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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Government of Northwest Territories has signed a bilateral agreement with the federal government to invest new resources into mental health and addictions services, as well as home and community care. This investment will provide approximately $6 million over the next five years, including $2.4 million for mental health and addictions services and $3.6 million for home and community care services.

Not only do these investments support key objectives in both our Child and Youth Mental Wellness Action Plan and our Continuing Care Services Action Plan, they also align with the mandate of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Our government has made a commitment in the mandate to support elders to live in their homes as long as possible and to providing quality long-term care when this option is no longer available.

The investments for home and community care will be used to develop a paid family/community caregiver option for residents who manage their own care. This initiative will provide individuals with an option to meet their care needs and access home supports currently not available to them through an existing home and community care program.

It will also support the implementation of an updated, evidence-based assessment tool for home and community care, called the International Resident Assessment Instrument. This new tool will ensure individuals receive home and community care services based on their assessed care needs, with the goal of supporting seniors and elders in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has a history of resilience, strength, and a strong commitment to helping one another. However, the impacts of colonization and residential schools continue to challenge the wellness of our people and communities.

One area where we can see evidence of these impacts is the issue of suicide. Currently there are a number of services available across the Northwest Territories to assist residents facing mental health challenges, including the Community Counselling Program, the NWT Help Line, the On the Land Healing Fund, Mental Health First Aid, and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.

While these services and supports are already in place, we know that we can do more to support communities, and our government has made a commitment in its mandate to enhance access to culturally appropriate programs and services. One of the ways we will be doing this for suicide prevention is by targeting investments for mental health and addictions to the development and implementation of a Territorial Suicide Prevention and Crisis Support Network.

Mr. Speaker, this initiative will enhance culturally appropriate approaches to suicide prevention, provide support to communities to build a sense of hope and meaning, while also improving our ability to provide a timely response to community needs in the event of a crisis. This support network will complement our existing mental health and addictions options and is in line with the Strategic Framework for Mental Health and Addictions Recovery and with the recently released Child and Youth Mental Wellness Action Plan.

I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their 10-year commitment to strengthen supports for home and community care and mental health and addictions in the Northwest Territories. These investments will improve key services for residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is Education Week in the Northwest Territories. I would like to celebrate the educators who have dedicated their careers, and lives, to teaching our children and youth. I would also like to share how I and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment are supporting their success.

Right now there are more than 800 educators here in Yellowknife at the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association Educators' Conference. They are working together to strengthen education in the territory by participating in workshops, professional development, and training sessions.

Mr. Speaker, the theme of the 2018 Educators' Conference is Our Students, Our North, Our Success. The conference has included the very best resources, expertise, and speakers for our educators. I encourage all my colleagues to welcome and thank the teachers they meet this week in town. Mr. Speaker, the Educators' Conference is just one example of the strong relationship between the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association.

As part of education renewal, in the 2017-2018 school year the Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices three-year pilot was launched in collaboration with the Teachers' Association and the Northwest Territories Superintendents' Association to support excellence in teaching and learning.

Mr. Speaker, we know that teachers are one of the most important factors in student achievement. High-quality instruction improves student outcomes. Teachers need time to properly plan and to develop their teaching strategies and instructional practices.

While there are other factors that influence student outcomes, there is strong evidence to show that supporting teacher wellness, giving teachers more time to prepare, assess, and collaborate, and providing strategic professional development opportunities are critical in improving teacher practice and student academic success.

Mr. Speaker, the Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices pilot allows schools to schedule as many hours as they feel are required to properly deliver the curriculum, subject to the legislated minimum of 945 hours of instruction. Starting in the 2017-2018 school year, schools were permitted to submit proposals to redirect up to 100 hours of instructional time divided evenly between teachers' professional duties and collaborative professional learning. It is up to the school principal and the education authority, in consultation with the superintendent, to decide the appropriate amount of time.

Each school submits a Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices proposal outlining how their teachers will use their time. A committee made up of the department, the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association, and the Northwest Territories Superintendents' Association reviewed and approved each proposal.

