Thank you, Ms. Snowshoe, for the prayer today. Ms. Snowshoe is one of my elders from Fort McPherson. Mahsi cho.

Members, interpreters, visitors in the gallery, and Pages, as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, it is my honour to welcome you here today during this holiday season.

It is the darkest time of the year, but I had the honour of lighting up the Assembly last week as part of Christmas Lights Across Canada. Thank you to all of the Yellowknife, Detah, and Ndilo kindergarten students who came to the Legislative Assembly to decorate the Christmas trees.

Also, thank you to the schools across the North that sent in decorations for the large Christmas tree in the Great Hall.

Today marks the first regular sitting day of this 19^th Legislative Assembly. I know all Members are excited to begin the work of this Assembly. I hope the positive and respectful tone you take today will last the next four years.

I want to thank the Pages for joining us here in the Assembly. For this sitting, we have Pages from Yellowknife and Detah. Having you in the Chamber reminds Members that the decisions we make today will affect your future.

Members, our proceedings this week will be interpreted in French and eight of our nine Indigenous languages. Please join me in thanking the interpreters.

---Applause

As an early Christmas present to the interpreters, I remind you to speak slowly and take a pause to allow them to catch up.

Finally, Commissioner Margaret Thom has recommended the passage of Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2019-2020 during this first session of the 19^th Assembly. Thank you.

Item 3, Ministers' statements. Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome all my colleagues to this sitting of the Legislative Assembly. I also want to thank them on behalf of Cabinet and myself for selecting us for the Executive Council. You have chosen a hard-working, strong Cabinet that is committed to working collaboratively with Regular Members in the interest of all residents of the Northwest Territories.

I am proud to take my seat here in Canada's first and only gender-balanced Legislature. Women make up half the population and, now, half of our representatives in this Assembly. We have a responsibility to serve as a positive example to the rest of the country.

Our ground-breaking Cabinet includes four other strong, capable women in addition to myself. In the history of the Assembly, since 1999, only three women have ever served on Cabinet before, and they have each served in different Cabinets. In addition to being only the second woman to be Premier since Nellie Cournoyea, I am the first Metis woman to be Premier in all of Canada. Once again, we are making history here in the 19^th Legislative Assembly.

We are also joined by two experienced and capable men at the Cabinet table, who I know are committed to serving the people of this territory. The Executive Council benefits tremendously from the diversity of voices and perspectives we have around the table.

Mr. Speaker, the results of the last election sent a clear message. People voted for change. They did not think that we were being heard, and they were not satisfied with the results their government was delivering. We can do better.

We are the servants of the people. Residents of the Northwest Territories have placed their trust in us to represent their interests and make their lives better, now and into the future. We need to listen to what they say, understand what they need, and take action to deliver results. It is critical that our focus be outside of this Legislative Assembly. What happens here is important, but, whenever possible, the decisions we make should come from our people.

Cabinet must focus on what matters to people when we make decisions. That is why our Cabinet has developed a set of principles to guide us in our decisions to ensure that our choices are in the best interest of the residents of the NWT.

Our principles include a commitment to support and enhance relationships with Indigenous governments and Indigenous people. We recognize that we are partners in governing this territory and that, if we want to deliver results for our residents, we need to work respectfully with our Indigenous government partners within the true spirit of government-to-government relationships.

We also recognize that it is more important to produce successful outcomes for people than to apply the same rigid procedures to everyone in every community. That is why our principles ensure that we will choose options that use an integrated, client-focused, and solution-oriented approach when we are making decisions.

We will work to ensure that our decisions promote personal and community self-sufficiency. We will do this by making sure that government policies, programs, and services help people and communities define their own needs whenever possible and that our work complements their developing their capacity and skills to choose their own futures.

We know that, to serve NWT residents, we need to understand and respect their cultures and languages, with a special focus on Indigenous language and culture. To enhance the experiences of people when they are dealing with us and to create a stronger territory, our decisions will respect diversity and embrace all of the territorial languages and cultures.

We also want to ensure that our decisions create economic and financial benefits for northern residents and businesses. We know that government spending, contracting, and procurement creates business and employment opportunities at the community, regional, and territorial levels. We are going to keep this in mind when we are making decisions, Mr. Speaker, and we will make sure that our decisions maximize benefits for our territory.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we are going to make it a priority to explain our decisions and the reasons for them clearly and proactively. We believe that people have a right to know and to understand what their government is doing, and we are committed to being more open and transparent. Cabinet will have to make some hard choices sometimes, and we know that people won't always like our decisions, but we will explain our decisions and the challenges that we face out of respect for the people who elected us to serve them.

In this spirit of respect and transparency, we will be tabling Cabinet's statement of principles today. It is important that the whole of the Government of the Northwest Territories understands the principles that we will live by.

Mr. Speaker, this is a new government, and we plan on doing business a new way. Our principles are one of those ways. Working more collaboratively with Members is another. There is a wealth of talent and experience in this room, and I believe that we are all committed to making a difference for our people.

Fostering relationships outside this room will also be a priority for us. The Government of the Northwest Territories does not govern alone, and we need the support and participation of many partners to achieve success. I have already reached out personally to Indigenous leaders in the territory, and we will start face-to-face meetings in the new year.

I have also recently returned from Ontario, where I took part in meetings of Canada's Premiers, met with the Prime Minister and federal Ministers, and attended the opening of Parliament. I am pleased to say that the North has a lot of support in the South and that the three territorial Premiers were successful in getting the support of our provincial colleagues to make northern priorities one of the four agenda items for the next First Ministers Meeting.

Following our meetings in Ottawa, I am confident that the Prime Minister and federal Ministers share our goal of creating a strong, prosperous Northwest Territories. I look forward to working closely with them as we finalize plans for both of our governments.

In conclusion, Cabinet looks forward to working closely with all Members of the Legislative Assembly, as well as all levels of government, as we move toward the priorities defined by the 19^th Legislative Assembly. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Youth.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister responsible for Youth, I am proud to speak today about one of our most successful youth initiatives, the NWT Youth Ambassador Program.

From November 14^th to the 18^th of this year, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs hosted the NWT Youth Ambassador Program orientation and training event in Yellowknife. I was pleased to attend this orientation along with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Ms. Chinna.

Participants from all over the Northwest Territories were involved. Their selection was based on community involvement, commitment to a healthy lifestyle, and reflection on how the NWT Youth Ambassador Program will help them in the future. The youth are between the ages of 16 and 22. These fine young people are the role models and leaders of tomorrow.

The NWT Youth Ambassador Program has been in operation for 12 years. I am pleased to be able to say that I was part of this program from the very beginning in 2007, when I attended the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse.

