Good morning, colleagues. Item 1, Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a responsibility to make sure that high school students in the Northwest Territories have access to an equitable, high-quality education that prepares them to be contributing members to our communities. We owe it to our young people to provide an environment that supports wellness, inspires a sense of identity, and builds on their strengths, because we know it means a greater chance for success both in academics and in life.

Mr. Speaker, Members are aware of some of our work to date to implement education renewal and, in particular, to meet our mandate commitments to developing options to increase the approaches available to students that lead to graduation, to improve graduation rates, and to provide greater linkages to post-secondary schooling. This work is closely linked to the goals of the Skills4Success Strategic Framework and action plan, 2016-2020, which include increasing skills with relevant education and training, and bridging education and employment gaps with targeted supports.

We have been acting decisively on this commitment because data, research, and northern voices are telling us the same thing: Northwest Territories students need to be better prepared for post-secondary education, work, and life upon completion of high school.

Mr. Speaker, our new approaches include:

• new high school pathways that offer a wider range of options for high school completion;

• increasing the number of academic grade 10-12 courses available to small community students by expanding Northern Distance Learning;

• career and education advisors who will help students choose an educational path that meets their goals while making them aware of in-demand jobs and the skills needed to fill them; and,

• increasing access to youth mental wellness specialists in schools and communities through the Child and Youth Care counsellor initiative in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, high school pathways will provide grade 10-12 students with more options that are engaging, individualized, flexible, and aligned with each student’s plans for their future. The outcome we expect will be an increase in the number of students who successfully complete high school, who continue on to post-secondary or training pursuits, and who are ready for employment.

Northern Distance Learning is also being expanded. The initiative started in the Beaufort Delta and is currently facilitated for several communities by experienced teachers in Inuvik’s East Three Secondary School. Learning through video interfaces will increase the number of grade 10-12 academically inclined students who can stay in their home community, where they have family supports, and still take academic or dash-one courses.

Mr. Speaker, through the Education Renewal and Skills4Success initiatives, we have learned that students and youth also need specialized career and educational advice and supports so that they can make informed decisions about their future. With more than 78 per cent of Northwest Territories jobs requiring a post-secondary education, we must do a better job of connecting them to the labour market because their success is critical to the North’s economic success.

Students and 18- to 24-year-old youths out of school will soon have additional support from career and education advisors, who will help them as they discover their career interests, learn about Northwest Territories jobs in demand, and understand how to acquire the education and experience to obtain those jobs.

This team of advisors will begin their work in the second semester of the 2018-2019 school year. They will advise students as they select a post-secondary pathway and plan ahead by providing information on the right mix of high school courses and marks to meet the eligibility criteria of post-secondary and training institutions. Career and education advisors will promote skilled trades as first-choice careers, encourage students to consider apprenticeships in trades and certified occupations, and assist with finding financial supports.

Mr. Speaker, mental wellness issues gravely affect the lives of a large number of our children and youth. I believe that student academic achievement needs to be built upon a foundation of mental health and wellness. Worldwide research supports this perspective. The educational changes we are making will have a better chance of success with the introduction of child and youth care counsellors in our schools and communities during the next four years. These counsellors will help create a safe and supportive environment to promote the mental wellness of children and youth, which we expect will lead to improved academic outcomes, as well.

All of these changes require the support of education authorities, teachers, parents, students, Indigenous governments, and employers if they are to be successful. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will engage all of these stakeholders as we move forward.

Mr. Speaker, these changes will happen over the next 18 months, starting with the career and education advisors and child and youth care counsellors, followed by the expansion of Northern Distance Learning and the High School Pathways implementation.

Mr. Speaker, any one of these programs would improve the success of our high school students. Taken together, as part of the comprehensive Education Renewal and Skills4Success action plans, they will provide equitable, flexible, and supportive education that prepares northern youth for life, post-secondary education, and employment.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 2, Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided].

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about a $1.1 billion class action lawsuit that was filed last month by former patients at Indian hospitals in Canada. These facilities were racially segregated general hospitals that were built between 1945 and 1981 to enhance policies of assimilation in order to replace traditional, Indigenous healing with western biomedicine. However, the Canadian government justified the construction of these facilities as a way to isolate the spread of tuberculosis and other diseases.

Mr. Speaker, these institutions were not hospitals. They were an extension of the residential school system and Sixties Scoop, as they admitted Indigenous adults and children alike who were taken from their communities and families and sent to these facilities. Once there, they were subjected to substandard medical care; medical experiences without patients' knowledge or consent; instances of sexual and physical abuse; constant denigration of their culture, language, and heritage; and overcrowded and understaffed facilities.

There were also many cases, Mr. Speaker, were Indigenous women were forced to undergo sterilization procedures, which was a colonial practice the federal government utilized as a way to limit and reduce the population of Indigenous peoples across Canada. Moreover, patients were routinely detained, isolated, and even restrained to their beds.

Mr. Speaker, my aunt worked in a hospital in Fort Resolution until she, herself, got sick. At one time, she escorted 29 TB patients from Fort Resolution to the hospital in Fort Smith because the 100-bed hospital in Fort Resolution was full.