Mr. Speaker, all schools participating in the Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices pilot this year have split their redirected hours equally between time for individual professional duties and learning, and collaborative professional learning. No resources are directed away from the students. The activities in some schools included collaborative evaluations, assessments, and goal-setting, while in others staff worked together to improve student mental wellness. For example, in the Dehcho Region, one school spent their Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices hours developing a school-wide bullying prevention strategy; another worked on positive behaviour intervention, culture, and events; and yet another, on Dene language for educators.

As we celebrate our educators this week, the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association provides a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate their teachers, as well. The Thank You for Making a Difference initiative highlights the contributions of dedicated educators who make a difference in the lives of students, with students themselves submitting messages of appreciation and nominating them for individual and school prizes. All of the thank you messages will be delivered to teachers during this Education Week.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to offer my personal thank you to the teachers who made a difference in my life and to the dedicated educators who continue to teach our children and youth. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on what we thought was an emerging market in our territory, a chance at a new innovative economy, an economy our government was very proactive in nurturing and has invested heavily in public infrastructure to support it. Instead, Mr. Speaker, the federal government appears once again to be impeding our economic ambitions.

Mr. Speaker, I am talking about the remote sensing satellite facilities in Inuvik, the satellite antenna sites that dot the Inuvik skyline, which many of my colleagues have toured, but today remain idle and unlicensed by the Government of Canada. It has been two years since Kongsberg Satellite Services of Norway and Planet of the USA invested millions of dollars to locate to Inuvik to complement the existing federal satellite site.

Mr. Speaker, recently Prime Minister Trudeau was in San Francisco praising Canada's progressive approach to attracting the global technology sector, but it seems nothing could be further from the truth. Other competitive jurisdictions license remote sensing facilities in as little as 30 to 60 days. Canada's lengthy, outdated approach is jeopardizing our future.

Mr. Speaker, our government has invested over $100 million in fibre optic infrastructure down the Mackenzie Valley, and even more into ongoing operating costs. We know this investment would not have been possible without support from the satellite industry in Inuvik.

Inuvik, with its unique geographic location above the Arctic Circle and full community amenities, makes it the optimal destination for remote sensing in Canada. In the last two years, a small private satellite facility constructed seven satellite antennas and is hopeful for many more to come. This is an exciting opportunity for Inuvik and the NWT, but with applications taking up to two years to process in Ottawa, it could end up economically devastating to our territory. Some within the satellite industry are already advising antenna developers to not apply in Canada due to the lengthy and arduous process to get approval.

Mr. Speaker, we have built the fibre optic line. We are investing in enhancing our geomatics centre to become participants in this rapidly growing sector. All of the proactive work by this government is at risk because of the federal government's inability to provide certainty for this industry and its future.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I once again rise to speak about the quality of medical travel services received by residents of Hay River who are not covered by the GNWT's benefit plan. Spoiler alert, Mr. Speaker: the quality is poor.

I have addressed this issue with Member's statements and in question period. I have brought it up with the department during committee meetings. I have bombarded the Minister of Health's inbox, and I have discussed this issue with him over and over again. However, Mr. Speaker, the level of service has not improved.

Last time I brought this issue up in the House, I told the story of my constituent who was informed by the medical travel office that they had booked his flight, but for the day before. Well, in the meantime, that very same constituent had to once again travel for medical reasons. This time, First Air called him and informed him that the flight was booked and it was departing in two minutes. Needless to say, that flight was missed, as well. That is the third missed flight for this one person, and they each occurred because the medical travel office failed to inform him that his flight was booked.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, getting on the flight is only half the battle. If you have a medical appointment in Edmonton, there is a good chance you have to be at the airport in Hay River before 7:30 a.m. so you can catch the flight to Yellowknife; then you have to sit in Yellowknife and wait for your afternoon flight. If you are lucky, you fly to Edmonton, but you might be heading to Calgary for another layover before you finally get on the flight to Edmonton. If either of those two afternoon flights is delayed, you might not get to where you are going until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, making for an 18- or 19-hour travel day, and then you have to make it to your 8:00 a.m. appointment.

