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

Mr. Speaker, we know that mental health and addictions issues are top of mind for many NWT residents, and they are also a priority area in the mandate of this Legislative Assembly. To guide our work to address these important issues affecting our communities, the Department of Health and Social Services developed a Strategic Framework for Mental Health and Addictions Recovery in the fall of 2016. One of the important focus areas of the framework was to ensure that mental health and addiction services are delivered locally, with culturally appropriate methods. I am pleased to provide Members with an update on our work to support on-the-land healing initiatives as part of our overall approach to addressing mental health and addictions issues in our territory.

Mr. Speaker, collectively we have become much more aware of the devastating and prolonged effects of residential schools and other forms of systemic abuse, which continue to affect Indigenous peoples and communities in the NWT. We know that many survivors of residential school continue to live with the effects of this abuse, along with the impacts of racism and marginalization, and some have turned to alcohol and drugs in order to cope.

While there is no one solution to address the intergenerational impacts and legacy of residential schools on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, families, and communities, our health system needs to be able to support our residents on their healing journeys. To do this, our health and social services system must respect traditional healing approaches and support Indigenous residents so that they may choose for themselves the paths to wellness that will be most relevant and meaningful, including on-the-land options.

We have heard from residents and Indigenous leaders through community engagement that on-the-land support is a necessary and foundational part of their healing journey.

A few years ago, we established the On-the-Land Healing Fund for mental health and addictions. This supports Indigenous governments in developing and delivering culturally relevant and safe land-based healing programs specific to the regions, cultures, and peoples. The department allocates $1.23 million annually to the fund, accessible to regional Indigenous governments and community-based Indigenous governments. In 2018-2019, a total of eight contribution agreements have been signed. During this time, we have also taken steps to ensure that land-based and culturally-based programs are supported as part of our overall mental health and addictions system.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is taking another significant step towards supporting land-based healing options for our residents. We are proposing new land-based programming with specific focus on mobile addictions treatment and family-based treatment. For many years, our residents have told us that there is a need for mobile treatment options and person- and family-centered approaches to mental wellness and addiction recovery support, and we are taking the steps and actions to bring those options to them.

Mobile treatment refers to treatment that takes place in a community setting, by coming to the community instead of having people travel outside of their communities to get the help and support they need. This approach puts strong emphasis on community involvement, and before an actual treatment program is implemented, the community must acknowledge that a substance-abuse problem exists and be committed and involved in addressing the problem. Part of how we work to ensure that mobile treatment is providing meaningful and lasting benefits to residents is by making sure that community resources and stakeholders are involved in the preparation and in coordinating after-care and recovery supports.

The importance of after-care and recovery supports as part of our mobile treatment approach was echoed by the Standing Committee on Social Development, who provided recommendations around addiction programming following their tours of addiction-treatment facilities in December 2017. These recommendations include improving approaches to after-care for individuals returning from addictions treatment, enhancing peer support, and providing family-support programs for addictions.

Mr. Speaker, our proposed land-based mobile addictions treatment approach addresses these recommendations in several ways:

• land-based, mobile addiction treatment activities can serve as an important support for individuals returning from addictions treatment and who need support to solidify their recovery;
• participation in land-based activities connects participants with other individuals also working towards recovery from addictions, which enhances their social network and connections with peers who can provide support; and
• Indigenous governments can use funding to provide land-based mobile treatment and after-care activities to individuals and families.

Mr. Speaker, a great deal of work still needs to happen to improve health and social outcomes of Indigenous people. The mobile-treatment option is an important step taken in addressing what we heard from residents and aligns with this government's mandate commitment towards supporting individuals in their recovery journey from addictions. Recognizing the uniqueness of each person's journey and that there are many pathways to wellness, the department provides a variety of support services, including the Community Counselling Program, child and youth care counsellors located within the school system, and southern treatment options just to name a few. This work represents the beginning of a system-wide transformation focused on creating safer spaces, increasing accessibility, and enhancing approaches to care across the spectrum of mental health and addictions recovery in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Senator Margaret Dawn Anderson is an lnuvialuk who was raised in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. She is the daughter of Ms. Sarah Anderson. She holds a bachelor's degree in child and youth care with distinction from the University of Victoria, where she is currently completing her master's in Indigenous governance. Senator Anderson worked with the Government of Northwest Territories for 22 years with the Department of Health & Social Services and the Department of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, before returning to school, Ms. Anderson served in various roles with the Government of Northwest Territories. Notably, she was the director of community justice and policing, where she implemented positive changes to the territorial justice system. She also helped develop and implement the territory's Wellness Court Program, a therapeutic program that attempts to reduce recidivism by treating underlying issues like mental health, addictions, and cognitive challenges.