The program offers a guided and structured volunteer experience for Northwest Territories youth at major territorial, national, and international events. Participants have the opportunity to develop life and job skills as well as to build the confidence necessary to deal with complex life challenges.

Youth who participate in the program emerge with an increased sense of pride in their culture and community. Participants have reported back that they have, with the influence of this program, experienced personal development resulting in improved self-confidence and better mental health. They have also reported that they feel that they are making healthier lifestyle choices, including healthier eating, increased physical activity, living tobacco-free, healthier sexuality, and greater awareness of injury-prevention strategies.

In anticipation of the 2020 Arctic Winter Games hosted in Whitehorse, officials joined the ambassadors to highlight the key areas where the youth will be volunteering, the history of the games, and some of the changes that the 2020 host society is making to include more Indigenous culture.

A representative of the North American Indigenous Games also attended to build excitement around the games in Halifax. This included a session on the Mi'kmaq culture in Halifax. The youth were able to get their first task as volunteers and registered themselves in the online volunteer portal.

Mr. Speaker, the program has successfully identified 35 youth from across the Northwest Territories to travel and volunteer at either the 2020 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon, or the 2020 North American Indigenous Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Twenty youth will attend the Arctic Winter Games, and 15 will volunteer at the North American Indigenous Games.

We know that for any program to be successful, especially when we are taking our youth in new and different locations, it requires the support of dedicated staff. I would like to thank all of the employees involved with this program from the Sport, Recreation and Youth Division, both past and present, for their hard work to coordinate the Youth Ambassador Program.

In closing, I would like to congratulate all the youth for a successful weekend. The NWT Youth Ambassador Program gives young people opportunities to travel, volunteer, meet new friends, and develop leadership skills. It has been life-changing for many participants. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Youth. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Partnerships between housing stakeholders and community partners is critical in supporting the housing needs of our residents. One such partnership has been between the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, the De Beers Group, and the Yellowknife Women's Society. Over the last year, all three partners came together to provide 16 single-room, semi-independent suites for homeless women.

De Beers has a long history in the Northwest Territories, including the development of its two mines. These investments have provided many employment opportunities for the residents of the Northwest Territories. In addition to the economic benefits, De Beers Group has indicated that they want to support lasting social improvements to communities.

The De Beers Group reached out to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to discuss potential legacy housing projects, consistent with the De Beers Group's commitment to supporting Northwest Territories communities involved in diamond mining. The De Beers Group was especially interested in projects that address the long-term needs of vulnerable people in their operating region.

Mr. Speaker, the De Beers Group has made a generous contribution of $250,000 to the project, along with project management expertise. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation provided a $750,000 contribution under the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's Community Housing Support Initiative. The Yellowknife Women's Society will continue to administer a smaller emergency shelter section of the building, but their operations will become more housing-focused. They will continue to provide supportive services to residents in the new suites.

These new spaces will provide better privacy, safety, and security for women. The shared living arrangement offers the safety of living with others, as opposed to being isolated in a market rental unit. Residents will have a safe, stable home where they can start to address some of the other challenges in their lives, without having to worry about housing.

I am also pleased to say that this project benefited the residents of the shelter beyond just meeting their housing needs. Incorporating a women-in-trades component, this project has employed women who were using the shelter. These women helped to construct the living spaces where they will be residing. Building skills and work experience is a great forward-thinking approach that will benefit these women as they go forward and possibly decide that they wish to pursue a career in trades construction, maybe one day setting up their own businesses.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's partnership with the De Beers Group and the Yellowknife Women's Society is an excellent illustration of how all levels of our society can come together to meet the housing needs of our people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Item 4, Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not available.]

Today, I would like to acknowledge the accomplishment of one of our very own constituents of mine who I'm very proud of.

In November of this year, Doreen Ann Arrowmaker from Gameti graduated from Royal Roads University with a master's degree in Global Management. She was awarded the Founder's Award from the university for exemplifying the qualities of leadership, sustainability, and personal development for her graduating class.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of Ms. Arrowmaker for not only this accomplishment, but also how she achieved it. Doreen is from a small outlying community. She was raised in the traditional lifestyle and speaks Tlicho fluently. She has three children, and has worked very hard, too, with her school process; she is a life-long learner.

Ms. Arrowmaker is a role model for her community because she puts value in her language and culture, but also continuously working through her community. She is a true leader, in my view.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Arrowmaker is a role model for all NWT students. She is a testament to all the young people who walk in two worlds. She has proven that students in even the smallest communities have the ability and the chance to succeed in their education endeavours.

I stand here today very humbled and proud of Ms. Arrowmaker's achievement. I want to personally congratulate her and her family for their dedication to fulfil her dream. Masi.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Next, we have Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On November 29, 2019, I attended the climate strike organized by Yellowknife's youth. This enthusiastic group has now organized three events in Yellowknife, and a similar group has organized strikes in Inuvik, too. What people young and old want is actual action on climate change, something this jurisdiction has generally failed to address.

Clearly, climate change is a real and urgent crisis, driven by human activity that impacts the environment, biodiversity, the economy, and human health. NWT residents are feeling the impacts of climate change today, from coastal erosion to wildfires, melting permafrost, heat waves, and other extreme weather events which are projected to intensify in the future. The impacts of climate change are being felt most profoundly in the polar regions of our planet.

The 19^th Legislative Assembly has committed to strengthen this government's leadership and authority on climate change and to ensure climate change impacts are specifically considered when making government decisions. At least 473 Canadian jurisdictions, including national, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous governments, have declared a climate emergency, and over 25 countries around the world have done the same.

It's time that our government declares a climate emergency in the NWT. We are obligated to meet international mission targets under the Paris Agreement, but we will need to make deeper reductions to hold global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, which would result in irreversible damage.

So what would a climate emergency declaration actually do? In many other jurisdictions, a response plan is being developed, just as any other emergency would require, accompanied by concrete actions and expenditure of funds. Later today I will table a draft motion that would result in the declaration of a climate emergency in the Northwest Territories with a requirement for the development of a response plan by January 1, 2021, to be tabled in this House. I welcome any feedback and input from the public and my colleagues on both sides of this House, as I intend to bring back the motion in our next session in 2020. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Since coming to the office in this 19^th Assembly, I have noticed a number of common issues that people seem to be encountering when dealing with the NWT Housing Corporation. In the multiple housing-related constituency issues I have already begun dealing with, it's become quite apparent that there exist some very noticeable cracks in the infrastructure of the NWT Housing Corporation, which many people, mostly vulnerable populations, are falling through.

I believe part of the reason for this, Mr. Speaker, is that too many of our government policies have become overly prescriptive and are not properly serving the people we're meant to protect and represent.

I have talked to many people how are in need, some in dire need, in cases, of certain housing programs for things like home repairs and renovations, basic home maintenance services, and better outreach when it comes to assisting the elders in applying for housing programs.