Mr. Speaker, I hear about this happening all the time. In addition to the problems with bookings, there are problems with the flow of information. During the seven- or eight-hour layover in Yellowknife, patients are eligible to spend the day resting at Abel House, but many of them do not know because they are never informed. When you are flying home from Edmonton, you can get a wheelchair at the airport and skip some of the long lines. I have a constituent in his 80s who stood in line at the airport for over an hour the day after heart surgery because he did not know, because no one told him.

Mr. Speaker, these issues have been brought to me over and over again since I was elected. I cannot just keep telling my constituents that I am working on it. Something has to change. I will have questions for the Minister of Health at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to express the concerns raised by my honourable friend from Yellowknife North regarding the length of time it takes to approve and issue a remote sensing licence under the current Remote Sensing Satellite Systems Act.

As it stands today, while other jurisdictions have updated their regulatory regimes to accommodate a remote sensing licence in as little as 30 days, Canada still requires two years. The space industry is evolving, and the remote sensing sector is growing all over Canada, including here in the Northwest Territories.

This is a perfect example of the knowledge-based economic development that I have advocated that this government pursue in order to create a truly sustainable and diversified economy since the beginning of my tenure as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kam Lake.

Through the inability of the federal government to provide regulatory certainty to the remote sensing sector, it has stalled new developments, and we must continuously push forward and put pressure on our federal counterparts to approve the current licences on the ground and to streamline the regulatory process. This is a great opportunity, Mr. Speaker, that will create many more jobs and economic growth when these licences are approved and when we can gain certainty over this growing sector of our economy.

The commercial satellite sector is growing at a phenomenal pace. For Canada to effectively compete in this highly competitive global market, regulatory certainty is required. Many jurisdictions today recognize the importance of attracting and promoting the space science sector and have streamlined their regulatory regimes accordingly to become competitive. The space industry has transitioned into a highly competitive commercial market, and they will locate where conditions are most favourable. We know that Inuvik has some of the most favourable conditions in the world, not just in Canada.

Our government has made a significant public investment of over $100 million plus operating costs to high-speed fibre optic infrastructure from Inuvik to Alberta to support the data requirements in the satellite industry in Inuvik. When this is approved, licences, we will clearly indicate to the growing market that we in the North are open for business.

There can be no denial that in order to create the level of certainty in this new sector of our economy, the current regulatory regime must be overhauled and I hope this Cabinet will step up to the plate and advocate for a regulatory reform at the level of the Government of Canada and protect our economic advantage in Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Tourism is a growing sector of our economy. In Fort Providence, we see a lot of traffic on Highway No. 3, and I know there is great potential to increase the tourists' experience in our area.

People used to stop on the shore of the mighty Deh Cho to wait for the ferry not far from the tiny blue sign that identifies the waterway as the Mackenzie River. Today, tourists on the highway cruise right past the sign and over the Deh Cho bridge, perhaps unaware of the significance of our greatest river. If they blink, they might miss it. The sign, I mean.

The Deh Cho is not only our greatest river, travelled by Dene people for thousands of years. It is Canada's greatest. The Mackenzie crowns the second longest river system in North America, more than 4,200 kilometres long. Our river sends more than 300 cubic kilometres of water into the Beaufort Sea. There is a lot of water under our bridge, Mr. Speaker.

The little blue sign by the road hints at none of this. The unsuspecting tourist may not know that the Deh Cho's second name comes from Alexander Mackenzie, an enthusiastic Scottish tourist and fur trader of some fame who came this way in 1793.

I'm just getting started, Mr. Speaker. I have yet to dive into the Deh Cho's cultural and economic significance. Yes, and say a few words about the great Metis riverboat captains, but first I want to note that on the north side of the river is a large display where visitors can read all about the Deh Cho bridge and marvel at the engineering feats involved in its construction. With sincere thanks to the Department of Infrastructure and the community, we now also have warning signs for pedestrians who may be walking along the road. I feel confident that this department will erect a larger, more colourful sign to note the Deh Cho for highway travellers.