Senator Anderson's dedication to the Northwest Territories and to improving the lives of others is best displayed through her work as an active member of the Domestic Violence Treatment Options Court and the development and implementation of the Planning Action Responsibly Toward Non-Violent Empowered Relationships (PARTNER) Program, a northern-based program for low- to medium-risk domestic violence offenders. She also conducted a review of the Northwest Territories Community Justice Program through consultations which resulted in a report with several recommendations to improve community-based restorative justice programming. Senator Anderson was also engaged in the development, implementation, and roll-out of the Integrated Case Management Program (ICM) pilot project, which aims to create, foster, and deliver a coordinated, collaborative, multi-departmental, client-centered approach that removes system barriers and service gaps for individuals with complex needs. ICM is led by the Department of Justice, and it is in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, most recently, Senator Anderson worked for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in Inuvik as she prepared for her defence on her community governance project. In this role, she participated in Inuvialuit self-government negotiations between the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Government of the Northwest Territories and also the Government of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Senator Anderson is a two-time recipient of the territorial Premier's Award for Excellence in her leadership and commitment to improving the lives of Northerners in both the individual and team category. She is a strong leader with a great passion for helping others. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share that Dawn has been appointed as the Senator for the Northwest Territories on December 12, 2018, and she is also the first-time female Senator to represent the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to commend Ms. Anderson on her achievements and also the role model that she is, not for just Inuvialuik but Indigenous women across the territory. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, today, I am reflecting on the fifth annual Anti-Poverty Roundtable, held in Hay River in November. I appreciate the Minster's invitation to attend and being able to hear from colleagues taking action on poverty throughout the territory as well as the opportunity to see what local organizations are doing and to meet their dedicated staff.

There is no question that anti-poverty efforts have come a long way since the GNWT Anti-Poverty Action Plan was introduced. The anti-poverty fund for grass-roots projects is now $1 million. There is more support for homelessness and communities outside of Yellowknife and for youth. Income-assistance clients receive more transfers from government than ever before.

While government is doing more, I am sad to say it is not doing enough. One in four children in the NWT live in poverty. The No Place for Poverty Coalition made 21 recommendations to the Minister to strengthen the next Anti-Poverty Action Plan, and we look forward to hearing they have been adopted.

Mr. Speaker, the action plan needs to include well-defined goals for which there is required funding for implementation and robust evaluation. It needs to focus on long-term solutions. Let's take hunger as an example. Statistics Canada says one-third of NWT children live in homes where having enough to eat is an issue. In addition to funding initiatives that respond to people who are hungry today, government needs to develop and pilot programs that improve food availability and affordability over the long term.

I also recommend both short- and long-term goals that relate to increasing the benefits paid by income assistance. Almost 5 percent of the territory's population is supported by income assistance, a number that has been growing, especially in Yellowknife and the Beaufort-Delta. While the department hasn't been able to provide analysis of how long families stay on income assistance, my sense is that some families rely on it from one generation to the next, to their detriment.

Mr. Speaker, an investment in poverty reduction pays off by requiring government to spend less on the negative effects of poverty, including poor health, poor educational outcomes, and poor employment prospects, to name a few. I will have questions about the action plan for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it is fair to say that this week we are all breathing a little easier. For many Northerners, labour disruptions bring up painful memories of deep divisions in our community. Thankfully, we have avoided a recurrence and we hope we can achieve a final resolution that respects our dedicated, professional public service members and the services they provide.

Mr. Speaker, as elected MLAs, it is important that we remember who put us here. The value of the work we do in this building must always be measured by its impact on our constituents. They are the people who gave us their trust.

In turn, it is important to recognize the work of members of the media who help people understand complex public issues. We live in a time when the media has a huge impact in our lives, so it is increasingly important that we can trust what we see and hear.

In context of recent weeks, I would especially like to compliment the work of Ollie Williams at Cabin Radio. His reports about the negotiations were frank and open and offered in-depth explanation of difficult and potentially divisive issues. In a situation where emotions can run high and conflict is too easily reached, his balanced, fair reporting was crucial to serving the public interest.

Another example of the northern media providing important understanding was at the AME Roundup in Vancouver. Northern media, including CBC's Hilary Bird, were covering roundup for the first time this year and were able to better convey the importance of the work that happens there. I know that not everybody agrees that our government should invest as much as we do in going to roundup, but fair and balanced coverage of issues and events like these are crucial to our residents' knowledge and understanding of the issues, to enable them to reach their own informed opinions.

Mr. Speaker, sadly, we live in days of fake news, when even known facts are argued, debated, and disputed. In such times, honest, balanced, and fair journalism is crucial in providing people with real understanding of public issues. In the small, close-knit community of the North, we are fortunate to be well-served by a principled and impartial journalistic community. I am pleased to take this opportunity to acknowledge their important contribution.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On October 11 of last year, I made a Member's statement on the issue of coordination of parental leave benefits with the changes to federal legislation that will improve these benefits.

These changes to the Canada Labour Code will provide a minimum of five weeks' paid leave for each parent. The changes were originally to come into effect on June 1, 2019, but the federal government recently moved up that effective date to March 17 of this year.

Amendments are required of our Employment Standards Act that will require employers to honour extended leave requests from their employees. I commend the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for fast-tracking our public consultations on amendments to the Employment Standard Act, that closed on January 14^th, and the expanded scope of leave for domestic violence for caregivers and others as proposed by the department. Clearly, though, we will not be ready for the effective date of the federal legislation on March 17^th.

It is not clear how long it will take us to catch up to the federal government and ensure that our families are entitled to the same parental leave benefits as other Canadians. Such benefits clearly lead to stronger families, and I am disappointed that we did not coordinate our efforts more closely with what the federal government has been doing.

Although this is obviously a sensitive area, yet another method to ensure parents receive the best possible benefits would be for our government to unilaterally offer to amend collective agreements to ensure that our employees would have their jobs protected while away on the improved federal parental leave.

