of government procurement must have sounded like hammer strikes, each one driving yet another nail deeper into the coffin of those dreams.

Despite the fact that four Members of this House, all Members of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, raised concerns about government procurement, the Minister of Infrastructure denied the existence of any problems. This stance is based in part on his claim that only two or three people have contacted him personally about this issue. Mr. Speaker, as MLAs, we are the people's conduits to the government. To me, if an MLA brings an issue to a Minister, that's the same as a constituent speaking directly to the Minister. That's Democracy 101.

The Minister also cited the numbers of complaints received through the department's vendor complaint process as proof that there are no issues, 22 complaints since 2010 and only two deemed valid. Mr. Speaker, that process is designed to ensure that the very practices that we are criticizing are followed. It's not designed to address the systemic issues we're concerned with. A complaint can only be made about a specific RFP by someone who bid on that RFP. The department can dismiss the claim without consideration.

However, there was a glimmer of hope during question period. Over the pounding of the nails, the Premier heard the dreams of Northerners clawing at the lid of the coffin. He was open to listening to the concerns of MLAs and admitted that it is in the realm of possibility that procurement practices may not be perfect. This harkened back to 2015, when then MLA McLeod, in his bid for the office of Premier, stated that "The Government of the Northwest Territories needs to look at its own procurement and contracting practices." There is hope after all, Mr. Speaker.

It's good to hear that the Premier is open to change because Infrastructure isn't the only government entity involved in procurement. The Housing Corporation does its own procurement, and it has actually made some of the changes that we are asking for to the benefit of Northerners.

Finance is also involved in procurement by housing the GNWT's Procurement Policy, negotiating P3s, and setting sole-source procurement thresholds.

Today, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance about those thresholds and how it is ensuring they are not doing a disservice to Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last government made a commitment to increase territorial population by 2,000 new residents by 2020. While we are still far from this target in our mandate, this government restated the commitment to increase the number of immigrants settling here.

Immigration is good. It brings diversity, innovation, optimism, and fresh perspectives to our territory, while increasing our tax base, investments, and territorial financing formula. It makes sense that we split the nominee program into two streams; one administered by Education, Culture and Employment, and the other by Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The ECE stream is connected to employers seeking skilled workers, while ITI's stream focuses on new investment in the form of business development. ECE's employers' stream is seeing some success. In 2015, we welcomed about 103 new residents, and 125 in 2016. That meets the department's goal of increasing immigration by 25 per cent. At this pace, we will bring in 823 new residents by 2019.

ITI's business stream has been much less successful. Between 2015 and 2017, we had only three applications, totalling 10 new immigrants. I would like to know if ITI has identified the reasons for the lack of success of the business stream, and what it plans to do to address it. Mr. Speaker, it is important to know how other jurisdictions attract foreign nationals. After all, they are our competition. As an example, British Columbia requires potential new residents to invest $200,000 in a new or purchased business. The NWT requires $300,000, if located in Yellowknife. One can imagine that new Canadians might rather invest less and enjoy a milder climate and more amenities and opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, we Northerners know we live in the best place in the world, but it is not always easy to attract southern Canadians to the NWT, let alone people from the rest of the world. I commend the government on its success inviting immigration, but the NWT needs skills, dedication, new ideas, and energy. Not to mention, we need the investment new residents will bring. We need to improve our immigration process to attract bright, creative, energetic new residents to contribute to our growing community of Northerners. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of ITI. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Our NWT elders deserve the utmost respect and expect their government's support on elders' subsidy programs; their well-earned financial securities are designed to support their retirement. The Government of the Northwest Territories offers a variety of security benefits to the elders' community. It is comforting to know that both federal and territorial levels of government are there to assist.

Mr. Speaker, offering eligibility and screening the applications is and can be questionable. Like many other policies offered by the government, reviews on efficiencies can be entertained. Elders' retirement security as a personal choice and achievement. Disclosure of financial information is a possession that only the elder can decide on releasing. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment fuel subsidy program is complementary; however, disclosure of financial security and information in fulfilling the policy is, as I mentioned earlier, questionable.

Mr. Speaker, later I will have questions for the Minister of ECE. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past week Indigenous activists across Canada have raised their voices in frustration and anger over the ongoing effects of colonization in our country, and they have reinforced the clear message that there can be no peace or harmony unless there is justice.

We must all admit as a society that successive governments have tried, sometimes intentionally, sometimes in ignorance, to absorb Indigenous peoples into Canadian society, thus eliminating them as distinct peoples. Policies pursued over the decades have undermined and almost erased Indigenous cultures, identities, and languages. This was profoundly wrong, and it must be addressed by every government in Canada. To bring about this fundamental change, Canadians need to understand that Indigenous people are nations, and we must have a nation-to-nation relationship. That is why today I acknowledge the efforts of the Prime Minister of Canada and his intention to give new life to Section 35 of the Constitution Act, which recognizes and affirms Indigenous peoples' rights and treaty rights.