Mr. Speaker, our housing programs cannot exist only to serve our bureaucratic needs, but, in my view, that is what they have slowly become, whether we know it and whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Why do these programs exist if our most vulnerable citizens, like elders, low-income people, and young people cannot properly access and make use of them? We need to rethink how we are delivering programs and services through the Housing Corporation. We need to reduce barriers and be more flexible to people's circumstances, and be open to new ideas for ways to improve service delivery.

We also need to look after our elders. They deserve and should live in comfortable and affordable homes.

Mr. Speaker, among the 19^th Assembly's mandate items is to increase the number of affordable homes and reduce core housing needs, so, if we want to make good on a commitment like that, we must work to improve aspects of the Housing Corporation wherever it is needed, including the areas I identified today. Our housing policies are outdated and are not working for everyone as they should. This is not sustainable, and we have a duty to change course if something is not working. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the constituents of Fort Smith for electing me as their MLA. It is an honour to represent my amazing community in this government body, and I will do my best to advocate for the interests and constituents of Fort Smith. Now, without further ado, I am going to jump right into talking about the issues. My statement is directed to the Minister of Education.

Mr. Speaker, historically, Fort Smith has been known as the educational capital of the NWT. Aurora College in the NWT has flourished and grown from the humble beginnings in Fort Smith into now having a presence in almost every community in the Northwest Territories. The question we should be asking is: how do we chart a course which protects jobs in the community and continues to build towards a polytechnic university which benefits all students in the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, along with maintaining the Aurora College Headquarters in Fort Smith, we must develop a plan that continues to grow Aurora College and the academia of a polytechnic university. To date, the plan does not address the real issues. Aurora College is suffering from a lack of enrolment during the transformation to a polytechnic university. Where is the transparent plan for how Aurora College will survive while the transition of a polytechnic university materializes?

Mr. Speaker, Aurora College in Fort Smith has grown from the ground up into its present form and has developed a proven, unique relationship with the culture and traditions of the people of the NWT. Mr. Speaker, I say with conviction that the Headquarters of Aurora College, as well as the future polytechnic university, must remain in Fort Smith, a community which has a proven track record of growing education in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mandate letters for Ministers are a recent innovation in the Northwest Territories. They have been used in the last two Assemblies to detail the actions required to implement the priorities agreed by all 19 Members. It is my hope that the new Premier will continue this practice for her Cabinet and that we will see mandate letters for them soon.

In the meantime, I have written a mandate letter for myself. First, I am grateful to the people who live in Yellowknife Centre for re-electing me to continue my advocacy work. I am here for all of you, determined to make a difference for each of you in the issues you talked about, such as the need for economic diversification, reconciliation with Indigenous people, more affordable housing and electricity, a stronger continuum of education from early childhood development to post-secondary education, and a downtown where everyone feels safe. Your priorities are my priorities.

Cabinet is now working on how these goals will be accomplished. First, I want the finished mandate itself to be as "S.M.A.R.T." as possible, meaning that it includes actions that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. I want to see an evidence-based approach to measure outcomes. I don't want to see weasel words like "advancing," "capturing," and "expanding." I want to see bold words and ideas that will result in tangible improvements in the most fundamental issues that are holding us back.

Second, I am going to work on these priorities in collaboration with Cabinet. That means I am going to cooperate, yet I must be persuaded that the proposed actions are in the best interests of my constituents. In the last Assembly, the word "collaboration" was drained of meaning as Cabinet and Regular Members worked in segregation. We ended up with an arrangement that was called "consensus" but in fact was hyper-partisan, with government and its allies on one side and the remainder of Regular Members on the other, not all the time but often, especially when we were under pressure to wrap up the business of the 18^th Assembly. These were some of our best moments and also our worst, where "compromise" became a dirty word.

Third, my mandate includes holding the government to account. Expect me to ask hard questions and lots of them. Expect me to continue talking about best practices in policy in other jurisdictions and how they could be applied here. Expect me to be as tough on the women in Cabinet as I am on the men. In short, expect me to continue to be an advocate for my constituents, residents of the Northwest Territories, and a champion for all. This is my mandate. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, my mother laid a rose for one of the 14 women engineers murdered on December 6, 1989 in an act of gender-based violence.

As a young woman, my mother wanted to become an architect. She was scolded for wanting to take a man's place in school. When she applied, she was told first she would need to prove she could keep up with the men by completing a Pure Math Degree, a prerequisite not required by her male colleagues. She graduated in Montreal with honours and then from UBC with an architecture degree, again with honours.

When my mother arrived North in the 80s, she was the only female registered architect and spent her career travelling to northern communities as a public servant. Her proudest career moments weren't sitting in front of a drafting table or coordinating a new build. It was sitting in small rooms speaking with people about what a future rec centre, health centre, or school meant to their community. My mother wanted to empower people to take ownership of their community, to take a lead role in having their voices heard. Her career goal was to quietly build people up and pass along the self-determination she had won through her education.

My mother's education was her freedom. It empowered her to make her own way, be creative, and build up community. December 6, 30 years ago changed the lives and awareness of so many women across Canada. For the first time, my mother's education was no longer her freedom. On that day, it made her a target, but it didn't deter her. It strengthened her grip on her education and made her work harder to give others a voice.

Before last week's anniversary, I was asked how we could make what happened 30 years ago relevant today. When women in this room have been told that they have too little or too much family to sit in these seats, we still have work to do. When four out of five female undergraduate students at Canadian universities report date violence, we still have work to do.

When the NWT has the second highest national rate of violence against women, we still have work to do. When our nation needs to pull together a coast-to-coast inquiry for the agonizing legacy of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls and then still have to demand that its calls for justice be implemented, we still have a lot of work to do.

Ending gender-based violence will take every single one of us: every politician, every public servant, every parent of every child. Changing our story will take every single one of us, now. That is why December 6, 1989 is still relevant today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In honour of Human Rights Day, which is also the final day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, I would like to read the introduction from the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, "Reclaiming Power and Place."

Understanding Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA People: Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people in Canada have been a target of violence for far too long.

This truth is undeniable.

The fact that this national inquiry is happening now doesn't mean that Indigenous peoples waited this long to speak up. It means it took this long for Canada to listen.

More than 2,300 Metis people participated in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, some in more ways than one.

Four hundred and sixty-eight family members and survivors of violence shared their experience and recommendations at 15 community hearings, one here in Yellowknife.

Over 270 family members and survivors shared their stories with us in 147 private or in-camera sessions.

Almost 750 people shared through statement gathering, and 819 people created artistic expressions to become part of the national inquiry's legacy archive.