I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today to make sure that our families receive the best possible parental leave. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point, we have roughly six months left until our time as MLAs for this Assembly wraps up, and I am happy to hear that the long-awaited Mineral Resources Act will finally be made public. Today, I would like to address the Minister's comments rather than the particulars of the legislation itself.

The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment has spoken at length, in public and in this House, about the benefits of the new act. It will bring:

• improved regulatory certainty, while respecting treaty rights;
• more benefits to communities from mining activity;
• superior consultation with stakeholders;
• predictable dispute resolutions;
• a clear, competitive regulatory framework for the 21^st century.

The list goes on.

Many in the mineral resources industry and Indigenous organizations and governments continue to express their dissatisfaction that one of the most significant pieces of regulatory legislation, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, remains firmly in the hands of Ottawa and out of reach of this Assembly and arguably out of touch with the realities on the ground. I have not yet heard any Member of the Executive Council make devolution of this crucial and foundational piece of regulatory authority a priority of this government. Until the MVRMA is brought home for Northerners to shape, our regulatory regime will sorely be lacking in predictability and will continue to be difficult to navigate, at best.

I do wonder, though, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if the years of public engagement and collaboration have really resulted in a government who understands the concerns, needs, and wants of the peoples it is here to represent in regards to this new legislation, further, the perspectives of industry and Indigenous partners, for that matter.

The Minister has made some mutually exclusive comments on the MRA which have left me and many members of the public understandably confused. On January 30^th, published in the Yellowknifer, the Minister is quoted discussing the Mineral Resources Act: "I'm not happy with it. Indigenous governments won't be happy with it. Industry isn't going to be happy with it."

Then, Mr. Speaker, on February 8^th in this House, according to Hansard, the Minister stated, "It is the culmination of years of research, public engagement, collaboration with Indigenous governments and organizations, and constant engagement with the industry." So why do we have a clear mutually exclusive definition of the bill based on the Minister's comments? I would like him to clarify this for the record, so we can truly understand if this legislation is meeting the needs of Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Promising gold find in the Sahtu region: Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight for my colleagues a new exploration discovery coming from the Sahtu Region.

It comes from Evrim Resources Corporation, a precious and base metals project generator who in January announced surface sampling results from their Astra gold project.

This project is joint between Evrim and Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the world's largest gold producers. It has led to the acquisition of a 23,250 square-kilometre prospective land package along the border of the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

Of note is the discovery of a 9.5-kilometre-long gold trend that includes samples returning up to 11.6 grams per tonne of gold over significant widths. Evrim's discovery is the result of two years of boots-on-the-ground exploration from their exploration teams.

The Astro Gold Project is located six kilometres north of the mile 222 airstrip and 195 kilometres northeast of the community of Ross River, along the Canol Road, which is providing seasonal road access to the southern boundary of the property. Evrim and Newmont are now acquiring the necessary permits for a drill program for this coming summer.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Evrim's CEO recognized in the news release that the Astro project is located within the traditional territory of the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim and stated that both Evrim and Newmont are committed to developing a positive and mutually beneficial relationship based on respect and transparency.

Mr. Speaker, the results reported by Evrim are encouraging, especially in a region that is known for its oil and gas. There are very few surface showings found anywhere in the world reporting this grade and width of gold. It speaks to the NWT's mineral potential in the Sahtu.

We are looking forward to the future of the project and the prosperity it will bring to the Sahtu residents and the people of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know that addiction issues are a serious problem in the Northwest Territories. I am on the Standing Committee on Social Development. Last year, we tabled a report on adult residential addictions treatment facilities. What we found out will not come as a surprise. The NWT faces an uphill battle when it comes to dealing with addictions. For example, our research told us that, in 2015-2016, the NWT had the second-highest per-capita level of alcohol consumption in Canada, not counting bootlegging sales, and our residents were hospitalized due to alcohol consumption at a rate of 1,315 people per 100,000. On top of that, residents of our small communities were likely to experience harm from someone's drinking. News headlines regularly tell us that illegal drugs are coming to the NWT and harming vulnerable people.

Northerners have often called on their MLAs and on this government to offer addictions treatment options in the NWT. Currently, residents have the choice of four facilities in Alberta and BC.

Mr. Speaker, after standing empty for five years, the Dene Wellness Centre opened Wednesday, January 9, 2019, on the Hay River reserve. With room for 64 people overnight, the centre plans for wellness programming deeply rooted in Dene values and laws. Executive Director Heidi Yardley has worked across the North, and is a psychologist and therapist.

The centre will have ceremonial and traditional practices as an important component of healing. Two K'atlodeeche First Nation elders, Pat Martel and Raymond Sonfrere, will guide and help oversee the work of the centre.

Mr. Speaker, Yardley also has her staff sign a policy agreeing to follow the Dene laws: "We don't have a formal code of conduct because that's not the Dene way. We follow the Dene laws and the Dene values."

Yardley would also like to create a traditional-knowledge-holder position; however, it is dependent on funding.

Indigenous groups from across the NWT are involved in the centre, and an advisory council is being established, with invitations going out to groups from every treaty settlement region in the territory.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, an advisory council has been established with invites out to groups from every treaty settlement region in the NWT. The Northwest Territories Metis Nation, the GNWT, and the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation are also involved. The centre will be running a recovery, trauma, and depression groups over the next few months.