Instead of outright recognizing and affirming Indigenous rights, as we promised we would, Indigenous peoples were forced to prove time and time again through costly and drawn-out court challenges that their rights existed and must be recognized and implemented. A rethink of Indigenous rights will allow Indigenous peoples to pursue greater self-determination, with the ultimate goal of addressing entrenched economic and social problems in Indigenous communities. To that end, the federal government has said it will develop a new recognition and implementation of Indigenous rights framework through consultation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

This will result in legislation that will be introduced later this year, with full implementation ahead of the next election, October 2019. I am pleased again to see the federal government supporting this important initiative and bringing us closer to reconciliation. Events like the tragic circumstances surrounding Colten Boushie remind us that there is still so much work to be done in our society, and to always listen to Indigenous people when they raise their voices around perceived injustice and real injustice that we see throughout our society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On December 22nd of last year the Mackenzie Gas Project partners announced their decision not to proceed with the development. Not only is there no interest in offshore hydrocarbon, onshore interest has evaporated. As the Premier predicted, there is no interest in NWT oil and gas, and it will not come back for a long time, if ever.

Some government leaders are blaming the review processes for the demise of the project. Nothing could be further from the truth. Had the project gone ahead, it would now be a multi-billion-dollar white elephant.

This project never had any confirmed shippers beyond the anchor fields, but applied for a pipeline to handle much more. The Environmental Impact Statement was submitted by the developers less than two months after the right was requested. Six rounds of information requests took up precious time and resources. This points to a poor job by the developers. In total, the developers requested delays or extensions 30 times during the joint review process. These delays and extensions totalled 500 days, although some of these happened concurrently.

The job of the Review Board and the National Energy Board was made much more difficult because the federal and territorial governments limited the participation of employees to provide their expertise and knowledge, a process now formalized in this Cabinet's project assessment policy. Non-governmental organizations were often put in the position of providing expert evidence and doing the job of governments, despite not being resourced at all, in some cases.

What lessons can we learn from the Mackenzie Gas Project? Here are a few, Mr. Speaker:

• Pinning all your hopes on one or a few large projects is not sound economic development planning;

• You can try to rush projects through, but this will come back to bite you in the end; and

• While using hydrocarbon resources locally may make some sense, investing more time and effort into oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories is not a wise use of our efforts.

It is not clear whether our Cabinet has learned much from the Mackenzie Gas Project. I will have questions later today for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been asked for the past two years about connecting the residents of Fort Liard with Fort Nelson Hospital. The last Minister’s tour, as I was told by a number of the residents, this has been an issue for the past 25 years. You heard me correctly, Mr. Speaker, 25 years. Today, Mr. Speaker, I am going to share with you words from some elders who would like to see this issue resolved once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, most of the people of Fort Liard prefer to go to Fort Nelson for medical appointments and access to hospital services. It is a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Fort Nelson, compared to a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Fort Simpson, then a two-hour plane ride to Yellowknife, then a short drive to the hospital for an appointment, then a long wait for the return flight, and then another long ride home.

Some of the issues they have experienced: no interpreters available; drivers dropping them off without support or direction for their appointments; some of their plane rides were very scary, and they felt very stressed; there have been numerous flight delays in which appointments are cancelled or need to be rearranged. They and I feel it would be more cost-efficient and less stressful for the people to go to Fort Nelson. Some patients with little English or no English are sent home without an idea of what is wrong with them, what the aftercare plan is about, or what to do next.

Mr. Speaker, I have stated before: the elders prefer to travel to Fort Nelson. They like the fact that they have friends and families close by. There are places to rent and stay that are less costly for family members. Mr. Speaker, as elders stated, "Our lives and health are important." Unfortunately, we have lost too many of our loved ones to health issues, and it seems that the GNWT does not seem to care. They tell me, "We do live in Canada. BC and NWT are in Canada. We are status, and we should be treated as such and be covered in Canada." They want our help to have the proper medical care in place, which means using the closest hospital, too. As well, they would like to have access to more Dene treatments. Presently, medical travel only seems to cover travel in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services later on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure today to go to a unique event hosted by Ecole St. Patrick, called "St. Pat's Serves." The intent of the day was to engage students in a variety of work done by organizations that fight for social justice and provide various volunteer services and opportunities, here in Yellowknife.