Mr. Speaker, I also had a friend who witnessed a TB patient from Behchoko or Fort Ray, as it was known at the time, that what was chained to a bed and was beaten by another TB patient.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, I am told by elders that the government made a rule that, if treaty people did not have a clear x-ray, they wouldn't get their annual $5 payment.

Overall, Mr. Speaker, the people who were admitted to these hospitals were treated with the utmost disrespect. People from surrounding communities who passed away were buried without informing the families.

Mr. Speaker, there were dozens of these institutes across the country which admitted thousands of Indigenous peoples, including people here, in the NWT. In an article released last week in News/North, they listed 29 "Indian hospitals" that they reported existed in Canada. However, I was told by one of my constituents that two hospitals in the NWT were omitted from that list. Those facilities were St. Anne's Hospital in Fort Smith and St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Resolution. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I spoke about the proposed shovel-ready LNG pilot project. I would like to follow up today to talk about what I see as the direct benefits of this proposal.

Mr. Speaker, by looking at this pilot project and using the NWT gas, there would be a justification of recommissioning the Cameron Hills gas field located within the Northwest Territories that has currently been shut in and is not producing. By doing this, it means more royalties and taxes on natural gas produced and processed within the NWT.

This proposal could reduce the government's financial burden for the subsidies distributed to power consumers through the Territorial Support Program.

Mr. Speaker, the company proposal includes supplying a fully integrated LNG solution and fronting the proposed capital expenditures, inclusive of supply of power generation equipment as an option, and they can reduce the current power costs and benefit consumers in the North.

Each LNG truck delivers the equivalent of up to 16 trucks, thus reducing diesel consumption for fuel deliveries and traffic on local roads. LNG reduces the carbon footprint for energy source deliveries and would further reduce energy costs by up to 40 per cent for power generation.

Mr. Speaker, LNG within the NWT would be the first sustainable long-term and affordable energy source for the people of the Northwest Territories, thereby reducing diesel fuel.

LNG-sourced energy from the NWT would protect from future price spikes of oil, propane, and diesel.

Mr. Speaker, LNG could potentially reduce the impact from the imminent federal and territorial carbon tax implementation. LNG would drastically reduce the carbon emissions and greenhouse gases for existing power generation and can be used as a potential future heating source.

LNG could qualify the NWT for green credits and additional federal funding or our ability to facilitate the sale of carbon credits.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, this would support and create local employment. It would help reduce the cost of living for the three communities in the beginning, but, as it expands, we could see a huge reduction for all residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. Here, in the Northwest Territories, most of our citizens do fairly well in comparison to other Canadians when it comes to cost-free and reasonable access to prescription drugs. We know that, in the South, one in five Canadians never fills the prescription given by their caregiver because they do not have the money. In 2015, Canada's prescription drug spending as a share of gross domestic product was the fifth-highest among 31 OECD countries. Canada spends more on prescription drugs because we pay higher prices for them, not because we need or buy more.

One important aspect is who is not covered for prescriptions. Indigenous peoples are covered under NIHB, and, though it has its limitations, this is a good start. Non-Indigenous and Metis people who have specified conditions or are 60 years or more are covered under Extended Health Benefits. What about the working poor or those who are on income assistance and not Indigenous? What about our students who are no longer covered by their parents' plans? Anyone who is not covered by a work-based plan, NHIB, or Extended Health Benefits struggles to purchase prescriptions, and they may join the one in five Canadians who cannot always fill prescriptions. This is a disgrace and needs to be changed. It also results in higher costs for our healthcare system as people show up for emergency care as prescriptions are not filled and conditions get worse.

Another major issue here and across Canada and, indeed, the world is the rising cost of prescription drugs, both as a proportion of the healthcare budget and the costs of the drugs themselves. Today, federal, provincial, and territorial governments bulk-buy medications under the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which has resulted in an estimated $1.28 billion in combined annual savings. This very limited bulk purchasing model has saved money but has only minimally lowered drug costs. Refinements to this system are needed to make it more effective, and Canada needs to stop signing so-called free-trade agreements that vastly extend patent protection for drugs and corporations that make drugs.

We need to work towards a national pharmacare program. The Canadian Labour Congress has done some work on this, and I will table a document later today about it. GNWT needs to stand in solidarity for a national pharmacare plan. I will have questions for the Health Minister later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to remind the honourable Members of this House that, although we occupy these seats for now, we are holding them in trust for future generations.

Young people in the Northwest Territories and Canada live in very different circumstances than I did or my parents did or my grandparents, and those changing circumstances give a different perspective. It is a perspective that decision makers are often disconnected with, which is why we must work very diligently to connect with young Canadians and young Northerners and to understand their perspectives on the issues of the day.

I think we could take further steps to bring legislation such as bills to classrooms to allow the students to weigh in, to establish a youth council, to give them a voice or the Premier's ear, so to speak, on important policy issues that come forward by this government but essentially connect to them because they are the only stakeholders in the Northwest Territories who do not have a voice because they cannot vote. That does not mean their voice is not important.