The building had sat vacant since 2013, when the Territorial government shut the territory's last treatment centre down. The K'atlodeeche First Nation had been actively negotiating with the NWT government to access the building since 2016. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I have a concern from Tsiigehtchic on how the department is micro-managing the ice bridge construction in Tsiigehtchic.

In the past, the contract with the community was to supply all labour and equipment needed to complete the work. We have seen a huge shift in how this work is done since a decision was made to extend the ferry service during the winter months. The department at that time even brought a number of their staff and equipment from the South Slave region to work with the community.

Since then, Mr. Speaker, the department now uses their own heavy equipment, Sno-Cats, backhoes, Bombardiers, sprayer, and auger. This is taking revenue away from the community of Tsiigehtchic and other small business owners in our region.

The department will probably say they are trying to recover overspending, but, in fact, this overspending is due to operating their own equipment and not how our community is managing the contract.

Mr. Speaker, while the department believes they are saving money by using their equipment, what they are actually doing is taking employment away from my constituents, many of which look forward to this seasonal work, especially just before Christmas. This year, we had 14 people working at the beginning, but that only lasted for 16 days. Then, in December, we only had four people employed, and three in January. You can imagine how disappointed the workers were. Usually, they get six weeks' worth of work during this time before Christmas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I will have questions later today. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Danny Allaire was born in Fort Simpson on January 26, 1975, to Phoebe and Daniel Allaire. He was raised and lived his whole life in Fort Simpson. He passed away on January 12, 2019.

After graduating high school, Danny worked as a seasonal crew leader, fighting fires with the GNWT and later with the Nogha fire crew.

During the winter months, Danny spent his time on the land that he loved so much. He would trap and hunt at Notana Lake with his grandparents, Gabe and Mary Cazon, and other family members.

In 2000, Danny left for Fort Smith to attend Aurora College, along with his father, Daniel. They both enrolled in the Environment and Natural Resources Program. In 2002, Danny and his dad graduated with honours.

After graduating in the spring of 2002, Danny's career as a wildlife technician began at ENR. Being a wildlife technician for Danny was immensely rewarding, enabling him to travel and study wildlife across the North.

A large part of Danny's work was surveying caribou, bison, sheep, and moose. He was quite proud of his many co-written scientific research papers with his supervisor, Nic Larter, and having them published.

Being the hunter that he was, when somebody asked where all the moose are, Danny's reply was, "In the bush."

He was taught how to hunt, fish, and trap in an ever-revolving traditional atmosphere with teachings from his parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. He caught his first martin at the age of four and shot his first moose at 14.

He was very close to his family, especially his sister, Danita. He was always willing to share his knowledge and pass on traditional ways to his younger cousins.

Danny was an artist. He understood beauty in words and saw beauty in expressions. He loved music, dancing, and laughing with his many friends. He carved, painted, drew pictures, wrote poetry, sang, and listened to music. He was a photographer, always wanting to share the moments he captured.

Danny appreciated relationships, whether it was with the land, family, or friends. There were many weekends when you could have walked up to his house and heard his roaring laughter. If he wasn't laughing, he was singing along to one of his many favourite bands, sometimes off-beat, but that never mattered.

In times of trial and tears, let's remember him saying, "Can't we all just along?" and maybe smile in memory.

The Allaire and the Cazon families would like to thank everybody for all of their love and support in this difficult time. We have all been blessed to know him and share his life. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences to the family, as well, and to the community. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to a presence in the gallery. I would like to welcome the new NWT Senator to our proceedings, Senator Dawn Anderson. Masi for being here with us.

Also present before us is Mr. David Jones, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner for the Northwest Territories, who has joined us in the gallery today. Later on this afternoon, I will table the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's 2018 Annual Report. Masi for joining us.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I made my Member's statement on Dawn Anderson, our newest Senator, and I would like to welcome Dawn to the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, Dawn has probably sat in here with the Department of Justice and other departments, and I would like to commend her for the hard work that she does across the territory and across Canada now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour are ideal locations to monitor winter storms in the High Arctic. Another roof blew apart during this last storm in Paulatuk as the winds reached 140 kilometres.

Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Minister is: how often are community emergency plans exercised and updated across the territory, mainly those in the Barren Lands? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I just want to thank the leadership and the people of the community of Paulatuk who stepped up to the plate during this past weekend, when we had winds that reached up to about 140 kilometres per hour, to take care of our elders, our youth, and those most vulnerable in the community.

Mr. Speaker, the new territorial Emergency Management Act does require communities to update their emergency plans annually. Our staff also do a great job in coordinating and working with our leadership to make sure that these plans are updated on a regular basis and that they actually go through tabletop exercises at the community level.

We will continue to do this, not only with the coastal communities in the Beaufort Delta region, but all of our communities across the Northwest Territories as well as those on the Mackenzie River. We want to make sure that we can prevent anything from happening in terms of emergencies, such as what happened this past weekend in Paulatuk, as well as the other communities in the Member's riding.

I appreciate the response from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that we, as an Assembly, should be seeking disaster mitigation funding to help homeowners and the hamlets across the territory to prepare, as weather storms are becoming more extreme across the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, which impacts day-to-day operations and our infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is: how do you plan on building resiliency in communities that face such climate change effects as the number of winter storms increase in the High Arctic?