A total of 24 organizations participated, including non-profits like Food Rescue and the Tree of Peace, volunteer organizations like the Rotary Club and Alternatives North, as well as faith-based organizations. It was a very impressive list.

Each group had up to half an hour to talk about their work and to answer questions. Students chose which sessions to attend and had the opportunity to ask questions. Throughout the lunch hour, the organizations participated in a fair set up in the gym, where students could chat with groups whose presentations they did not get to.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon students will hear from Alvin Law, a highly motivating speaker. He was born without arms because his mother used the drug thalidomide while she was pregnant. Mr. Law learned to use his feet to accomplish daily tasks, including driving. He is also a great musical talent who plays the drums with his feet. His story is truly inspiring.

I was impressed with how many students at St. Patrick's School already volunteer as coaches and mentors in schools and in non-profits. I was also impressed with the number who want to do more. Hats off to the organizers of this uplifting day.

Mr. Speaker, I was there to talk about a day of services I organize for people with low or no income. Yes We Care Day is held twice a year. The main draw is the opportunity to have a professional haircut free of charge from Yellowknife hairdressers and a barber who volunteer their time. The greatest reward is seeing people downtown the next day, looking good and walking tall. Students from St. Pat's have always volunteered at this event to serve food, wash dishes, and sweep up hair.

Mr. Speaker, these students are our future. I am confident they will continue the tradition of caring and sharing in Yellowknife. We are in good hands. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time and opportunity to recognize my wife of 38 years, Judy, who is up in the gallery, also a constituent of Inuvik Boot Lake. I would also like to use this opportunity to recognize two of the Pages we have in here from Inuvik. We have Keely Voudrach, and we have Breeanna Lennie. I would to thank them and all the other Pages for the work they do on our behalf. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Olivia Rockwell, who did an amazing job on the rendition of O Canada later today. She is a resident of Yellowknife North. I also want to thank the Pages for all the work that they do for us here in the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise to recognize two Pages today from my constituency in Kam Lake, Noah Zoe and Stella Smyslo. It is great to have you in the House helping us out this week, and I really appreciate it, and I appreciate all the work of the Pages, as well. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Early in the life of this Assembly, the Department of Finance raised the sole-source procurement threshold for goods and services to $10,000 and $25,000 respectively. This means that those GNWT employees with the appropriate purchasing authority can purchase an item worth less than $10,000 without going to RFP and have no reporting on that spending. I have had some constituents who support this increase, but I have also had some who are very concerned with it. This has been raised in the House numerous times by multiple MLAs. My first question is: it was my understanding that the increased thresholds were going to be reviewed by the end of this fiscal year. If that review has been completed, I would like the Minister to share those findings with the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. We did raise the limits. It has been well received by a lot of businesses across the NWT. Of course, there are always concerns with a lot of the initiatives that we take on. I have committed the Department of Finance to review the impact of the increase. The procurement committee is just developing the terms of reference and are looking at getting an independent contractor to review the policy.

I have a feeling that the procurement committee might hate me by the end of this Assembly. I am going to switch around my questions here. I am going to jump to the third one that I provided to the Minister. So, the increase has resulted in many government purchases not going to RFP, which means that, small businesses, not only do they not have a chance to bid on these, they do not even know these are going out. Purchases might be being made based on friendships, you know: the person in the government, his buddy might own a store, and that is where they get these purchases from. When you are looking at $10,000 per item, that can add up. Will the Minister commit to looking at what impact these increased thresholds have had on small businesses?

First of all, we would like to think that the folks who are working for the GNWT first of all will look at getting value for money in the products. If there are situations such as the Member described, then I would not approve of that and I would have to get to the bottom of it and do an investigation into using friends and such. Going back to the Member's question, that could be one of the parts of the review, is to have a look at how it has impacted smaller businesses.

He mentioned value for money. That is the other thing I am concerned about. The public is not aware of these purchases. We do not know what is going on, and the public often is the one pointing out if we are not getting good value for money. You know, there are a lot of people out there who pay attention to what we do. I suppose, since they are still determining the terms of reference, how is this committee going to ensure that we are getting value for money? What is the plan going forward?

As part of the review and in my conversation that I will have with the department, I want to ensure that the government gets value for money. If it means a different type of reporting, then that is something that I would commit to having a discussion with my officials about because, at the end of the day, I want to ensure that the government gets value money and there are also opportunities for a lot of smaller businesses to take advantage of some of the sole-source contracts that we have.

Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mentioned yesterday that I had over half a dozen business owners and representatives in my office discussing procurement. This was one of the major themes that we discussed, so I'm going to sit down with the Minister and bring up some of those specific examples so I can show him what I mean about value for money. I guess I would like to know: when can we expect this review to be completed and presented to the House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I look forward to having the conversation with the Member because we're always interested in some of the concerns that are raised across the Northwest Territories. Not only on this particular issue, but other issues. I look forward to having that conversation. I will commit that I will follow up on any discussions that we may have as far as the timeline. As I said before, we're developing the terms of references and, as I become aware of the timeline when we actually get this out, I will keep the Member and this House informed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member's statement today to the Minister of Health and Social Services. As I stated previously, the issue of trying to get patients referred from Fort Liard to Fort Nelson to deal with their medical conditions has been a concern that has been going on for 25 years. I was really shocked when I heard that, and I've talked to the Minister about it. I realize he's only been in this portfolio for four years, I believe it is, so I feel sorry for him, but: can the Minister of Health and Social Services please provide the status of the agreement with the BC government to allow residents from Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte to be deferred to the Fort Nelson Hospital? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This issue first came to my attention about three and a half years ago, when I travelled to the communities of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte with the former MLA for the Nahendeh riding. At that time, I indicated that we would certainly be willing to have a discussion with Fort Nelson and the Government of British Columbia to put in place any protocols that would allow us to refer our residents from Fort Liard to Fort Nelson. At that time, I did say we would wait until we finished our negotiations with the Alberta government that we're currently updating our protocols on. Unfortunately, that has taken far longer than I had hoped. Last fall, I had a discussion with the department and got an update on both files. At that time, I did direct the Department of Health and Social Services to work with the Government of British Columbia and to speak to Fort Nelson to establish some protocols that would allow us to refer residents of both Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte to Fort Norman in British Columbia, which, as the Member said, is a two-hour drive away instead of a three-hour drive away and a two-hour flight away and then an overnight stay and then a return. We're interested in providing best health and best care to our residents, and I think this is an important protocol that we have to put in place.

The department has done some initial research and an analysis, and they will be travelling to Fort Nelson later in March. Hopefully at that time they will also be meeting with leadership in the community to try to determine the best ways to move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for giving us that update. I appreciate the hard work he and his department are doing. Again, you can understand the confusion and the willingness or unwillingness. The community is saying it's been 25 years, and I appreciate the work he's doing right now, and the department is doing. Can the Minister please tell us what challenges are stopping this agreement from being completed?

There are a couple of things. First off, I want to say, as Canadian citizens, all residents of the Northwest Territories can go anywhere they want to receive acute care and primary care services. Residents of Fort Liard can go to Fort Nelson now, and those services will be covered. It's the referrals that I think are the problem. Right now if we make a referral, they're referring to our system, which means often they'll end up in Yellowknife or Edmonton, which is I think the main issue that's being raised.

One of the challenges we have is in gauging the level of interest in Fort Nelson and British Columbia to actually open up more their services than they currently do. Right now, a large number of our residents from Fort Liard do go to Nelson, but there are no formal protocols. We need to determine what level of support or what level of services they want to make available. We need to understand the costs of providing medical travel there as opposed to other things. There might be an opportunity for controlling some spending, which is good. We also need to make sure what types of services are available in Liard so that people are receiving services in Liard when they're there and are being referred accordingly. So there are some challenges and some details we have to work up, but we are committed to getting that work done.

I thank the Minister for the answer. In my conversations with some of the residents, they were concerned about exchanging of medical information between British Columbia and the hospital there in Fort Liard. I guess my question to the Minister in regards to that is: has this been one of the challenges that we see, and how are you able to resolve this issue?

Privacy rights of our patients is certainly an issue. A number of years ago, we come up with a new health privacy legislation here in the Northwest Territories. Having that legislation actually, I think, will help us in this particular situation because we know what the expectations are, as opposed to when all privacy was under the Access to Information and Privacy. I think we're actually in a better place to have a more informed discussion on this, but it is absolutely a factor. I mean, the rights of all patients to have privacy and their information not ending up where it shouldn't be is paramount, and we need to make sure that is addressed and taken care of in all of our discussions. If we're going to open up to having referrals to a jurisdiction that we don't currently have a relationship with, we need to make sure that that relationship is solid and that there are protocols in place to make sure that our residents' privacy is protected, while at the same time providing high-quality health services to all residents.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's answer. It did help clarify a number of issues from what I've heard, and I think the Minister has heard those same concerns previously. When will the residents of Fort Liard and Nahendeh finally see an agreement in place so that they can be sent to Fort Nelson for their medical treatment in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I have indicated, I have already provided direction to the department to move forward on this initiative and to engage British Columbia, but this is a negotiation between the Northwest Territories and the Government of British Columbia. I'm cautious about sending out or setting a finite date, because there is a third party here. There's the Government of British Columbia that will have certain expectations and criteria they want. This may not be as big of a priority for them as it is for us, but we'll have a better sense, I think, towards the end of March on what kind of timelines and what kind of workload this is going to take. When I know, I'll certainly let the Member know and he'll be able to share that information with his community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I talked about the federal government's new plan, and that's for the Prime Minister to implement a new Indigenous Rights Framework. Some of this stems from the Royal Commission on Indigenous Peoples, which dates back to the 1990s. In particular, it's a call for the federal government to help foster autonomy by moving communities away from restrictions of the colonial-era Indian Act, which has impacts on Canada, but it also has impacts on self-government. I'd like to ask the Premier if this government has a position on the newly announced Legislative Framework for Indigenous Rights in Canada? Thank you.