Another 84 expert witnesses, elders, knowledge keepers, front-line workers, and officials provided testimony in nine institutional, expert, and knowledge-keeper hearings.

The truth in these national inquiry hearings tell the story or, more accurately, the thousands of stories of acts of genocide against First Nations, Inuit, and Metis women and girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.

The violence the national inquiry heard amounts to race-based genocide of Indigenous people, including First Nations, Inuit, Metis, which especially targets women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.

This genocide has been empowered by colonial structures, evidenced notably by the Indian Act, Sixties Scoop, residential schools, and breaches of human and Indigenous rights, leading directly to the current increased rates of violence, death, and suicide in Indigenous populations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very fortunate to be standing here today, and it is important that I thank the good people from Hay River South for making that happen. It is now up to me to represent each and every one of them fairly in this 19^th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, prior to and during the election, I would like to acknowledge the support received from my family. That support never wavered since I made the decision to run, and it has not wavered since. The only advice my wife had for me was, "Don't ruin RJ's chance of being elected." She was relieved when he was acclaimed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my official agent, Jo-Ann Jensen, whose help and hard work is appreciated. With respect to a campaign manager, that position was shared between quite a few people, including Beatrice Lepine, Badgie Courtoreille, Terry Courtoreille, Eileen Gour, Dee-Dee Lepine, Eddie Lepine, John Brockway, Darren Robertson, Rod O'Brien, Danna O'Brien, Abbie Crook, and my family. I thank them for that support.

As well as having all of these people and others volunteer their time, I would be remiss not to mention the 6:30 a.m. coffee crowd at the Ptarmigan Inn, all of whom provided and continue to provide their wisdom to me, which I very much appreciate.

Mr. Speaker, while going door to door, I had Mr. John Brockway as a driver for the 350-plus doors I knocked on. He had me running from house to house, so I lost a few pounds there. It was the door-to-door interaction that I found very enjoyable. I had the opportunity to visit with many old-timers and people that I often wave at in Hay River but never seem to get a chance to talk to. In addition, I met many new residents who provided an inspiring outlook on what Hay River can be.

Mr. Speaker, I do not take the position of Member for Hay River South lightly. Prior to making or voting on any decision during the term of this 19^th Legislative Assembly, I will always ask myself, "Is this decision in the best interest on the people I serve?" and will vote accordingly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member's statement today to thank the people of the Deh Cho electoral riding for instilling in me the confidence to represent them as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. The riding consists of the communities of Kakisa, Enterprise, K'atlodeeche, and Fort Providence.

Although I didn't receive a resounding number of votes from the communities in my riding, each and every one will be treated fairly and with the respect they so deserve. Many in these communities are my friends and will continue to be so, including the many new friends I have met on the campaign trail.

Elections always have a way of dividing people, even close relatives and friends. We need to put all that aside now and continue with our daily lives for the betterment of the communities and especially the people, young and old.

I have to give a big shout-out to my family for their unwavering support throughout this campaign, be it encouraging words, financial resources, or the organizing of gatherings. You just can't beat the love of family, especially my grandchildren, in whose eyes I see hope and optimism for the future, the future of which I will be a part of charting. As the Dene elders have always stated, "The children are our future."

I would also like to recognize the many years of service to the Deh Cho riding from the previous Members of the Legislative Assembly. They include Sam Gargan, who served four terms; Michael McLeod, who served three terms; and Michael Nadli, who served two terms. Your contributions have not been forgotten by the people of the Deh Cho riding, and I extend my sincerest gratitude to you all.

I do have big shoes to fill and am up to the challenge, albeit with ongoing support and advice from all the people of the Deh Cho riding. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Along with my colleagues, I would like to recognize that today is World Human Rights Day, which marks the conclusion of The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. After publishing the priorities of this 19^th Assembly, it was pointed out by a number of my constituents that any mention of working to address violence against women was missing from the list. This is an omission that I believe this Assembly must rectify. It must be made clear that taking action to end domestic violence and gender-based violence is a priority of this Assembly.

In the throne speech last week, the federal government committed to reconciliation and responding to the calls for justice of the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We are living in an Indigenous territory, and we work within a gender-balanced Assembly. We can and should be leading the way on ending gender-based violence. This is a difficult topic to speak about. It is a topic of actual tragedy, and, with some of the worst domestic violence rates in the country, this tragedy is taking place right now.

This is a difficult topic for me to speak about. I find the voice of men is all too often silent on fighting gender-based violence, despite men overwhelmingly being the perpetrators. This silence places an unfair burden on the victims to also be advocates for change. This silence is reinforced by a culture in which too many men and boys are discouraged from speaking with vulnerability, from admitting weakness or sadness or pain. This is a part of the narrative that needs to change. I believe we in this House must not shy away from speaking about the things that are hard to speak about, about the roots of tragedies that are still taking place and about the faults in our systems, in ourselves, and about the desperate need for change, change in a society that disproportionately harms our most vulnerable.

Much of the policy work to enact this change has already been done for us. The Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for justice are addressed specifically to governments. In this report, one of the roadblocks identified was a lack of political will. I am here to say the political will exists in the Northwest Territories. This 19^th Assembly is now writing its mandate. Now is the time to commit to implementing the calls for justice in collaboration with all levels of government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I want to pay tribute to an important member of our community who reached her 101 years of experience and accomplishments, Ms. Persis Gruben, on her passing.

Persis was born somewhere along the Peel River on October 20, 1918, to Sarah and Liman Koe. Her father Liman passed away when she was three years old, so Reverend Whitaker chose Lenny Iglangasak to be Sarah's husband, even though she was Gwich'in and he was Inuvialuit. He would be a good provider, loving husband, and father. Together they had nine children: five daughters and four boys.

Her father's half-brother, John Keevik, gave Persis her Inuvialuktun name, Ayounnik. As a young girl, Persis learned Inuvialuktun from her dad because she had to translate conversations with her Inuvialuktun dad and her Gwich'in mother. She taught her mother how to speak Inuvialuktun.

Between 1925 and 1930, Persis and her family lived at Pierce Point, Tom Cod Bay, and at Sachs Harbour. In 1930, Persis went to Anglican residential school at Shingle Point for three years. Later she was tested for her academic level, and she was evaluated to be at grade five.

Her school had no running water, no electricity, no phones, no radios. They did have an outhouse. The older students had to gather and cut driftwood from the beach. Ice and snow were melted for drinking water, cooking, and cleaning. The only music they heard was played on an organ at the church.

Persis' family travelled in the spring, hunting caribou and seal along the coast. At Pierce Point, her dad set nets for char and hunted seal for the dogs. White fox and polar bears were in abundance at Banks Island when they first arrived there. Children were not permitted to play outside because so many polar bears were nearby. There weren't any caribou, only rabbits, seals, and snowy owls. Persis said the snowy owls were fat and tasted like chicken.