I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Youth about whether any of the suggestions that have been brought before this House to strengthen the role of young people in an advisory capacity for this government have been looked at, worked on, or are rolling forward. Again, it is imperative that we listen to the next generation of leaders and that we understand their perspective on the issues of the day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year, at about this time, I raised the issue of overflow at Georgetown at kilometre 140 of the Dempsey highway. I suggested that a heat trace line be installed to prevent freezing of the culvert there. I believe the Minister of Infrastructure had his department look into what could be done.

Judging from this year's overflow, it appears that work on this matter did not go beyond looking into it. The water was flowing until ice built up in the culvert. Now water simply builds up on the south side of the highway until it flows over the road and along the side the road, flooding out Georgetown.

As I noted last year, it was a safety issue, and it continues to be a safety issue today.

The cause seems to be changes on the highway and impacts of climate change. The issue was raised in Tsiigehtchic's Land Use Plan as far back as 2009.

The 2010 Gwichya Gwich'in Climate Change Adaptation Planning Project report refers to the possibility that highway culverts were shifted by permafrost or incorrectly installed.

Mr. Speaker, blocked highway culverts are the responsibility of the Department of Infrastructure. Nine years after this problem was identified by the community, it remains uncorrected, and I am beginning to think the department is frozen as solid as the culverts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In today's YK Paper, the unemployment rate in the Northwest Territories increased to 8.7 per cent, up from 7 per cent last year, fourth-highest in Canada and much higher in our small communities. This is an indicator to government's decrease in revenues and without industry, as well.

Mr. Speaker, one of the positive supporting action initiatives is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Small Community Employment Support Program. We can all agree, without government support and without industry projects, this only increases challenges to the household income and contributes to the social family problems.

Mr. Speaker, although this program can be viewed as a small economic contributor for increased employment, the principle is making a meaningful contribution.

Mr. Speaker, later I will have questions to the Minister of ECE on program funding details. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during this budget session, we've heard from the Finance Minister about the shortfall in revenues, and how that's killing our aspirations for improving services and programs for residents. The rhetoric from the Executive portrays this as a twist of fate, like hail on the crops, a hardship to be endured until the return of better days. It's not.

What we've learned from two recent reports on the need for a just return of non-renewable resources is that the loss of revenue can be corrected. Andrew Bauer in his 2017 report "NWT Mineral Sector Review and Benchmarking" and Dr. Don Hubert in his report "Many Ways to Lose a Billion" demonstrate that Canada, and particularly the NWT, are selling their resources far too cheaply, and that reasonable increases in resource royalties are justifiable and needed.

These guys aren't amateurs, Mr. Speaker. They are both internationally recognized experts in and commentators on governmental resource royalty and taxation regimes.

Neither has much good to say about royalty practices such as those prevalent here. Bauer's report describes the NWT as one of the most "charitable" places in the world for mining companies due to the government's generous deductions on royalties and corporate income taxes." While the NWT is only collecting 20 to 30 per cent of mining profits, he cites examples of other countries, such as South Africa, Peru, and Western Australia, which collect up to 80 per cent. He refers to our take as paltry.

The Hubert report is equally critical. Dr. Hubert points out that royalties and taxes are often considered low in the rank of resource development benefits such as GDP growth, community investment, employment, and new infrastructure; but, he says, it's the royalties and taxes that actually offer governments the best opportunity to capture benefits on the one-time opportunity to profit from non-renewable wealth. Hubert outlines a host of revenue killers including tax breaks and holidays, under-reported project revenues, and over-reported costs, and he points out how governments must be both wary and savvy to get the best return. His overlying message is that it's the job of corporations to minimize their costs, but it's the job of governments to reasonably maximize citizens' benefits.

I will have questions for the Minister. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cost of living in the north is a significant obstacle to the growth we are trying to achieve as a territory. Yellowknife is our capital city, home to half of the NWT's residents. Yet those 50 per cent of NWT citizens are asked to carry an even higher burden than other residents most of the time. In two short years as an MLA, I have learned a lot about the various things that drive up the cost of living here in Yellowknife.

The Alberta carbon tax has put increased costs on all goods transported into the territory. Our own forthcoming carbon tax will increase that even more.

It now costs more to fly in and out of Yellowknife airport due to new landing fees.

The Power Corporation has increased its rates by 33 per cent over the last six years, with another 4 per cent coming this year. Mr. Speaker, that's nearly 40 per cent in seven years.

Lease fees and permit fees for lands have gone up in some instances by over 100 per cent, and now the government wants to add a new land transfer tax on people buying homes.

Mr. Speaker, I know the cost of living in the small communities is higher than in Yellowknife, but Yellowknife residents pay more to subsidize people in those communities. Maybe that is unavoidable; maybe that is our duty as the capital city.

How long can this trend continue, Mr. Speaker? The government has the intention of increasing our population by 2,000, but why would they come here?