Before I turn to some of the greatest Dene legends about the Deh Cho, I feel it is time to invite the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment to do its part. In fact, it is past the time we have a roadside park to commemorate the Deh Cho and Mackenzie River. Perhaps we can open it in time for the 60th anniversary of the highway.

Now I want to speak briefly about the giant beavers and the two great men with medicine powers. Oh, no, Mr. Speaker, I must have missed your sign. My time for this statement has run out. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has committed to implement a carbon pricing system this year. It is great that we are making headway by taking accountability for our contribution to the greenhouse gases, and a carbon tax is necessary for reducing our carbon footprint, but at the same time we want to improve residents' quality of life and not make their lives harder.

In my riding, propane and diesel are the main fuel sources used for heating, though many also try to use wood and pellet stoves to reduce costs. Most electricity is produced through diesel. This means that, in my riding, residents face a carbon tax for both heating and electricity. With costs for propane and diesel already significantly higher in the North than the rest of Canada, and still increasing, a carbon tax will add to the residents' disadvantage.

Mr. Speaker, although there are proposals to return carbon tax revenue to residents, these will not return the full amount, meaning an increased financial obligation to residents, without alternative fuels to turn to. Not in my riding, at least.

The purpose of the carbon tax is to reduce carbon emissions. This means that revenue from the tax should decrease over time as we reduce emissions. My fear? Well, it is that, while Nahendeh will see costs go up, we won't see emissions go down because there has been little planning for alternative fuel sources.

Some NWT residents can use hydro. A government discussion paper released in July stated that Taltson Hydro Facility will be expanded. This means that, for Fort Smith, Hay River, Hay River Reserve, Enterprise, and Fort Resolution, a shift from carbon-based fuel to hydro is much easier than for Nahendeh.

Other communities can turn to solar. The introduction of solar diesel plants in Colville Lake has saved the community an estimation of 37,000 litres of diesel fuel, one fifth of the community's annual fuel usage. This is a great start, but now the work seems to have stalled. Colville Lake has seen significant benefits, yet the government won't look at expanding to other small communities until they study it further.

This does not get the smaller communities in my riding the help they need. The communities that rely on diesel need the government to think big, to show leadership, and take action, and not rest on their hydro, wind, and solar laurels. We must explore alternative energy sources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources tabled a document on "Waste Resource Management Strategy" and potential economic and environmental benefits resulting from household, commercial, and industrial sources at municipal landfill sites. Mr. Speaker, the strategy complements the many inventory studies completed, in particular a technical report waste inventory dated November 15, 2013, for the Sahtu communities.

Given this pre-cost inventory assessment report and avoiding waste hazard materials potentially entering into the community watersheds, this would be a meaningful portion of the action plan if initiated. Mr. Speaker, execution of the strategy would provide a variety of economic benefits and waste safety training, packaging, disposals, and the Waste Resource Management Strategy is linked to the NWT Water Stewardship Strategy Action Plan.

As you can see, Mr. Speaker, implementing this strategy in collaboration with other communities only complements our government's mandate, cleaner community environment, while providing meaningful business and economic opportunities. Mr. Speaker, later I will have questions for the appropriate Minister. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. It was very disappointing to hear the Premier reject the report and findings of the Ministerial Special Representative on Arctic Leadership, Mary Simon, in this House on February 13th.

Ms. Simon held 65 engagement meetings involving 170 people, including the Premier, and received 34 written submissions to help her prepare her report. That's a lot more than the zero public engagement that the three northern Premiers undertook in putting together the Pan-Territorial Vision for resource development. Whoops. Sustainable Development.

Ms. Simon's excellent report made a number of recommendations in the areas of education, research and Indigenous knowledge, infrastructure, broadband telecommunications, housing, reducing fossil fuel dependence, Arctic conservation, addressing the mental health crisis, and specific suggestions for the development of an Arctic Policy Framework. This balanced approach truly reflects sustainability in its broadest sense by including aspects of environment, economy, culture, wellness, and social development.