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will continue to work closely with community governments to update the NWT Hazard Identification Risk Assessment. We will also continue to lobby our federal counterparts to look at increasing funding or continuing some of the funding that we have used in the past years to mitigate any type of emergency situations. We will obviously continue working with our leadership and working with our community members. That will address some of these emergency issues moving forward.

I appreciate the response from the Minister. It seems like MACA is doing a good job in including the communities. Mr. Speaker, leading after that question, my question to the Minister is: how will MACA incorporate Indigenous knowledge into their local, regional, and territorial emergency planning?

As I mentioned in a previous response, we will look at working with our leadership and our local membership in the communities to address any kind of emergency-management situations and how we deal with those.

Also, with planning community plans, we are going to be working with our community leadership to develop them so that it does mitigate any kind of emergency risks right across the Northwest Territories. Obviously, we have seen over the last few years situations up in our coastal communities that do have an impact. I have brought it up to our federal Minister. I have also brought it up to our national and Indigenous leaders, about such things as permafrost degradation. I talked about coastal erosion, as well as the opening of the Northwest Passage and seeing more vessels coming through, that we need to be prepared for any kind of situation that happens, especially in the Member's riding. I have invited, like I said, our federal Minister to come up and see what we are doing to try to mitigate that risk. I have also invited some of our national Indigenous organization leaders to come see the unique situation of the Northwest Territories, the North, and how we need support on a bigger front. We will, as I mentioned, continue with the membership of the communities, as well as the leadership, who are the experts in this region, in bringing that traditional knowledge into consideration.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That almost answered my last question here. Mr. Speaker, we sometimes see climate change only in the spring and the summer months, during the melt and the thaw, and sometimes when the water levels rise along the Mackenzie River or the Arctic Ocean or other lakes across the territory, but we need to think about the winter, as well, and the large storms that are coming.

I will ask this question anyways, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister consider Nunakput communities that face extreme winds during the winter months to access disaster mitigation funding to protect housing infrastructure and also the municipal infrastructure that is in effect during the winter months?

Currently, the Government of the Northwest Territories does have some applications in place here for the disaster mitigation funding, which are being looked at. We are hoping to get a positive answer on that. I have also, most previously at our federal-provincial-territorial meetings, brought up the concern that we need to continue looking at other sources of funding that will impact our northern communities. I will continue to work with the leadership, our federal leadership, to make sure that they know what kind of funds they can access and work on developing those applications and ensuring that we do have support from our other jurisdictions to support this type of funding moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, based on the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment's public comments on the proposed Mineral Resource Act, I have to ask: has this act been written with the collaboration of all stakeholders, or is the Minister rushing to check off a mandate commitment for the piece of legislation that nobody is happy with? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That might be his approach, but not mine. From the Government of the Northwest Territories' approach, we have done our due diligence on this act.

As we know, this is probably one of the most important pieces of act coming forward in the 18^th Legislative Assembly. We have involved the intergovernmental council right from day one on this thing, along with their technical advisory panel, which is the North Slave Metis Alliance and the Dehcho First Nations, who also attend this meeting. We have met with special interest groups, environmental and non-government organizations, and the Chamber of Mines. We have had public consultation in many communities, with lots of feedback. We had Aboriginal consultation. For the most part, the reason we are bringing this bill forward is that it is part of the devolution process to bring this thing forward, but with all of this consultation that has taken place and in-person public meetings that we have had there is a lot of support for this bill coming forward.

I would expect that that response would be what the Minister would say publicly whenever asked, and yet he gave very different comments in the January 30^th edition of the Yellowknifer. Can the Minister explain why he made those comments?

I make a lot of comments, just like the Member across the hall here. I have actually used this comment a number of times. This is a very large piece of legislation, that is going to affect a large number of people in the Northwest Territories, from industry to Aboriginal governments, to the person on the street, to the businessperson down the road. When you have that many people involved in a bill that is this important and this big, not everybody is going to agree on the piece of legislation. There might be things in there that we will all agree. No different than this House, this is built on consensus and collaboration with stakeholders in the Northwest Territories. With that being said, not everybody is going to agree on everything at all times, and this bill that is going to be brought forward in the life of this Assembly is going to not be supported by everybody. It is no different than everything else and what we did in this House last week.

We will continue to push this thing forward for the best interests of the residents of the Northwest Territories. I think the department has done a great amount of work that will be represented in this bill when committee takes it on the road.

Surely, the Minister is happy with the quality of the consultations and is happy with what the bill is going out there. I acknowledge that differences are what makes this House so strong and what makes our society so strong, but to hear that from the Minister makes me question whether he is satisfied with the quality of the legislation. Can the Minister clarify that?

As I have said in my previous comments, not everybody will be happy with everything in this bill, including me. This bill is built on the collaboration and consensus of the people of the Northwest Territories. I support the bill that we are bringing forward. I believe it is the bill at the right time, for the right industry, that we are doing this through the devolution process. This is a bill that people of the Northwest Territories are clearly interested in. As I have said, this is probably one of the biggest and most important ones in this Legislative Assembly. If the Member does not like the comments that I make in public, that's up to him. I support this bill. We have done our due diligence. We have worked with all of the residents of the Northwest Territories, as I have said, and we will be bringing this forward in this sitting.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is not that I don't like the comments but that the comments are confusing, and I think a reasonable person would assume differently from the logical contrast of the two comments made. Mr. Speaker, the Minister just said that he is not happy with all of the sections of the legislation. If he could speak globally, what would he like to see come forward that wasn't included? Thank you.