We know that our biggest private sector employers, the diamond mines, fly workers in from away. Workers could live here, but they choose not to because it's too expensive.

Now, Mr. Speaker, our own government is proposing a tax that will punish Yellowknifers even more for choosing to live here, for making a commitment to live in the North. A land transfer tax will disproportionately punish Yellowknifers for deciding to commit to living, working, and raising their families here.

That their own government, our government, would consider a new tax on the residents of the NWT, Mr. Speaker, that is just unfair, and it does not serve our mandate commitments for economic growth.

It is especially disheartening to hear from a resident who has decided, after years of living here, the he must uproot his family and move away, specifically because of how much it costs to live here. I got that email just last week, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a land transfer tax will punish the very residents this government is committed to keeping in the North, and it will punish our government by reducing federal transfer funding. Mr. Speaker, it's a bad idea, and it should not go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently the Minister of Health and Social Services announced that the GNWT had finalized a bilateral agreement on health funding with the Government of Canada.

According to this announcement, the department will invest federal funding of about $6.7 million in mental health, addictions services, and home and community care.

For that last category, Northerners will see that money going to the implementation of InterRAl, a system for assessing long-term care needs, and the development of a Paid Family Community Caregiver Pilot Project.

This captured my attention, Mr. Speaker, because, like other places in the NWT, the communities of Nunakput are facing significant challenges in meeting homecare and elder care needs.

For example, Mr. Speaker, the community of Sachs Harbour used to have a dedicated resident homecare worker. That person served the elders in the community, helping them to age in place and to access the health services that, as Northerners, they have a right to. In communities like Sachs Harbour, positions like these can also help elders navigate the healthcare system, aiding in translation, and explaining prescriptions and complicated government procedures that some elders do not understand.

What I would like to see as well as my constituents, Mr. Speaker, is to see the reinstatement of this position in Sachs Harbour.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions to explore how the Minister and I can work

together to enhance the home and community care needs in Nunakput. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's great to see all the youth in the gallery here today. I do believe that we have some youth from the grade 6-7 Weledeh classes. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. I hope you had a good tour this morning.

I also believe we have some exchange students from Quebec who are here. Welcome to the North and welcome to Yellowknife and the Legislative Assembly, as well as students from William McDonald. This is Education Week, as I have mentioned, Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to thank all the educators for all the work that you do. Mahsi cho.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize two Pages from Yellowknife South, Alden Tumoth and Ryder Ouellette-Landry, and also all the other Pages for their good work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my niece, Neve Short. She is visiting us here today from the William McDonald School. [English translation not provided.] Merci, Monsieur le President.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. [English translation not provided.] I would like to welcome the students from William McDonald school -- it's in my riding of Frame Lake -- and their exchange students from Quebec. Merci, Monsieur le President.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize the students from my past school, Weledeh School, that is located in the riding of Yellowknife North, and welcome all the other students that are here today. Thank you for coming.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce Renald Chiasson. He's a constituent of Yellowknife Centre, and he's been serving us as a Page for the last few weeks. I'd like to thank him for being here and to thank all the pages for their work. Mahsi.

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

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are going to be working over the next couple of months to create a number of options that we can go out and pilot with, either community caregiver or family support giver at a community level. We are hoping to have the pilots designed, at least for initial go-around, later in 2018. We are hoping to go out and start doing some piloting in 2018. I am happy to have conversations with the MLAs across the way, to help us set some priorities for where we might want to pilot some of these options. We know we want to pilot them in a variety of different communities: small communities, large communities, medium communities. So we are hoping to start that in the fall of 2018.

It's good to see that programs like this are starting to roll out across the territory. Mr. Speaker, in the interim and in the future, to provide a strong professional foundation to home and community care, what other actions will the Minister take to improve homecare, especially in our smallest and most remote communities? What are the options there?

Mr. Speaker, there's a number of things that are going on. In the last budget cycle, we had some additional dollars approved to create some more homecare positions across the Northwest Territories. Eleven positions were created, and a number of them were in small communities throughout the Northwest Territories. Most of them are filled. There are still a couple that we are out recruiting for.

At the same time, I committed to doing a homecare review of the entire Northwest Territories to assess the level of care that is provided in all communities, all regions, all areas of the Northwest Territories. The preliminary work has been done on that. We are developing the plan to move forward on that. We are hoping to get that work done during this upcoming fiscal year so that we can determine whether or not we are adequately resourced for homecare, home support workers across the territories.

In the meantime, we have a number of partners that we are working with, and work being done in the departments and the authorities, to support things like Elders in Motion, to provide palliative care. There are footcare options available in different communities throughout the Northwest Territories, through partners; chronic disease prevention and management. We've got vision screening that's done throughout the Northwest Territories. There are all sorts of types of things we are doing.

I think there are great partners out there, the NWT Seniors' Society and others, as well as different community-based organizations. We are trying to work together as best we can to make sure those supports are available.