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government supports any initiatives that will enhance the situation of Aboriginal Peoples and also reinforce their Aboriginal rights and treaties. Certainly, I will be consulting with the Aboriginal governments to see if they are in full support of the announcement by the Prime Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Obviously undoing 150 years of colonization will not be easy. It will be complicated process. So is the Premier prepared to support these efforts at the territorial level and give our Indigenous nations the opportunity to participate in any process as it relates to consultation with the federal government on this framework?

I think we have had this discussion before. We will certainly work with our Aboriginal government partners. If they are in support, we will fully support the initiative, as well.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I was making reference to questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. My first question is: can the Minister explain what subsidy programs are available to the NWT elders' community? Mahsi.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can only really speak to my department, where we do have the Senior Home Heating Subsidy, as well as in September of last year we did do an increase to the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit. I know Housing has some programs. Health and Social Services has some programs. I mean, all departments can work together to get that information. We also do work very closely with the NWT Seniors' Society. The Yellowknife Seniors' Society, they have a really great handbook in terms of the programs and services that are provided to seniors. I would encourage the Member to also contact them to get that information for his constituents, and any Member to get that information to share with their seniors in their respective hometowns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am glad to hear there is a wide variety of programs available to our elders. Can the Minister explain the elders' fuel subsidy program in general detail? For example, does the rate of subsidy differ from smaller communities to regional communities?

The Member is correct. Depending on the household income and the community in which you live in is the amount of subsidy in terms of home heating that you will get. This is for all Members and all residents of the NWT: seniors are eligible to receive a set amount of wood, oil, propane, gas, and/or electricity. As I mentioned, it is dependent on the household income and the community in which they live in. Our client service officers do a good job of informing our seniors and residents of what they are capable of accessing and encourage any seniors who have any questions on this to go and see one of our employees.

Will the Minister work with me to draft some information for a couple of clients who have brought to my attention the disclosure of their personal information? They have found it difficult as to why the department is asking for their personal retirement savings that they have earned prior to retirement. Will the Minister work with me to get the information to the appropriate clients?

Yes, I will work with the Member if he can provide us with the names and information of any constituents who are having any concerns with accessing the Senior Home Heating Subsidy. As I mentioned, there are different indicators of being eligible to receive the Senior Home Heating Subsidy. I will work with the Member and ask him to provide us with the names of his constituents.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question prior to the long weekend is: will the Minister, along with the Minister responsible for Seniors and the Minister responsible for HSS, taking Minster Moses' lead on our request, coordinate a seniors' gathering in preparation for the opening of the Sahtu Regional Health Centre later this spring? Mahsi.

I will work with the Minister responsible for Seniors, who is also the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, to look at options for such an event and get back to the Member and also work with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you noted, it is National Flag Day. It is only befitting that I talk about immigration. Our country is obviously a great one. Arguably, our territory is one of the greatest things about it. I appreciate the effort the government is making as it relates to attracting immigrants here to the North. My questions are for the Minister of ITI. I would like to start to ask the Minister: as mentioned in my Member's statement, ITI's business stream for attracting immigration doesn't appear to have been that successful over the past few years. Can the Minister advise us if the department's latest numbers indicate any improvement in recruiting immigration to the business stream? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The latest numbers that I have in front of me here, I will read them out so everyone can hear them:

• Arrived in NWT for operating businesses, we had four applicants, for a total investment of $1.2 million;

• Signed a BPA and awaiting arrival in NWT is 10 applicants, for $3.9 million;

• Submitted application for the Northwest Territories Nominee Program's staffing analysis is one, for $300,000; and

• Received an invitation to apply and staff awaiting applicants is seven, for $2.3 million.

A total of 22, with a total investment of almost $8 million. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Those are, I suppose, maybe good statistics to hear. Can the Minister indicate to us if the department feels that they are meeting their intentions with regard to attracting immigrants into the business stream? I appreciate getting the statistics. Are those numbers what we are trying to achieve? Are we behind or are we ahead of our goals?