Persis married Charlie Gruben in March 1937, in Aklavik's All Saints Anglican Church. Together they had 11 children, six boys and five girls; so many grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, and she loved each and every one of her babies, grandbabies, and great-grandbabies.

Persis has shared so much with her family and friends: stories, laughter, artistic ability. I seriously think she had a gravitational force within, because her presence keeps her whole family together. The family loved her so much, and, as a community, we loved her so much, and she showed us her love in return.

We are fortunate and blessed to have shared all of those special moments with Persis, our Nan, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, aunt, friend, cousin, and sister. She taught her children how to love without judgement and look past a person's outward appearance. She was full of courage, inspiration, wisdom, and gratitude. I wish that we could all live a life like she has, with pride and fortitude.

Persis has given us precious childhood memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. Mr. Speaker, a celebration of life will be held tomorrow at City Hall at 2:00 p.m., and I will be in attendance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, it is an honour for me to stand in the House and speak about the passing of a well-known man from the community of Fort Liard.

Harold Paul Bertrand was born on October 11, 1968, in Fort Liard, to his parents, Francois and Pauline Bertrand. Harold was the third youngest of the family. He passed away on September 24, 2019, with his loving family around him.

Harold was known as a DJ back in his young days. He would get the old community hall just rocking with his music selection. It was funny watching him play music, then get himself on the dance floor, and, before the song was over, he would be back up on the stage, getting ready to play the next song. From what I heard, people loved to watch him dance, as they knew he was in his element on the dance floor.

Harold met the love of his life, Jeannie Edda, and they had two children, Camilla and Cameron Bertrand. Harold loved his children and his granddaughter, Sadika McLeod.

Harold worked at ENR as a firefighter from June 1993 until August 2014. From there, he went to work for Beaver Enterprises, Wolf Trail Slashing Ventures, and Acho Camps and Catering.

He spent a lot of time with his mother and was always humorous. If something was really bothering him, he would address it in a humorous way. Harold liked to go boating with his good friend Brian Hope and his brother-in-law William at Bouvie Lake. Simply put, he enjoyed being out on the land and being able to provide for his family.

Besides the birth of his children, Harold was honoured to be the best man at his sister Sylvia's wedding this past year.

Harold will be greatly missed by his children, mother, granddaughter, sisters, and brothers.

Mr. Speaker, the Bertrand family would like to thank everybody for all of their support and kindness during their time of sorrow. They appreciated everyone who has been able to attend his funeral. As well, we would like to thank all the medical staff in Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, and Yellowknife.

He will always be in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take a moment to recognize and remember my constituent and neighbour, Romeo Berube. He passed away suddenly at Stanton Territorial Hospital on December 5, 2019, at the age of 82. Romeo is predeceased by his adored wife, Angeline Mercredi, and will be dearly missed by his seven children, Margaret, John, Fred, Charlotte, Gladys, Yolande, and Darryl; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; his three sisters and their families.

Romeo was originally from Ville Marie, Quebec, and his family moved with him to Yellowknife in 1972. He dedicated many years to working at Con Mine and Giant Mine.

A true gentleman, Romeo was always willing to help those around him, and, as my immediate neighbour, I can attest to that, as well. He was passionate about volunteering as ambassador at the Yellowknife Airport, where he had the opportunity to meet new people.

Romeo was a jovial character who loved to laugh and to make his family and friends smile. He wasn't weighed down by the struggles of everyday life; rather, he embraced it. He always enjoyed socializing and was often seen at the local stores, coffee shops, or banks, chatting with everyone.

Romeo will always be remembered and forever missed by his family and friends. There will an announcement about the celebration of life to come. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Members, please join me in welcoming Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford, former Commissioner, Speaker, Member, Minister, Sergeant-at-Arms, and honorary Clerk of the Table.

Also, Members, with us today is Mr. David Jones, the Legislative Assembly's Integrity Commissioner. Welcome.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize three Pages from Yellowknife Centre who are helping us this week: Ms. Juniper Falvo, Madison Mobach, and a return appearance by Desiree Pitt. I would like to thank the Pages for all of the work that they do for us. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Next, we have the Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Tony Whitford, who is sitting next to my mother, Kam Lake resident, Carole Tetlow. I would also like to thank her for teaching me the importance of building up people in communities with our hearts as our compass.

I would like to also recognize Sir John Franklin High School students, young women, and Kam Lake residents, the ridiculously talented Lana Saunders and, also, smart-as-a-whip Adrienne Lam, who are working as Pages today and paving their own path to becoming future leaders.

I also notice a neighbour of mine, Sara Minogue, sitting up there, and also Kam Lake resident Sarah Kalnay-Watson, who is also a constituency assistant for Yellowknife South. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my constituency assistant, Loretta Rogers, who travelled with me this week. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize someone who, as we've just heard, is always looking out for me: my mother, Ms. Betty Lyons. I would also like to acknowledge my constituent, Ms. Donna O'Brien; and, of course she's back, my sweetheart, Ms. Chantelle Lafferty. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This constituent is going to have to forgive me with the pronunciation of her name. I'd like to welcome Emilie Tourangeau, the communications officer for College nordique francophone, for being here; my constituent, thank you.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a few people in the gallery, as well: my wife, Betty Lyons, who travelled here with me for this; and my daughter-in-law, Chantelle Lafferty, hiding over there; and a friend of mine, Donna O'Brien. As well, I'd like to recognize Mr. Ernie Daniels, who I haven't seen in years. It's nice to see you again. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two visitors who are visiting from the Association des colleges et universites de la francophonie canadienne, an organization that works with francophone colleges and universities across Canada. I would also like to recognize my constituent, Ms. Josee Clermont, from the College nordique francophone.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Welcome if we missed anyone in the gallery today. Welcome to the Chamber, and I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience with us today. Thank you. Oh, sorry, Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not available.] Masi.

Mahsi, Member for Monfwi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 7, reports of standing and special committees. Item 8, returns to oral questions. Item 9, acknowledgements. Item 10, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I am really concerned with our airline services that we're having back home in the Delta. Since this merger came online with Canadian North and First Air, our cancer patients and medical travel patients have been having a really tough time getting out of Inuvik. Today, seeing as a community I represent, Paulatuk, is having five people on standby, I am calling out the airline, Mr. Speaker, in regard to getting aircraft and adequate services provided to these people who are travelling for cancer, cancer patients for either surgery or treatment, and any others, because everything is done in the south and we have two days' travel just to get to where we're trying to go.