That is getting into the content of the bill, and the bill has not reached the floor of the House. If the Member wants to ask me that question when I am sitting in the Committee of the Whole, have at ‘er. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up to my statement earlier, my questions today are to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Is the Minister or his department aware of the Astro gold property that I referred to earlier? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am well aware of the Astro gold project in the Sahtu. They have been doing some work out there. They actually accessed our geodatabase that we have housed in the Northwest Territories geoscience department. In discussions with them, when I was talking to them at roundup, this actually came from a presentation when the Premier and I were at PDAC, and the department laid out a water-till sample that they did in the Sahtu region, and that is where these guys got some actual information to start having a look at that district. Evrim also used our Mining Incentive Program last year. They got $160,000 to go towards their work, and they are also engaging our community and client service unit regarding our activities in the Member's riding.

Thanks to the Minister for that reply and information here. It seems that there is some dialogue going back and forth, which sounds encouraging. My next question: what are Evrim's plans to keep the project moving forward?

This is early in the ball game with these guys, but, the exciting news release that they put out, that was right when we were all down at the mineral roundup. It was very timely because we actually had a meeting set up with them, with Evrim and Newmont, and had some discussions about what they are planning on doing and, as I said in my earlier comments, how they got to where they are. They are going to do a drill-test program. I think it was in their news release, but, if it wasn't, they are going to do one this summer, which is hopefully going to take place earlier on in the summer. The one thing that I want to state is that this is an early discovery.

It is a new gold discovery, an entirely new type of gold deposit in the Northwest Territories that hasn't been seen before. If we are lucky, maybe we are going to be witnessing something that is very similar to what just took place in the Yukon with the new White Gold District that is happening there. They are very bullish on this piece of property, and we look forward to working with them going forward.

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It seems that the cost of going to Vancouver is bearing some fruit. My third question to the Minister of ITI is: will the GNWT be signing a SEA with Evrim to ensure that the Sahtu residents and businesses benefit from the work in their region?

I think that might be a little premature, about doing a SEA. These guys haven't even put a drill in the ground yet, but they are very bullish, as I said, on their project. The department has demonstrated time and time again that we want to focus on getting benefits to residents in the Northwest Territories, to the people working, to small businesses, and getting all benefits we can out of resources from these types of projects. We will be following these guys closely.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question to the Minister: are there any plans for these two companies, Newmont and Evrim, to come into our capital in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am not aware of them coming here anytime soon. They will probably get a hold of me if they are going to come here and have a discussion. The last thing that I left on the conversation on the table with them when we were meeting with them was about the community engagement. I strongly suggested that they involve the residents of the Sahtu in their project, to keep them updated, not on a day-by-day basis but on a very regular basis, so they get an idea of what is going on out there.

I continually stress that, particularly in Sahtu, because that has been an oil-driven and gas-driven resource area of the Northwest Territories, and mining history goes a long way back there. There has not been any mining activity in that region for a long time, so I want them to engage early and often. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been approached by a number of leaders to explain how the Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement worked. From what I have been able to find, prior to implementation of devolution 2014, the GNWT and Aboriginal groups signed the NWT Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement with 25 percent of the net profit going to Aboriginal groups according to our formula. It is my understanding that allocation is made each year of the signatories of the development devolution agreement. In that, the formula says: "Aboriginal population not yet party to the agreement shall be retained by the GNWT." My questions are for the Premier. Can the Premier please explain what is meant by "retained by the GNWT"? Thank you.

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The retained portion is an estimated calculation for those Indigenous governments who have not signed on to devolution. Each year, once annual net fiscal benefit figures are available, these retained amounts are distributed according to intergovernmental council negotiations that are guided by the provisions of the Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement. These negotiations occur after intergovernmental council members receive their respective allocations of the net fiscal benefit under their Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement.

I appreciate the Premier providing that answer. Mr. Speaker, does the government hold the shares for Aboriginal organization populations that have not signed on to the agreement?

No. The Government of the Northwest Territories identifies for the other parties to the agreement that there are retained revenues available and begins discussions on how they are to be allocated. The other parties are the Indigenous governments that have signed on to devolution, and they see this as Indigenous government money.

I thank the Premier for clarifying that answer. Mr. Speaker, does the government allocate funding from the retained part of this part of the money to the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow in Inuvik? If not, how does the GNWT help support this conference and trade show?

No. Once again, retained amounts have not been used to support Indigenous governments to attend the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow in Inuvik. The Government of the Northwest Territories' infrastructure department has not provided funds for Indigenous governments' delegates to participate in the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow and does not anticipate doing so in the future. Indigenous governments, however, are free to allocate the funds however they see fit.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, thanks to the Premier. This is probably a redundant question, but I'm going to ask it to the Premier anyway: does the government allocate funding from the retained part of the pot to be set to send to Aboriginal group government delegates to the Association for Mineral Exploration in Vancouver?