If we go based on the number that is always thrown around, attracting 2,000 immigrants to the Northwest Territories, if you put ECE's file and mine together, we are nowhere near the 2,000 number. We are working diligently to try to improve that. Myself and the department have had conversations about how we can approach the business stream of things and how we can maybe change things up to attract more people into the Northwest Territories. The department is working very hard on this initiative by launching a new website, working to streamline the process and make it simpler, and these sorts of things.

I think one of the conversations that has taken place that I can update Members on is with myself and the department. We are looking at the challenges. The federal government takes so long to approve some of these applicants. That is a hindrance to the whole process. Maybe we start looking at attracting immigrants from inside the country, newly arrived immigrants who have moved to Canada and maybe want to relocate and look at moving somewhere else, or business opportunities and that sort of matter. That is one of the things the department and I have talked about.

One of the other things we are talking about and we want to sit down with is the three diamond mines, and see if there is an opportunity there with the people who are flying in and outside of our territory. We would prefer them to be living here. Is there a group of immigrants who we can attract from outside the country who could potentially relocate and move to the Northwest Territories and work in these mines? These are the kinds of conversations that are taking place. We want to try to increase the numbers.

I appreciate the Minister providing that fulsome answer. It seems as though he is having some genuine conversations and putting considerable effort into this important area, which is applauded by me, quite frankly. We have seen success in the past as it relates to attracting the immigrants here. The Minister will recall that the secondary diamond industry brought a number of folks here, Armenians in particular. It is those kinds of efforts I would like to see us undertake in the future.

Specifically to the business stream, you heard me speak earlier today about other jurisdictions making some changes to attract people. In British Columbia, the initial investment has to be $200,000 to have an immigrant come in and invest in small business. Ours is $300,000 for the City of Yellowknife. Is there any kind of consideration being given to that investment that can help attract immigrants more to the North?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is a conversation that I have not had with the department. If the fee is a hindrance to the people moving here, I will take that up with the department and get back to the Member if that's a possibility of having a look at that.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that. That is a critical factor. I mean, obviously, how much somebody has to take out of their savings to invest in a new country where they are not familiar with the rules and the policies, it's a big risk. Recognizing that we are also competing with other jurisdictions, I think if we can give that some serious consideration, then it will be to our benefit.

I am wondering if the Minister has taken the opportunity to reach out to others in terms of industry and small business. You mentioned the diamond mines, but are there others that the Minister and the department are reaching out to, to learn from where it is that we need additional capacity? Where we need new skills sets? Where we need new investment? I gave the example of the secondary diamond industry. Are there other opportunities we could exploit?

Yes, those are two exactly that I have raised. It's funny that he's mentioned the secondary diamond industry. As we all know, Almod Diamonds have purchased the one site out on Airport Road, and the issue they are having right now around getting that up and running is through Immigration Canada and how long it takes, and I'm referring back to that. As far as other industries, I have not talked to anyone else about "Is there an opportunity to do this?" The business side of it is for new investment dollars for businesses in the Northwest Territories. I get the Member's point around if we're not being cost competitive with a sister territory, like a province like BC, if they're $200,000 and we're $350,000, that takes us out of the market. This is a high cost of a country to doing business, and we will have to have a serious look at that. I'm open to any kind of input from all Members or residents of the Northwest Territories on how we can increase the numbers in the business stream. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, who also has responsibility for oil and gas. We spoke of the developer's decision to not proceed with the Mackenzie Gas Project in December 2017. GNWT ended its financial contributions to the Aboriginal Pipeline Group in 2017-2018. I would like to know from the Minister: what, if any, support does our government continue to provide for the Aboriginal Pipeline Group now, and are new contributions or support being planned? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right. Last year was the last time we supported them, but moving through this business cycle, we have no plans on providing funding to APG.

I'd like to thank the Minister for his response on the last question. One of the mandate commitments that Cabinet pushed was to develop a long-term strategy to attract investment in oil and gas. The mandate tracking webpage shows that this item was completed in late 2016, but it still hasn't seen the light of day. Companies are voting with their feet and wallets and leaving. Where is the long-term strategy, and why would we continue to try to attract investment when industry has no interest?

Our territory has considerable petroleum potential, and we have committed in our mandate to deliver a long-term strategy and capitalize on these reserves. With that said, though, this isn't an isolated initiative. It directly links to the important work we are doing as a government in the Northwest Territories. We have the energy strategy, the climate change strategic framework, and we are moving all three initiatives together. This is a shared vision that we have to work towards the new energy climate change strategic framework going forward, and the initiatives that we've signed on to. We are looking at publicizing these three documents, hopefully in April.