It looks like it's a good opportunity to work with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, as well as the GSOs in Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister is: without local homecare services, what options are open to communities like Sachs Harbour?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are doing that homecare review to help us assess where we need to enhance some of our supports. In the meantime, for communities like Sachs Harbour where there is not a home support worker, our community health nurses are the ones who can actually provide some of the homecare services, recognizing that it's a small community. That has been able to work over the last number of years, but it is going to be included in that homecare review so that we can determine adequate resources for homecare throughout the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions, Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response from the Minister, and it's good to see the healthcare system working for elders. Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering if it's in the near future that the Minister will reinstate the position in Sachs Harbour for a homecare worker? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I can't say for sure. We really need to get that work done, the homecare assessment, so that we can make some determination across the entire Northwest Territories where we need some additional resources or where we can better utilize the resources we have, to make sure that our residents get the best care that they deserve in all communities and regions of the Northwest Territories. As we get that information, I am absolutely going to work with Members and share it with Members. Thank you.

Masi. Oral answer. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I talked about the importance of engaging young people in future decisions and current decisions, as well. So I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for Youth how this government goes about engaging youth in the Northwest Territories when they are making decisions around government spending, legislation, and other major policy decisions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for Youth.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it's a responsibility for all forms of government, whether it's the GNWT or even our Indigenous governments that we partner with, to ensure that the youth have a voice. I am a strong supporter of this.

In fact, in our last government, the Member and Members would be glad to hear that, when we were developing our Safe and Caring School legislation in the Northwest Territories, we did engage with youth across the Northwest Territories. We had face-to-face meetings with them in their schools and in their classrooms and got feedback on that legislation. It was great to have that interaction.

I know this Legislative Assembly, as well, does some really great programs. We do, on an annual basis, have Youth Parliament, where every one of our communities is represented, every one of our constituents is represented by a youth, as well as the Mace Tour, going out and letting youth across the Northwest Territories know how the Legislative Assembly operates, what our jobs are as decision makers, as the Member referred to it in his Member statement, and how to create legislation and bring up concerns from our communities.

I encourage all Members of the Legislative Assembly to engage your youth on decisions that are being made here, in the House, any legislations that will be coming before this House, as well as any other policies or strategies that are going to affect them and affect them into the future. I think every Member in this Legislative Assembly has that responsibility to take.

I appreciate the Minister's answer, in particular around the Safe Schools bill. That's exactly what I am talking about. I think it's great to get information out to young people and to students in particular about how government works, about how bills are shaped and what they're going to do to our environment, to our economy. That's really what I am talking about.

So one thing that they've done at different levels of government is establish youth councils that can provide a standing body of advice for government. Is that something the Minister would consider?

I do know that we do have youth participate at the national level, also bring concerns forward at the territorial level. In a lot of our schools, they have school councils as well. I know there are some of our Aboriginal groups who have youth that sit on national and international councils that bring concerns forward to the national and international level from their respective regions, even the territory, itself. That is something that we'd be willing to take a look into.

As I said, it is something that is important. I have known some 18-year-olds, 19-year-olds who have run for seats in this House, and I think that's something that we can definitely look at.

That is great news. Is the Minister in a position to commit to returning back to the House with an update on this work on looking into establishing a youth council? Can we get a commitment that he will bring this back to the House after he has done his work to look at this project?

I do believe it is very important that our next-generation youth who are coming up and going to be our leaders in the future do have that input and also bring some of the concerns forward.

I know that a couple of governments back, it might have been the 15th Assembly, they did have a youth symposium that brought youth from right across the Northwest Territories. That brought some recommendations to the government, and the government did act on those recommendations. I do believe that is important. Once we have those discussions, I will be bringing that information back to Members.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a vast territory and a geographically dispersed population, so bringing together all youthful voices into a youth council like this, I think, really speaks well to public policy objectives.

In addition to reporting back to the House, can the Minister commit to reaching out to schools, to Indigenous groups, and to young people in the general call for their thoughts and input into the development of a youth council so that we can get a sense of what it looks like from their perspective and what they want this council to do for this government? Thank you.

I am not sure if the Member knows, but, in previous governments, I have done a lot of work with youth in every position that I have had. We have a lot of smart youth out there and strong voices that represent their cultures, their languages, represent their people, and I am more than happy to reach out to the schools as well as some of the Indigenous governments that allow youth to participate in their day-to-day business. We will be reaching out and finding ways to connect with our youth and getting their input in terms of looking at the possible development of a youth council for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education had a Minister's statement today, “Strengthening Support for Students,” and I just have some questions about that.

He mentioned that child and youth counsellors are going to be phased in across the territory and they are going to be in the schools. A concern that was brought to me is that, while it is great to have the counsellors in the schools - like the rest of the country, we are sorely lacking when it comes to dealing with mental health issues - the issue is that students will have to leave class to go see these counsellors.

Is that the plan? Are we just putting counsellors in the school, and, during class time, students will have to leave class to go see these counsellors? I would just like some clarification. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, in my Minister's statement, I did mention the child and youth care counsellors in the schools. We will be piloting that initiative out with the Department of Health and Social Services. We are expecting these child and youth care counsellors to be in the schools but also to be offering services to residents in the communities throughout the whole year.