No. Retained amounts have not been used to support Indigenous government delegates to attend AME. For AME Roundup, the GNWT ITI department uses funds allocated under the Mineral Development Strategy to client services and community relations for Aboriginal capacity funding. From those funds, a certain amount is used to support Indigenous government delegations to attend AME. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. First off, I would like to commend the Minister for fast-tracking public consultation on changes to the Employment Standards Act and to indicate my strong support for including domestic violence leave. The public consultation on this process ended January the 14^th. Can the Minister tell us what the next steps are? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the compliment from the MLA. I appreciate that. Not only is it parental and family caregiver leave within this act. We are looking at domestic violence that was brought up, but also domestic workers, for example, nannies, to make sure that they are covered as well. We did the stakeholders' consultation that was brought. We will be bringing forward the “what we heard” document in March here, coming in, and then, right now, we are finalizing the legislative proposal at this moment.

Thanks to the Minister for that. I have expressed my disappointment that we won't be able to meet the federal implementation date of the employment insurance changes on March the 17^th for improved parental benefits in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell us when we can expect to see amendments to our employment standards that come forward to this House?

As stated earlier, we are just in the finalization of doing a “what we heard” document and drafting up a legislative proposal. We are going to be introducing and bringing it forward in the next session of May to June, and then of course Members have the 120 days to take it out.

Thanks to the Minister for that. Well, if I have anything to do with it, that bill is going to fly straight through here. Wow, I actually got an applause from the other side of the House for a change. One of the easiest ways we can extend and improve federal parental leave benefits to our employees is to mend relative collective agreements. I know that is a sensitive area right now, but can the Minister tell us whether our government has made an offer to the relevant unions to mend collective agreements to allow our employees to take full advantage of the improved parental leave benefits?

The MLA actually answered his own question. At this moment, I cannot speak on anything happening with the union.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Well, thanks to the Minister for that. Look, I just want my colleagues in the House and the public to understand that there are some more steps that we have to do to make sure that our families and parents enjoy the best possible benefits. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as our government is obviously going to lag behind the improved parental benefits offered by the federal government nationwide, I would like to ask the Minister what lessons we have learned from this experience to make sure that our families receive the best possible benefits in the future?

I guess there are many lessons that come. One of the lessons is that life changes constantly. Don't get used to status quo because it changes all the time. That is something I have realized, and that is something we need to be conscious of within this House because that is what we are here for, to be abreast of it and to make changes. Another lesson I learned is, not only through this, work together. Work with your cross-jurisdictional, work with your partners in other jurisdictions and the federal government because it is important. A third lesson that I have learned is, even though I really want to work closely with the federal government, sometimes the federal government doesn't work on our schedule. I am not sure how to fix that because, of course, all jurisdictions have different sitting times, they have different voting times. It is an issue. I am glad our Senator is in the House. It could probably be brought forward. It would be wonderful to have more partnerships, more working together, whenever federal bills come out or acts come out that affect the jurisdictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. As I stated in my statement, Mr. Speaker, we are taking a lot of employment away from the community of Tsiigehtchic, not to mention Fort McPherson. At times, we even hired a number of people from the community there when we didn't have enough. I would like to ask the Minister: why did the department decide to bring in their equipment to be used at the Mackenzie River crossing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get back to the Member on what exact piece of equipment, why we brought it in, and why we brought it there. I do know that we have a labour and equipment contract, an as-and-when one with Tsiigehtchic with Arctic Red River Development Corporation. I can look into that matter, what specific piece of equipment the Member is talking about.

I can just answer that right now because I have come from Tsiigehtchic. I know what is there. We have a Sno-Cat, Bombardiers, which I think they brought out of the museum. They are so old, you know, this equipment, that they are barely running. I think that is where all the cost is coming from, is because to find these parts, you know, price must double or triple or something. What cost savings is the department making by using their own equipment compared to past years?

I am going to look into this as the Member has stated. The one thing that people know in this House is we have escalated our time of putting in the snow crossing. The big controversy in this Assembly two years ago was us shutting down the winter road ferry program. When we did that, the department made the commitment that we would put in the crossing as fast as possible, which we have. It is from freeze-up to actually having 5,000 kg capability has been very minimal days now, I believe, less than two weeks for both crossings.

We have involved new technologies and lighter pieces of equipment, which might influence which pieces of equipment that we are actually trying to rent from the Red River Development Corporation. I will work with the Member and get the answers that he wants on these specific questions.

Bringing in this equipment actually didn't save us any time. We actually just finished the ice bridge, like, two weeks ago. If I didn't say anything, they would probably still be working on it now. You know, I know the department is trying to do the best they could, but will the Minister ensure that next year the community is given support to providing employment for their workforce?

As I said, we are putting this thing in as efficiently and as fast as we can. The workforce is contracted out with Little Red River. I will have to see how long that contract is good for and work with the Member to be able to maximize the most employment I can for his particular riding. We have not reduced the capital cost or the budgetary process for putting this road in. We realize the pressure that is on these communities the longer it takes to put in these ice crossings across the Northwest Territories. The Member continually raises it in this Assembly, and we will continually try to work with him and his communities to put it in as fast as possible and work with his communities where they can benefit from these projects that are right in their back door. I will continue to work with the Member.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it sounds promising. You know, in the past, I have even worked on that ice road when I first started working. You know, the workforce they have set up in the community, they work pretty hard all through November until mid-December. Usually, by the 20^th, they have everything opened to 50,000 kilograms, which is required, and then they let Mother Nature do her part.

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me the department doesn't seem to support providing labour employment but would rather bring in equipment that actually took longer and at a higher cost. I would like to ask the Minister if this is the case.