Thank you to the Minister for letting us know that this oil and gas strategy is supposed to be made available in April. Clearly, there's no interest in exploration in the offshore. Now, onshore oil and gas. As shown by the demise of the Mackenzie Gas Project and the decision by Husky to not frack any further in the Sahtu, the Premier predicted the end of oil and gas, and even Matthews Energy Consulting says we need to shift our oil and gas focus from exploration to remediation. Will the Minister start to refocus our efforts on oil and gas to remediation and small-scale development that could provide local energy rather than the mega-project approach?

When we bring our strategy forward and table it in the House here shortly, it recognizes that we have to address the needs of climate change. That is the first priority of this government. Also, we've got to take in the current political environment around what we consider moving this forward with the knowledge economy as such, and what advantages does it ensure residents of the NWT. I can reassure the Member for sure, in the strategy when we table it, there is going to be a focus of using local energy for local use. That is one of them, but we still have to have a long-term strategy going forward on how to develop our resources.

Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. That's welcome news from the Minister. I look forward to the strategy. Lastly, in my Member's statement, I spoke about lessons learned from the Mackenzie Gas Project about putting all of our eggs in a non-renewable resource mega-project basket. We learned about trying to cut corners on project assessment; that eventually sort of comes back to bite you. Perhaps the biggest lesson is the need to move past oil and gas to diversify our economy. I would like to know from the Minister: what lessons has he learned from the demise of the Mackenzie Gas Project?

You can answer this a number of ways. I'm going to answer it the way I want to answer it. First of all, the demise of the Mackenzie Gas Project was due to the current market prices of the day. It went from $11 down to $1.90. Market prices dictated that they shut down. At the same time I think some of the lessons learned, and the Premier has talked about this a number of times when we're travelling around is the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, how good that was. It was the heart and strength of that initiative, and it is a landmark partnership that, when we're out there speaking to the public, and travelling around, and doing FPTs, it's a model for future development, not just in our territory, but the country could take as an approach, as to how they can move some of these big, large initiatives forward. The other side of it, too, is the environmental process, how long it's taken. Seven years to get this initiative through is way too long. I'm glad to see the federal government come out with their new legislative proposals or initiatives coming forward with environmental regulations. It's going to be a two-year process, max, on some of these initiatives, and that's going to bring some of these projects forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the second part of my Member's statement briefly talked about accessing traditional Dene treatment or Dene medicine, and there seems to be some confusion on how they can access that when I was talking with the elders in Fort Liard. My question for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Speaker: presently it is my understanding that medical travel only covers travel to the NWT borders, when they are accessing traditional Dene treatments. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services please confirm what the process is and how it is done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, medical travel doesn't actually cover travel for individuals who wish to attend traditional Dene-type healing in the Northwest Territories, or even outside the Northwest Territories. However, the federal NIHB program may actually cover some of the transportation costs, offer individuals to access traditional healer service, but that must be preauthorized by Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, so they need to apply through NIHB. It is not something that is currently covered through GNWT or Medical Travel.

That is really great information to understand and hear. Will the Minister be willing to get that information or show us where we can get this information so that we can share with the residents of the Northwest Territories?

Yes, absolutely. Certainly, and, as a note, we do administer NIHB on behalf of the federal government. We do not make program decisions. We do not make funding-level decisions, but we do administer it, and I do know that staff are happy to help individuals fill out applications if they are interested in pursuing these types of opportunities, either in the North or the South.

I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess I am just looking for: are there some information packages that he can share with us so that we can share it with our constituents?

Mr. Speaker, the information on the NIHB, the Non-Insured Health Benefits, is online. It is available. I am happy to sit down with the Member and find out exactly what he is looking for as far as content and to figure out how best we can flow that information through MLAs on both sides of this House so that our residents who are interested can certainly apply for support through NIHB. As I indicated, they still have to get prior approval, so we can help figure out that process for residents, as well.

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I will work with the Minister and sit down and talk to him about it to try to get some more information for the constituents. Maybe I will be able to share with other Members who are interested, so I thank the Minister for that commitment.

Has the department, Mr. Speaker, looked at bringing Dene healers up from down south to help residents, especially elders, when it is regarding their concern for their health? I will just leave it with that question, there.

I look forward to working with the Member to help get some of that information. There are, unfortunately, some limitations. I understand that NIHB will only cover individuals as far as provincial boundaries or borders, which actually, I think, goes to the Member's second question.

In the Northwest Territories we want to support traditional healing and wellness. We want to do things differently, and up until now there really has been nothing done to support traditional health or wellness in the Northwest Territories. We are trying to change that right now. We want to have more options for residents, and I think it is really important to recognize all the incredible partners out there who are doing work.