Recently the Premier tabled a document titled "We are One Mind" prepared by Dene Nahjo, Our Voices, and Qanak, who are collectives of emerging leaders from the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut. This document offers their perspective on the Arctic Policy Framework. Recommendations are made under three themes: one is Northerners leading northern policy engagement; another is protecting future generations; and healthy economies is the third theme.

Specific recommendations include creation of a Northern Policy Institute and the University of the Arctic, stronger recognition of Indigenous languages, investment in childcare, development of Indigenous protected areas, and more. This report also takes a broad and balanced approach to sustainability.

The directions of these two reports stands in contrast to the narrow focus of the Pan-Territorial Vision for Sustainable Development put forward exclusively by the three northern Premiers and the direction that the Premier seems to want to take on the Northwest Territories Chapter of the Arctic Policy Framework. I will have questions later today for the Premier on these matters. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT Rental Office provides recourse under the Residential Tenancies Act when landlords and renters are in dispute. One of the most common disputes, of course, is a tenant's failure to pay rent. As it turns out, not being paid is only the beginning of the landlord's troubles.

Let me explain. Let's say a landlord is owed three months' back rent for a total of $6,000. That is big money. The landlord goes to the rental office. She files an application for a court order to recover the debt. Next step: a hearing to lay out the facts. According to figures contained in the 2016-2017 Rental Office Report, only 12 per cent of hearings take place within 60 days, 28 per cent take more than 120 days, and the vast majority, almost two thirds, take in excess of 90 days from the time of the application. The importance of this time lag is that the landlord does not get a penny until the court order is in place.

Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine filed an application last April and was lucky to get a hearing in just six weeks, but the follow-up action, the written order to recover the rent owed, was not issued until August, more than three months later. Then, there is an additional wait for the garnishee order. All told, it took almost half a year to get the legal authority to recover her debt.

Even at this point, the landlord's troubles are far from over. Now they have to collect the money. The property owner goes to the last place of employment they know of for the tenant, and they hope the tenant still works there. Of course, losing your job is a common reason for not paying your rent, so that is often pointless. The same goes for a bank garnishee on someone who is unemployed.

Obviously, Mr. Speaker, the point here is timeliness. Yes, landlords need to prove they are owed the money, so a hearing with a decision and a garnishee order are all necessary steps, but wait times have bloated over the last year.

The 2015-2016 report says that only 9 per cent of hearings took more than 90 days, compared to 63 per cent last year. As to the time between the hearing and the written order, we have no way of knowing, because the Rental Office Report does not include that crucial set of figures.

The rental office is an example of citizen hardship because essential government functions are starved for resources. I will have questions for the Justice Minister. Mahsi.

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

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about early childhood development. I am concerned about the potential effects that certain government programs can indirectly have upon our children. Junior kindergarten and other daycare programs have a large body of research on early childhood development that has not yet produced a scientific consensus as to the meaningful benefits that children can gain and maintain in the long term.

I must also state that I do recognize that there has been much study and evidence to suggest that having a robust universal daycare program can provide many benefits to parents and the economy. Even a recent study done this by government has underscored those points. The focus of my statement, though, is about the impacts that such programs can have on our children.

Mr. Speaker, there are reports in jurisdictions that have yielded results within the concept of education-based junior kindergarten, where such programs can have the potential to impede the social and emotional development of children by removing them from family care and into a classroom setting too early.

Mr. Speaker, a jurisdiction like Finland has a play-focused universal daycare in place and the option of a Child Home Care Allowance program. This program provides a monthly allowance that is based on income and the age and number of children in each family. It is designed for family members to stay at home and care for their young children.

Mr. Speaker, I know that a strong family unit is the basis for a strong and prosperous society. I also know that children's first five years are the most crucial for social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development. I believe that this government should consider investing in other programs in order to enable children to develop the strongest possible relations with their parents. I also believe that any junior kindergarten and non-parental daycare programs that are also supported by this government should primarily emphasize play, as opposed to instruction.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are many studies and organizations which state that play is critical to the development of children to foster future citizens who are happy and healthy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.