No, that is not the case. As I said, we are trying to put this thing as efficiently and as fast as we can for the residents, particularly in his home community. We have made the unprecedented step where we put the Arctic Red River in first now so the community can actually get out of there sooner and cross over to go to McPherson. We can actually pull that, maybe, and put that money towards the main crossing if the Member wants us to spend in his community. That is going to mean that they are going to have to wait a lot longer to get out of there. I have committed in this House that I will work with the Member closely to try to maximize the benefits for his residents and what we can do in next year's winter season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I talked about, I guess, perhaps a redevelopment of the Taltson hydro dam. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI, I suppose, questions on the Taltson hydro dam. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware that there is an organized community on the Taltson River larger than some of the current communities that we have. Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite clear on the question. What I said in the House last week here, when we talked about the Taltson project, was we are involving the three Indigenous governments that are affected in the region, the Northwest Territories Metis Nation, the Salt River First Nation, and the Akaitcho. I have met with all three of them from their leadership point of view and given them the heads-up about the announcement on this funding. As I have said in the House last week, there seems to be a willingness to work towards supporting this project. That is what this Aboriginal engagement money is going to be for. It will clearly lay out what needs to be done with the work going forward. There are a number of things that have to be done, but one of the best things I think about this project is the far-reaching reconciliation around economic development with Indigenous governments on a project like this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my question was if the Minister was aware that there was an organized community on the Taltson River, but I will move on. I would like to ask the Minister, if he is aware that there was a community called Rocher River, an organized community, complete with surveyed lots, if the Minister would find a way to consult with the people that actually lived in Rocher River prior to construction of the dam?

At this point, right now, as I've said, I've clearly laid out the three Indigenous governments that the government is willing to engage with. I am willing to go into the communities to have a discussion with the local communities of Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, and Lutselk'e, in particular. At that point, maybe that's when there will be an opportunity for some questions from the Regular Members.

It appears as though the Minister is not fully aware of who was impacted, and that's what I'm trying to get at here. The greatest impact of the Taltson dam was upon the people that lived in a place called Rocher River. I am a person that is from Rocher River. What happened there was the school burned down a few years before the Taltson dam was constructed. Many people felt that was deliberate, but the bottom line is, there was a group of people living there in an organized community. It had stores, two stores. They had a school, and they were a regular functioning community, and suddenly, after the school burned down, the people started moving. The people moved to the river to trap, trap on the rivers, continued to use Taltson as basically a lifeline for all the people there, and then, the dam was ---

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, what's your line of questioning?

Can the GNWT start working now with the elders, the remaining elders, that were from Rocher River to start developing a list of the families that were impacted as a result of the Taltson dam?

As I've said, I'm willing to have a discussion with all impacted residents on this project. If we're going to sit down and have a discussion about the Taltson back when it was built, in the '60's, I think, if that's a discussion that some of the Member's riding wants to take place, we're going to have to have all parties at the table for that discussion. That's something that took place prior to devolution. That was under the federal government's watch, and that's probably a discussion that should be taking place with the federal government or maybe even at the Akaitcho main table. I'm willing to sit down with all residents in the South Slave who are impacted by us, who want to move this project forward and have those discussions.

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when people are relocated, they are scattered all over the place because they don't have a home. They ended up, yes, in Fort Resolution, yes, in Yellowknife, some in Lutselk'e, some in Edmonton, Hay River. They're all over the place. There is no home. They are scattered around. These were the people that were greatly affected. I'm asking the Minister: I agree that Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Lutselk'e, that will capture the majority of the people; however, there is a group that is going to be missed unless we pull that list together, so I'd like to ask the Minister again if he is prepared to work with, if it's the Aboriginal government that he needs to work with, then if he would develop a list of see who was originally impacted and include them in the discussions moving forward for the redevelopment of the Taltson dam?

As I've said, I'm willing to have a conversation with anybody, but this is a conversation that has to include more than just me. As I said, this is something that happened, not under our watch, under the federal government's watch. There are other opportunities for those people to have those discussions at different venues, as I've said. I'm willing to have those discussions, and I suspect through more consultation with Indigenous governments and their leadership on moving this project forward, I can raise this question of around the impacted residents, and we'll see what the leadership wants to do in that regard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my questions are for the Minister of Lands. Some time ago, the Department of Lands started some really good work and some consultation with regard to the Yellowknife area recreational land use framework, I suppose. It went great guns for the first couple of years, and now, it seems as though it's been put on pause. It might have gone back into the archives or onto the shelf. I would like to ask the Minister if he can let us know what is underway with regard to the recreational land use planning and maybe even explain for folks what a recreational land use plan consists of? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, several years ago, we looked into this matter and have our recreational leasing management framework to guide us in this area. With respect to the Yellowknife periphery area, much of the work has been done. It is of course a commitment of this government to advance this process. We did recognize in the framework that there would be certain areas that are of priority, and, clearly, the Yellowknife area is a priority because of the heavy recreational use. I can advise that we are continuing to attempt to engage with our Aboriginal partners in that matter.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. Can the Minister maybe elaborate a little bit more on what is the reasoning for a recreational land use plan? My understanding is that they're not very well-used throughout the territory, if at all, that this version might be a pilot to some degree. Why a recreational land use plan? Why can't we just have recreational land use included in the comprehensive land use plans?