In terms of the Member asking questions about whether they will be in the school or do they have to be out, we also want to make sure that we do protect privacy and make sure that the students have the confidence that their privacy will be protected.

If that is the case and they do need to go outside the school to go to a health centre or to a hospital to get the services, we feel that students need to have access to such services, whether it is for a mental health concern or other issues where they do need to see the counsellor. Privacy is important, and we want to make sure that students can have that confidence, if they need to see a counsellor, that their privacy will be protected. If they are comfortable being in the school, we will have those child and youth care counsellors in the school. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate everything the Minister has said, and I thank him for his response. I guess the concern that was raised is, if students do go to see counsellors during class time, which is their right and I am glad they have that option, they will miss a class. With some of these courses, you have to be there every class to stay on track.

Will the department be doing anything to ensure that there are appropriate supports for students who maybe miss class to go to counselling? If you start falling behind in school, that just adds to your problems.

I do appreciate the concern. When students do miss class to go out and seek other supports that they need to be successful in life, we would work with the education authorities to ensure that teachers who are in a situation where their students are leaving class, whether it's for a medical appointment, dentist appointment, or if it's for counselling, that the teacher makes every effort to ensure that the student gets the materials or information that they have missed for that day or a couple of days.

We are putting counsellors into the schools, but it sounds like we are not giving any support for any other issues that arise from it, such as students falling behind. Basically, we are just saying that teachers have to pick up the slack. I just want to confirm that there are no more academic supports that go along with this.

Every education authority works with their schools to develop their school-year plan. As such, with any supports that are needed, the administration will work on looking at providing those supports. I know there are schools that actually have tutors that go in after school hours. As well, I know there are a couple of schools here, in Yellowknife, that have evening classes that allow students that might have missed the morning or might have missed the day to come into school in the evening and catch up on their school work. There are definitely innovative options out there to help students succeed with their academic courses.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like I said, the country, I think, as a whole is behind when it comes to dealing with mental health. This is a great start, but it just seems like an add-on.

Going forward, I think we need a more holistic approach. Would the Minister commit to increasing funding to schools so that they can offer additional academic support to help these students who are accessing these mental health counsellors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I mentioned, we are putting in career and education advisors as well this academic year. The whole education renewal that we have been working on over the past number of years is going to hopefully impact the way our students learn, the way our students succeed, the way our students are able to graduate, right from the JK to 12 system. With our new investment in the career and education advisors, I think we are going to be helping our students to complete graduation, look at a career that they might want to take, or, further, going to a post-secondary institution.

The child and youth care counsellors are another way that we are going to be helping our students with any of their mental health and other possible social concerns that they have. Overall, collectively, all of the investments that we are making in education, through education renewal, I do believe and I am confident that we will start to see an increase in graduation rates, as well as students' success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. The introduction of a national pharmacare program would bring benefits to all in this country, including residents of the Northwest Territories, including things like national standards and maybe even some more money from the federal government. What is the position of our government on national pharmacare? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am a big supporter of a national pharmacare plan here, in Canada. We are the only first-world nation that has publicly-funded medicare that does not have publicly funded pharmacare. As a country, I think we need to make significant progress in that area.

At a national level, I would say that one of the largest champions of pharmacare is Dr. Eric Hoskins, who is actually the Minister of Health in the Province of Ontario. He has been pushing Ontario and pushing Ministers from across this country to work together to lobby and encourage the federal government to pursue pharmacare. He has pulled together meetings, like a meeting that was held during the last Health Ministers meeting, where the Canada Labour Congress came and met with all of us as Ministers and we all talked about the value and importance of a national pharmacare plan.

I have discussed the work that is being done at a national level with my Ministers both in this government and in the previous government. They have endorsed the work I am doing support Dr. Hoskins, and the Ministers to pursue pharmacare and encourage the federal government to pursue pharmacare, as well. Thank you.

I can honestly say I think that's the most positive response I have ever gotten in the House from a Minister, so congratulations. Thank you very much, and I appreciate the Minister's work on the issue. My sincere thanks.

So my next question here: in my statement I referred to the fact that some of our residents, particularly the working poor and young people, are not covered under existing programs for prescriptions. If we truly want our students to come back, we need to look at making sure that they can access prescription drugs, which are now covered in Ontario for young people, and the Minister knows that. So can the Minister tell us what our government is doing to ensure that those not currently covered are receiving necessary prescriptions?

We know that our supplemental health program here in the Northwest Territories is a very generous program, but the Member is right, and the Member from Yellowknife Centre brought this up the other day. There are some gaps in this program. We are doing a review of our supplemental health programs here in the Northwest Territories, and I intend to engage with the Standing Committee on Social Development in the coming months to discuss options to program reform. This will include actions that we can take in the short term, as well as approaches to substantial program reform over the longer term. I do caution all Members; this was attempted once before, and it went poorly, and it did not succeed. We are going to be forced to make difficult decisions in the best interests of all of our residents, but I think it's important that we work together to find a way to close this gap in an affordable, sustainable, and appropriate way.