Mr. Speaker, I am asking the Minister of Health, Ms. Minister Thom, to see if she could work with me to get these airlines sorted out for medical travel for the Beaufort-Delta and Nunakput riding that I serve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last of the one flights a day to Inuvik has made it more difficult to book travel. Medical travel is a live issue and we are working to mitigate the impact on medical travelers. We are working with Stanton Clinic to ensure that there is sufficient time to process travel requests to make the specialist appointments in time, checking with airlines to see if travel is available for the required day, and booking a day earlier, if needed.

People are not getting bumped. There are unrealistic expectations that people travelling on medical travel can somehow bump other paying passengers on an over-subscribed flight. I have instructed the Department of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services to make the best efforts to ensure our residents are accommodated and have enough notice to make flights and necessary household arrangements to attend medical appointments outside their home communities.

To our residents, please bear with us as we work to improve medical travel and make it easier on you to meet your medical needs. There will be hiccups along the way, and we ask for your understanding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's pretty dire, I guess, in regards to when you're travelling. When we travel down here, since the last two months we've been here, I've been travelling on that 14 times. Every time, you're seeing somebody in the airport actually being physically taken off the flight, being removed. I'm asking the Minister: would she call a meeting, I guess, with all the transportation providers that provide service to this government, to call them in and try to work with them to try to get adequate aircraft and try to get our patients out of our ridings to where they are travelling for their appointments?

Like I mentioned, medical travel is a live issue, and, again, our department is working to mitigate the impact of medical travellers.

I'm going to call out the airlines. I want adequate service provided to our residents of the Beaufort Delta. I guess from outside Yellowknife, the Sahtu, Beaufort Delta, my riding of Nunakput and Aklak Air, also. Today, I had five passengers on standby out of Paulatuk. That's not right, Mr. Speaker. They have to have adequate aircraft to provide the service that they're providing, and people are missing appointments, now. What are we going to do?

Our department is working hard with the airline companies to ensure, on our side of the department, that we give sufficient notice so that the airline tickets can be booked in time. We don't want to see our medical patients being bumped off the airline, so we are doing the best that we can.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. The last Assembly passed legislation for a Northwest Territories Carbon Tax. Despite detailed questions, the regulations to implement the Carbon Tax were not shared with Regular Members, but came into force on August 29, 2019. I have a number of questions for the new Minister of Finance on the implementation of the NWT Carbon Tax. Can the Minister explain how, if, and when guidelines will be established for the approval and payment of emission reductions grants to large emitters, and will these be shared with standing committee in draft form? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The regulations are being currently drafted by the Department of Finance, but also in collaboration with other departments. As they are going through that process, I can assure the Member that, indeed, draft guidelines will be shared with the committees for review. While I don't have a deadline for that, I am expecting that that should be in early 2020 and, at that time, I would be happy to join in terms of making myself available, as well, to the Member in order to participate in the review of those draft guidelines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am glad to see that the spirit of collaboration is alive and well in this House. For the record, the large emitters in the Northwest Territories, as set out in the regulations, are Diavik Diamond Mines (2012) Incorporated; De Beers Canada, Incorporated; Dominion Diamond Ekati Corporation; and Imperial Oil Resources NWT Limited. Could the Minister tell us whether there have been any discussions between large emitters and Finance officials on the Carbon Tax and its implementation, and would the Minister provide this Assembly with some details?

I can say that there have been some discussions on some level, certainly before the Carbon Tax became law and mostly with regard to the structure of the Carbon Tax regime itself, not necessarily with the implementation of the program or of the draft guidelines, so I'm not sure that the discussions that were had are necessarily going to the substance of the matter that is at issue presently. If there have been any further discussions more recently, I would certainly endeavour to inquire about that, but to date my information is that the discussions were prior to the implementation.

I want to thank the Minister for that information. It's great that some of these consultations took place before, but I think we need to start that ball rolling again. Will this Minister begin consultation with the public, other sectors, and Regular Members throughout the implementation of the NWT's Carbon Tax?

I'm sure, as the Member is aware, there certainly were other consultations that were conducted during the development generally of the Carbon Tax program. These included, of course, both in-person and online consultations. The Annual Report on the Northwest Territories Carbon Tax will be tabled annually in the Legislative Assembly. That certainly does provide the Members of this Assembly with the opportunity to review the implementation and to inquire as to that implementation. In addition, the Northwest Territories Climate Change Strategic Framework itself also commits to an annual emissions tracking system and reporting, which is to be done in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada. I would expect that that item will also be coming before the Assembly in due course, Mr. Speaker, and provide the Assembly with the opportunity to ask questions of it.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi. Oh, sorry, supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I guess we're all a little bit rusty here today. I want to thank the Minister for that response. She talked about annual reporting, which is great, and that's what I want to get to next. One of the reasons I voted against the Carbon Tax last Assembly was the total absence of accountability and transparency in implementing the legislation and the inability of Regular MLAs to propose any meaningful changes. The regulations that were quietly introduced on August 29, 2019, do not set out or require any form of public reporting on significant matters such as how much carbon tax is collected, what it's used for, and whether it's actually effective or not. Can the Minister explain to this House what public reporting will be undertaken on the collection, use, and effectiveness of the Carbon Tax and, if not, why not? Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

My understanding at this stage is that the type of public reporting that the Member may be inquiring about is still part of the system that is being developed with respect to implementation, and, as I mentioned earlier, the draft of that will be shared with the committee in due course, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] When students go for training, how can we work with them? I'd like to ask the Minister of Education regarding this question about training. [Translation ends] How do we celebrate those who are successful in their programs? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank my colleague for the question. I would also like to congratulate, myself, Ms. Doreen Arrowmaker for her achievement of achieving a master's degree. You know, with this portfolio, that's the goal, to get our residents educated.

The Member brings up a good point: are we keeping track of who is educated? If we don't know, how do we bring them back here? We do know what programs our residents are taking, if they are receiving SFA. We know what institutions they are attending. Outside of that, we don't have that ability. If someone just goes off to school, there is no way of knowing. However, we do try to attract our students back, as well, with our SFA. We have great loan repayment incentives, zero percent interest on loans and increased remission rates, and a northern bonus, as well. So, while we're not where I think the Member would like us to be, we're getting there. It's somewhere that I want to get to because, when I was on that side, I was asking the same question. People are going out and getting educated; 80 percent of the jobs, almost, by 2030 are going to need a post-secondary education, so how do we get those residents? This is something I'm working on, I'm committed to working on, and I look forward to working with the Member on this.

[Translation] A lot of students are going to school. Do they have any problems accessing programs? Maybe that information should be more available to people. [Translation ends]

What kind of statistics does the department have on the success of our northern Indigenous students at post-secondary? The reason I'm asking that is we need to somehow track these students so we can attract them back to the Northwest Territories. It's something that has been a real challenge over the years, and I believe that this is an area that we need to tackle as a department.