The Arctic Indigenous Women's Foundation is doing really important work to bring traditional wellness and healing to the Northwest Territories. We are working with them by making space available on the Stanton campus so that they can move forward with the wellness compound, wellness complex. We also are working with a group, I believe, in Fort Good Hope to test some models of some traditional healing opportunities in the Sahtu. The Stanton Hospital is getting ready to pilot an elders-in-residence program to bring more traditional healing and wellness.

We have put together a terms of reference in partnership with Indigenous governments from across the Northwest Territories to form a wellness advisory group to provide advice and guidance to us on how we can better incorporate traditional healing and wellness into our system as a whole so that people do not even have to look outside to programs and services in the South, that we can truly be an integrated system here that incorporates both traditional as well as western medicine to provide holistic care for all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there have been a lot of concerns raised by Indigenous activists about the integrity or procedural fairness in our justice system. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if he has taken any steps to review these concerns and how they apply to our role in the Canadian justice system? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I cannot, of course, and it would be improper for me to, discuss any specific case before the courts, but there has been a good deal of commentary about the jury system across Canada. I can advise that I have been thinking about this issue and would like to hear from the public and also from members of the local bar who practice in this area. I am a little concerned that radical changes to the jury system would be ill advised. This system has served us well for a thousand years.

I do have some familiarity with the jury system, as the former jury administrator for this government. I am pleased to hear the Minister is considering opening this discussion up to the public. Is this just an idea he is having, or is he planning on launching some sort of public consultation on these, the issues that have been raised around fairness in our justice system?

No, I was not thinking of having a public consultation. I, too, have a good deal of experience with the jury system and have found that it has worked very well in our jurisdiction, dealing with many jury trials in my home community of Fort Smith and also in at least one or two other communities. I certainly will, and I often do, meet with members of my profession and would like to hear from them. Certainly, if the public wishes to write me or contact me in some way, I would also be interested in hearing their concerns, but I am not planning any formal public process at this time.

I appreciate this is a sensitive issue, but it is also an important issue, and people need to be heard. I might be asking the wrong Minister, but if the Minister could talk to the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and perhaps consult with that Minister to develop a consultation, a round table discussion, anything really, it does not have to be terribly expensive, but can the Minister commit to having some sort of public engagement around these issues and the broader issue of reconciliation in the Northwest Territories and Canada?

Of course the legislation, the criminal legislation, is a federal concern, and I think that it would be more appropriate for the federal Minister to be addressed in this area. The Member also alluded to the broader area of reconciliation, and Members will know that the Government of the Northwest Territories is dedicated to that concept of reconciliation.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just because it is a federal issue does not mean we do not have a responsibility to raise these issues that are being raised by our constituents and by people who are leading rallies and protests outside this building to get our attention, so will the Minister commit to bringing this to the federal Minister of Justice or to the FPT table to see if there can be a national conversation or see if the NWT can join the national conversation, and if he can find a way to do this without delay? Thank you.

I imagine this matter will be discussed at the next FPT so, should it be on the agenda, certainly we will be involved with that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to continue the conversation that I had yesterday with the Minister of Lands on mine site reclamation. Yesterday he said that he was sure that GNWT had not given any kind of a release or indemnity to TerraX with regard to work that they may want to carry out at the Ptarmigan Mine site, so I am wondering if the Minister would be willing to check with his federal counterparts about whether the federal government had issued any kind of indemnity or release to TerraX with regard to their work on the Ptarmigan Mine site? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for his question, but must take the question as notice.

Masi. The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure regarding the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) Sole-Source Contracts Report for the period April 1 to December 31, 2017. They ask for a rationale for contracting on a sole source basis for specific goods and services.

Could the Minister please provide:

1. With respect to sole source #02865 for $7,200,000 and #2922 for $14,800,000 with Imperial Oil Ltd for the supply of petroleum products, an explanation why this purchase was necessary through sole-source purchase and not by public tender;

2. With respect to sole-source #2949 for $200,000 with the Inuvialuit Development Corporation for “as and when financial advisory services,” an explanation of the specific scope of these services and why they are not sourced in-house from GNWT advisors;

3. With respect to sole source #3559 for $10,130,000 with Offshore Recruiting Services Inc. for the Marine Transportation Services, an explanation of what is meant by “offshore recruiting services”; and

4. With respect to sole-source #2811 for $855,000 with Fireside Project Management Inc. for a Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal project manager, an explanation of why this function was not fulfilled with GNWT in-house resources or by the Boreal Health Partnership.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Written questions. Member for Nahendeh.