Again, I want to thank the Minister. There are some difficult decisions to be made ahead, but we have to start that conversation. So joint drug buying programs are something that our government has participated in to help lower our expenditures on that side. Can the Minister update us on NWT's participation in national-provincial drug buying cooperatives and any analysis of their benefits which might be under way?

Many, many years ago, the provinces came together under the direction of the Council of the Federation to form the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance to help control the high cost of drugs across this country. They have worked hard to identify and arrange relationships for group purchasing that has actually helped bring down the costs of many drugs, in particular many of the non-generics in this country. Since the last federal election, the federal government has joined on to the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which I think was an incredibly important step, as they have the ability to amend legislation and do things at a national level to affect the actual prices. We are working very closely with the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance. We are a member of the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance. We look forward to continuing to work together to bring down costs. We are a very small jurisdiction, but we still have a voice at the table.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I seem to be on a real roll, here, so thanks again to the Minister for the work that he does on this issue. I know that he also participates in federal-provincial-territorial conferences and working groups. I mentioned earlier in my statement about the tendency of our federal government to promote so-called free trade agreements that extend protection for drug manufacturers, sometimes with little corresponding benefits. Can the Minister tell the House what positions our government has put forward in the so-called free trade agreement negotiations with regard to prescription drugs? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Recognizing that we are a small jurisdiction on the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance and that larger jurisdictions like Ontario, Alberta, BC, and even Quebec have a much larger impact on the drug purchasing in this country, we have endorsed the work that is being done by the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance in trying to control the price of drugs, including negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and others, both at a national and international level, and we continue to endorse the work they do and stand behind the work that they do and support the decisions that they have to make to bring down the costs for all Canadians. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was talking about the LNG proposal, and yesterday, as well, so I do have some questions for the Minister for Infrastructure. Again, it's kind of all over the place, so: can the Minister please provide the House with an update on how much the GNWT subsidizes our power rates? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2016-2017 the GNWT provided $380,000 to Northland Utilities to reduce the rates in four diesel communities down to match the rates in NTPC communities. In 2016-2017 the Government of the Northwest Territories provided $6.4 million throughout the Territorial Power Subsidy Program to reduce residential rates in both NTPC and Northland thermal communities down to the Yellowknife rate. Through the Housing Corporation, the GNWT provides approximately $7 million a year to keep rates low for tenants. For income assistance clients, we provided approximately $800,000 in 2016 for electricity. Now, the GNWT also pays $5 million a year in higher rates because the existing residential and commercial customer base cannot cover the costs of the system in place today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for all that information. It's great to see that we are doing stuff like that, but how does this compare to our past five years? Can the Minister please advise the House of that?

The yearly subsidy has remained approximately the same over the last five years. It has fluctuated a bit year to year, but it is very close.

I appreciate the Minister's answer. My next question: in the past 10 years, how much has the GNWT had to subsidize to address low water rates affecting hydroelectric production on top of the subsidies for power rates due to unforeseen diesel fuel increases?

Low water rates, we did a subsidy from 2014-2016 for the hydroelectricity region for the North Slave and the government provided a one-time subsidy of $49 million for a two-year period.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and, again, I thank the Minister for that information. My last question: when the government looks at an alternative energy source, does the government have a backup fund in place in case something goes wrong with the future energy costs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The main purpose for installing renewables and alternative energy is to stabilize the cost of power, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that we are all working towards, and protect residents from future fluctuations of commodity prices of diesel fuel. Even with that, it has to be noted that we need to have diesel backup in these communities, and the government is committed to converting these plants as much as possible with the backup system in place. We are also committed to covering the mental costs of doing this in the communities so that the emerging and renewable power projects moving forward do not go onto the backs of ratepayers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance on maximizing public revenue. I have mentioned the expert report that highlights weaknesses of our royalty collection regime. Are the Minister and his staff familiar with these reports, and what action have they taken to evaluate and consider the content of them with respect to tax policy formulation? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are familiar with the reports and we are just going through them and looking at their contents and doing analysis. Thank you.

I am pleased to hear the Minister is familiar with the reports. What action does he plan to take on their contents?

That depends on the content. I mean, the way we do business in the Northwest Territories, of course, we listen to and we follow all comments out there, but at the end of the day we will evaluate their contents and see if it's one that would apply or work for the benefit of the people of the Northwest Territories whom we 19 Members were all elected to represent.

I want to emphasize again, this report was not written by my Mom. These people are world-wide experts in revenue generation through resource royalties. So I am very interested to know how the Minister is going to evaluate the contents of these reports and bring the results to bear for discussion in the House?