I don't have those numbers at my fingertips. I can say that Aurora College, however, has recently implemented a new student information system that can track that type of information, and finally in the North we have that capability. It was a long time that we weren't able to do that at the college, and so, in the last two years, we've achieved that. The department has actually come a long way in terms of the statistics that it collects and the information that it has to analyze, and so I think that we're moving in that direction. Unfortunately, I don't have those numbers on me right now. My department might not like me making work for them, but I commit to getting that information for the Member.

Masi for the commitment. You are a good Minister so far, to start. Good answer. Mr. Speaker, [translation] when students go to college, we want everything readily available for them and we also want them to return to work in our communities, so how many of them are in college? I am asking the Minister of Education. [Translation ends] I am going to reach out to the post-secondary students to provide them opportunities, such as jobs, internships, on-the-job training, and most especially in the small isolated communities that my colleagues over the years have demanded, even in, still, the small communities, create opportunities for these students to return to their home communities for their education, so what have we done as a department to date on this particular area?

I know there is an internship program that the GNWT had through the Department of Finance, I believe, but the Member is right. We need to do more, I think.

One of the first things I talked about when I got this portfolio was the need to be better communicators and do a better job promoting education and promoting the North as a place to come back to. We need to reach out to our students. We do that through Student Financial Assistance. They have a great advertising program. When I was in school, I always knew when my payments were supposed to come and when my application was supposed to be in, and we need to extend that. We need to let people know our students who are away know that there is work for them back here. The Northwest Territories is still the land of opportunity. You know, that is why I came back. I have said in this House many times that, when I was in law school, that would have been an opportune time for the GNWT to reach out to me and talk about some of the opportunities that there are in the North. That is one thing I am working on, and I look forward to making that happen.

[Translation] The students that are going to school, let's try to help them as much as we can, and that is what you are trying to do, which I am thankful for. When students go to college, we want them to return into our community and have jobs available for them. [Translation ends]

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, he and I think a lot alike, which is great. I would like to ask my last question. He may not have the stats today, but I would like to get that information from him: how many students did we hire last summer in their fields of studies, either graduates or in existing programs? That information will be valuable for the Members across the floor here to work with a Minister at the appropriate time.

I believe we hired around 300 summer students in the GNWT, but I am not sure how many are in their actual field of study. I think the Department of Justice hired all the law students from the Northwest Territories last year, actually, though. You know, we are making some progress, and I look forward to making more, but, you know, these are all good points, and I will continue to advance this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, the planned transformation of the polytechnic university must be made public to the people of the NWT, especially to the residents of Fort Smith, where the headquarters is now situated. Morale and stability of jobs must be protected. My question to the Minister is: will your department be accountable and transparent and consult with the ongoing concerns of the community of Fort Smith?

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague for bringing this forward. I completely understand the concerns. We had a foundational review, and the third party who did the review of the College suggested moving the headquarters to Yellowknife, and so I understand why there was this concern coming out of Fort Smith.

You know, Fort Smith is the headquarters, as they say. It is the home to the corporate services of Aurora College. I believe there are 40 jobs in corporate services. There has never been a plan to move that out of Fort Smith. There is not a plan now to move it out of Fort Smith. There has never even been a discussion about moving that out of Fort Smith, so I want to give the Member that assurance.

In terms of the engagement she talked about, one of the first things I did, again in the first meeting I had with the Aurora College transition team, was talk about the level of engagement that we have. I said that, if you want to be successful in this transition, the staff has to buy in at Aurora College, you know, the staff in Fort Smith. I made that point very clear, and so, going forward, we are on the verge of creating some working groups within the College, so that a staff will be fully engaged in developing and implementing plans going forward. There is going to be a three-year strategic plan that Aurora College is developing.

Right now, there is an online survey that any member of the public can fill out, and that is open until January, I believe, 10 of 2020. We are going to do a regional needs assessment that will include engagement with Indigenous governments and communities across the territory.

The other thing I said in my first meeting was that, you know, this Assembly committed to implementing the United Nations' declaration on the rights of Indigenous People, and I am not going to get ahead of ourselves in the mandate, but it is clear that we need to have more engagement with Indigenous governments. I wanted to make sure, and I told my department that we need to have the right kind of engagement with Indigenous governments. The department is going to reach out to the Indigenous governments and define what that engagement is going to look like, and that includes Salt River, and that includes the Metis in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, I want to ensure that engagement is one of my top priorities and not just for the sake of saying, "We did it," and checking a box. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Microphone turned off] ...assurance to commit enrollment in all of the courses is not frozen in any way or form, business continues as usual at Aurora College headquarters must be maintained.

No question?

No question. I want to make sure that the business is [Microphone turned off] that there is...

Member, please wait for your light to come on.

Okay. Sorry. Mr. Speaker, I want to ensure that the commitment to enrollment in all courses continues as usual. I want to make sure that Aurora College, at the Aurora College headquarters -- because some of the courses have not had any student intake, and, therefore, I want to ensure that the business continues as usual and the enrollment is not frozen in any way, shape, or form.

I think we all know, in 2016, the intake for the social work diploma program as well as the teacher education program was suspended, and those programs are currently undergoing program reviews. These aren't just regular program reviews like the college would normally do. These are academic program reviews that are part of a new framework that are up to national standards. They are, let's see, the Ministerial Statement on Quality Assurance of Degree Education in Canada, released by the Council of Ministers of Education, is what we are conforming to. The college, as it was, has been around for 50 years. It should have been, you know, the jewel of the North in terms of education but for a number of reasons, the academic standards and the quality were allowed to slip.

What we are doing right now is we are implementing reviews to ensure that that doesn't happen again. We are implementing reviews to make sure that we create solid programs that serve the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories, and we are putting the structures in place to ensure that we don't get to that place again where we need to suspend those programs.

That is what is going on right now, so I am not going to say that we are reinstituting the Social Work and the Teacher Education Programs this year or next year, because those are being reviewed. The goal of this is to create a polytechnic university in the North that will serve the needs of Northerners and give Northerners the best possible education. That is the goal, and that is how we are going to base our decisions on what programs to deliver.

I think I would appreciate a commitment from the Minister of Education to visit the community of Fort Smith and Aurora College early in the new year to assure the residents of Fort Smith that proper consultation on the plan of transformation to the polytech university is discussed.

As the Minister of Education, I plan to travel to lots of different schools, and, of course, I plan to travel to the college. I am not sure what the schedule is for the new year. It has been relatively busy. It is hard to find a free moment. At some point in the new year, at some point, I'm sure, in the first part of next year, I will be travelling to Fort Smith, and I will be having discussions with staff.

I am always open to sitting down with the Member, as well, and having conversations. The Members are the voices of their communities, and I want to hear from the Member about what she has to say. I get emails all the time from concerned citizens, as well, and I read those and consider that information. My door is always open.

Once we have the proper standing committees, as well, I am more than happy to give a presentation or have the department give a technical briefing to the standing committee. I wanted to put that out there, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the honourable Premier. As I mentioned in my statement, Ministers in the last two Assemblies received mandate letters from the Premier. In fact, the Premier herself would have received her own for her different portfolios. My first question is: how did having a mandate letter help or hinder her? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The provision of the mandate letters that were provided to me as a Minister in the 18^th Legislative Assembly helped to reinforce the priorities and the mandate commitments that were made by all Assembly Members during the 18^th Assembly. They kept me focused on the needs, but they did not limit me. I must make that clear. They did not limit me in what my powers were. They gave me a guideline. They said, "You must do these," but I also appreciate that I had the freedom to move the departments as I felt was appropriate, based on the needs of people.

My follow-up question is: does the Premier, then, consider the letters to be valuable enough that she will provide mandate letters to her Ministers, and, if so, when can this Assembly expect to see them?

Absolutely. I think that the mandate letters are necessary. They provide a guideline for what I expect from Ministers. They also provide a tool that can be used by the Premier to judge if the Ministers and the departments are complying with the mandates for the Legislative Assembly.

I will continue that process. I had said that before. I will have my own. I know that the mandate will be developed by all of us in this Assembly, taking ownership as Cabinet for the final document, but I have said time and time again during when I was elected and before I was elected that one of the components that I will have is that they work closely with all Members and all stakeholders. That is key to me. We have talked many times about the need to work better, and we are committed as a Cabinet to working better.

Thank you to the Premier for that. My next question was partly anticipated by her last answer. In addition to talking to Ministers about their tasks, what kind of direction will the Premier provide about working with Regular MLAs and, in particular, strengthening the consensus part of consensus government?

Any Member who is sitting in this House today who did not hear very clearly during the candidates' debate who were all vying to become either Premier or Ministers, it was very clearly heard that MLAs were not happy that they did not have a say. The public, I believe, was not happy that we did not work as closely as we had to. Again, that will be in my mandate letter of expectation from Ministers.

Not everything will be in a mandate letter; it is impossible to do that, but I personally will be holding Ministers and departments to account when they do not provide standing committees and Regular Members as much information as possible, recognizing that sometimes decisions have to be made in a hurry. Our commitment is that this government is to work as closely and respectfully as possible with the Regular Members.

Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Premier for that answer. My final two questions are whether there will be any input from Regular Members into the mandate letters and when the mandate letters are expected to be complete. Thank you.

I'm conscious of time. We began the process of developing the mandate from the list of priorities approximately a month ago. We are still in the draft stage. We are presenting to standing committee again, I believe, on the 14^th, and that will be a process. We have committed to tabling our mandate in the next sitting in February. We will abide by that.

My fear is that providing the mandate letters after that will take another two or three months, and so what I am proposing is that Regular Members who have an interest in having some feedback into the mandate letters, aside from the mandate commitments because those will be defined, but if they think that there are areas, then I am more than willing to accept their feedback. They can send them to me. They can walk into my office. I will not commit that I will meet every one of them because that is a decision that has to be made, but I am open to hearing their feedback. In fact, I am soliciting their feedback, is what I am doing at this point.

There are also other chances for Regular Members to have feedback. The mandate letters is one area. The mandate process that we are going through is one area, but we also have main estimates that will be coming up, capital budgets, business plans. During that process, Cabinet Members will be providing to standing committees their projections, their wishes, and standing committee will have time in that to actually give feedback to Ministers, as well, and then, of course, challenging on the floor and Committee of the Whole. The mandate letters, the mandate commitments, are not the only opportunity for Members to have feedback.

I have heard clearly that Members will be holding us to task. Their job is to hold us to task and keep us accountable, so I expect that to come forward throughout this Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, for many years, we have discussed the modernization of the Public Service Act. With over 5,000 public servants providing essential programs and services to nearly 45,000 Northerners, it is our responsibility to ensure our public service is competent, efficient, skilled, results-oriented, managed in a transparent manner, and supported to maximize their effectiveness.

A modern Public Service Act would allow us to provide clearer staffing processes, build a framework for successful union-employer relations, strengthen and celebrate teamwork, and implement a fair process for the safe disclosure of wrongdoing. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm that the Government of the Northwest Territories intends to update the Public Service Act during this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a matter that is of significant importance to me, as well. I am pleased to have this question from the Member. The need to modernize the Public Service Act is really overwhelming, the last substantive review, of course, being back in 1988.

With that, I am pleased to be able to say that it is my intention to bring a bill forward to amend the Public Service Act early in 2020. A significant amount of work was actually already completed on this during the previous Assembly, back in 2017. I have already been briefed on that work, and I have already requested that the department work without delay to bring this matter to a point where we can have it dealt with within the current Assembly.

We are conducting some final pieces of consultation with some of the key stakeholders who played a role in that initial work from two years ago, and it is again my intention to have a legislative proposal to standing committee for consideration in the February 2020 session. After reviewing and responding to any questions standing committee may have, of course, the bill would then be drafted for Cabinet approval, with my hope that it will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly in due course.

As part of the legislative review process, what public bodies will the GNWT engage as they modernize the Public Service Act? How will constructive participation be assured? Thank you.

Again, I appreciate the question in that ensuring that we engage the stakeholders, in particular the unions, Union of Norther Workers and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association, is critical. Both of those organizations, as key stakeholders, were significantly involved two years ago, during the initial consultations, and it is critical that they be involved again before this matter can actually progress in any real way. Again, making sure that they are involved and that the relationship with those unions is renewed between the government and the unions is of critical importance to me and to this government. It is important that we strengthen that relationship.

I am pleased to say that both the UNW and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association have been provided already with reading materials about our intention to proceed with proposed updates to the Public Service Act and that their feedback will be taken into consideration, of course, as we progress to have amendments done on this act. Currently, the Department of Finance is doing that engagement, and that kind of engagement is what will make this a success, ultimately.

Another critical stakeholder, Mr. Speaker, is, of course, the public servants. Department of Finance, back in 2017, held focus groups in person in Fort Smith, in Inuvik, and in Yellowknife, with the assistance of a facilitator, as well as collecting feedback broadly online and through other forums. The public employees were also encouraged to provide that feedback anonymously in the online tool.

I would also note that we are conscious that the Northwest Territories Power Corporation also needs to be engaged and have their feedback taken into account as they were in 2017 and as they would need to be in the renewal of that process.

All of the employees, the unions, and the general public, of course, will have an opportunity to be engaged throughout any consultation progress that would be led by the standing committee as this matter proceeds, again, hopefully, in early 2020. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.