We have experts of our own within the government system who are well versed in these types of correspondence so we will review it. I commit to the Member we will review the contents of the reports that were done and see how it fits into how we do business in the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that commitment. As I said in my statement, I am not asking the Minister to raise taxes. What I am asking for is for him to work with the Standing Committee on Government Operations to set the terms of referenced for an evaluation of NWT tax policy and to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on that so that we can generate some discussion about revenue prior to the end of the Assembly. Can the Minister make that commitment? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, absolutely. I mean, I would be more than happy to sit down with the committee. We've had some discussions with committee on own-source revenue in the Northwest Territories. We've had some feedback on committee on own-source revenue in the Northwest Territories, and I would be more than happy to sit down with committee, as I always am, to get their feedback as to how we can move forward. Because at the end of the day all the decisions that are made should be decisions that are made by this Assembly, and we should have some common ground and see what we can do to mitigate any impact it might have on people in the Northwest Territories. So I have made that commitment in kind of a long way, but I just had to add something in there. I did not want to just say yes.

---Laughter

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, supporting for the small communities. As a new Member to this Assembly I have come to realize the physical challenges of government, and more importantly the positive contributions made through program delivery, in particular the Small Community Employment Support Program. My first question to the Minister of ECE is: can the Minister highlight some positive points created by this Small Community Employment Support Program? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do appreciate the work that the rural and remote community has been doing since it got together and started working with the Regular Members and Ministers of Cabinet. As well as the increase of the $3 million in the 2017-2018 operations budget, I can let the Member know, and I did make a statement earlier in the session that, from April 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017, we had created over 400 jobs in every region in the Northwest Territories. I have not got the updated stats from this year, from January 1st to present, but I am sure that it has increased as well in terms of creating employment, creating jobs, creating projects in the communities. Once that report is finalized at the end of this fiscal year, I will be more than happy to share it with Members. Also coming from that is we are creating a small community employment support strategy, the first of its kind for this government, that is going to be focusing on increasing training as well as employment in our smallest communities. So there are a few highlights, and I think it's just the beginning. As we move forward into the next fiscal year, we are going to see an increase. The information is out there. We have organizations. We have committees that do know that there is an increase in the small community fund and that they can access it, so I think we'll start seeing more improvements to our small communities in the next fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks to the Minister for that information. I am glad to hear that it's moving in the direction that it's intended for. My next question: will the Minister confirm if there are other accessible resources available to increase the Small Community Employment Program, a consolidation of various programs moving toward that same direction?

One other thing that I want to highlight is that, out of that $4.2 million that we budgeted in the last budget, up to the present we have almost spent all of that money, and I am confident that we will have all of that funding in the Small Community Employment Fund spent by the end of this fiscal year. Of course, we want to look at other ways that we can partner with whether it's another organization, possibly through a wage subsidy or partnering in share costs for projects, as well as looking at some of the other programs that are in other departments on how we can work together so that we can access other department funding for projects while utilizing the Small Community Employment Fund to increase training as well as increase employment in our small communities. So that will be all highlighted and discussed as we develop this Small Community Employment Strategy, which we are hoping to release later this spring.

My next question: are there federal sources of funding available to match dollar for dollar for this program?

As I mentioned, once this report comes out we'll see how some of our dollars have been spent and whether or not we've had organizations or communities that have accessed federal dollar spending. We do have unique ways of how we partner within our departments, but that is something we'll have to take a look at. I know, because there was such an influx of the $3 million on top of the $1.2, we want to make sure those funds were spent, that we did create employment, that we created jobs in the communities, developed projects in the communities, and I want to see how that report looks. Moving forward, that is something we can use to possibly leverage other funding, whether it's territorially or federally.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question: as I look forward, it seems that we are depleting our resources here for our territorial physical position here. That's why I mention in there the federal sources. In the report coming this spring, will the Minister include qualifying federal sources in the report? Mahsi.

As I have mentioned to Members, as we are going through our main estimates, we also have the labour market development agreements that we do have with the Government of Canada. There are funds in that agreement that we do have with the federal government that will also help with employment, so there are some dollars that we are accessing on a bilateral basis, as well, and we are just looking at hopefully signing that agreement soon. We'll get all that information to the Member and to Members as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement I have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, in my statement I mentioned the overflow at Kilometre 140, which is also known as Georgetown, but I also have three other areas along the Dempster in my riding that have this problem with overflow. One area is kilometre 135, roughly; kilometre 115; and kilometre 198. I would like to ask the Minister: what do inspectors from the Department of Infrastructure have to say about the safety of the ice patches on the Dempster Highway caused by overflow? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This issue came up last year, particularly around the Georgetown area, and we are continually monitoring this area with overflow issues on the Dempster in a number of places, as the Member has spoken about.

In particular, right now, at kilometre 213, we have an issue. The department built a couple of berms there to hold back water, but, due to climate change this year and the warming temperatures in that region, a lot of water is coming up from underground, and we had an issue on the highway. A contractor has been out there. He has ice-plated that section to make it rough and improve traction for vehicles, but we have also put up additional signage in that area.

At Georgetown itself, at 140, there is no ice on the highway. These culverts were steamed earlier this year, and overflow is flowing properly there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As the Minister mentioned, there have been backhoes out there and also steamers, which the department has been doing over the last nine years or so. That adds to a lot of costs. What other options has the department developed to solve these problems?