Good afternoon, Members. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the honourable Glen Abernethy will be absent from the House today due to illness. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories made a mandate commitment to develop a strategy for improving the way that waste is managed in the Northwest Territories.

Waste management is a shared responsibility, and improving waste management in the Northwest Territories requires a collaborative approach that considers the diverse interests of all groups producing and managing waste.

After extensive engagement, I am pleased to share that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, together with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, has completed and released the NWT Waste Resource Management Strategy and Implementation Plan, a 10-year roadmap to reducing and managing waste in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Waste Resource Management Strategy and Implementation Plan reaffirms the GNWT's commitment to working with our community and private-sector partners to manage the resources and potential economic and environmental benefits from household, commercial, and industrial waste, both from the private sector and our municipalities

The Strategy and Implementation Plan has four overarching goals:

• Preventing and reducing waste at the source;
• Diverting waste from disposal;
• Improving waste management facilities and practices; and
• Leading by example, through initiatives that help us to "green our government."

These goals are intended to foster a shift away from the current disposal model approach to waste management to one that will reduce the amount of waste from residential and non-residential sources that is sent to landfills. This shift aims to disrupt the current model of making, using, and disposing of resources in order to better protect our environment and reduce the amount of waste that is sent to NWT landfills.

Mr. Speaker, by focusing on improving waste management practices and policies, the strategy will ultimately help communities in the NWT reduce the long-term liabilities and costs associated with hazardous waste and shortened landfill life, and contribute to the green economy by creating opportunities for new businesses and jobs to emerge in the waste management sector.

The Waste Resource Management Strategy and Implementation Plan was developed based on extensive public engagement. I want to thank our residents and the many Indigenous and community governments, regulatory boards, federal agencies, professional associations, non-government organizations, businesses, industry, and commercial operators for helping to shape this 10-year roadmap toward improved waste management in the NWT.

This strategy will help us to reduce waste and support a healthy environment for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, early in the life of the 18^th Legislative Assembly our government made a commitment to secure funding for the advancement of new strategic infrastructure corridors. It is a commitment that we made in Connecting Us, the Northwest Territories 25-year Transportation Strategy, as well as in our government's mandate.

The three priority transportation corridor projects our government is pursuing are the Tlicho All-Season Road, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, and the Slave Geological Access Corridor. Each of these projects will help connect communities, support employment and training opportunities, increase our resiliency to climate change, and create new social and economic opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to provide an update on these projects.

Less than two years ago, our government opened the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway. Now, we are getting ready for the construction of another new highway: the Tlicho All-Season Road. When it opens, this highway will cover a distance of 97 kilometres and provide year-round access from Highway No. 3 to Whati. The Environmental Review and Regulatory Processes are nearing completion, with construction on track to begin this fall.

Construction and maintenance of the road will result in significant employment and training opportunities for Tlicho residents, which supports the development of a strong northern workforce. In fact, specific requirements have been established for hiring and training local residents. In the long term, the road is expected to reduce the cost of living for the region and support new social opportunities, while helping to attract additional interest from industry in the exploration and development of natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, we are working closely with the Tlicho Government on this project and thank them for their support. The Tlicho Government is an equity partner in North Star Infrastructure, with whom the GNWT has a Public-Private Partnership, or a P3, Project Agreement to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the road. As we have seen with the Stanton Renewal and Mackenzie Valley Highway Fibre Link, P3s are an effective way of delivering large, strategic infrastructure projects that are essential for the Northwest Territories. They allow our government to bring in private-sector expertise and accountability to the process, while preserving government ownership of core public assets.

Mr. Speaker, work has also continued on the advancement of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, focusing on the section of highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells. Last year the federal government announced $102.5 million to advance the highway under the National Trade Corridors Fund. The Government of the Northwest Territories has committed $37.5 million to the project, bringing the total investment to $140 million.

Mr. Speaker, continuing to extend the Mackenzie Valley Highway will connect more communities to the all-weather road system, while increasing resiliency of the winter road system to the impacts of climate change. The project is currently the subject of an ongoing environmental assessment, and work has started on the preparation and submission of the developer's assessment report. The Department of Infrastructure has started holding community engagement sessions in Norman Wells, Tulita, Wrigley, and Fort Simpson regarding the overall project. Additionally, community and stakeholder meetings will take place in the coming months in the Sahtu and Dehcho regions.

Most recently, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated signed a memorandum of understanding to the advancement of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The MOU outlines how we will cooperate through the environmental review and regulatory processes. Our government is also working with the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation on the advancement of the Mackenzie Valley Highway through the Environmental Review and Regulatory Process.

Mr. Speaker, we also continue to make progress on the Slave Geological Province. Yesterday the Government of Canada announced that it will provide $30 million to support the advancement of the Slave Geological Province under the National Trades Corridor Fund. The Government of the Northwest Territories has committed $10 million to the project, bringing the total investment to $40 million. Funding will support planning and environmental studies that will lead to obtaining permits for road construction.

The Slave Geological Province Corridor will serve as an important transportation, hydro, and communications corridor, improving access to significant untapped mineral potential, helping us green the mining industry, and facilitating future resource exploration and development opportunities. This project is not possible without support from Indigenous stakeholders. I have discussed the project with the Yellowknives Dene, Akaitcho Territory Government, Tlicho Government, and North Slave Metis Alliance. Further discussions with Indigenous governments will continue over the coming months to explore future opportunities for their involvement in the project.

Mr. Speaker, our government also continues to work with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association on its proposed Grays Bay Road and Port project to further our long-term vision of an infrastructure corridor through the Slave Geological Province that will connect to an all-season road in western Nunavut that links to a deep water port on the Arctic Ocean. As we work through the environmental assessments and regulatory processes and pursuing the funding for these projects, we will continue to engage Indigenous groups and work with them to take advantage of the benefits that these projects will bring. We will also work closely with our counterparts in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ensure ongoing protection of wildlife and natural environment.

Mr. Speaker, strong, effective partnerships with the federal government and Indigenous governments are essential to the success of these projects. Together, we can improve transportation connectivity across the territory, which will help us achieve our social and economic goals and improve the quality of life in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as an ally to add my voice to the grave and tragic issue of forced sterilization. This is not some past, dark chapter in Canadian history on which we have turned the page. It appears, based on several class-action lawsuits in front of the courts right now, that this barbaric practice is still in use. We hear now more and more voices rising up, sharing their stories, the traumas, and their terror of having been coerced into sterilization. I want to commend all of those who have spoken up to ensure that we hear their stories.

Mr. Speaker, contrary to popular belief, tubal ligation is virtually irreversible. It is undetectable to the untrained eye. Medical records are kept private for good reason, but a systemic review of these records may be the only way to begin to verify data and add weight to what is admittedly anecdotal at this time.

For us to address this issue, we must not only promise to do better, but we must take concrete steps to ensure that full and complete knowledge on the topic is gathered, preserved, and published. We must collect the stories of those who are affected and willing to come forward. We must commission a systematic review of medical records to uncover the full scope of this tragedy. We must continue to bring this to the forefront, and we must remain diligent and unrelenting as we move to take concrete action to criminalize coercion of this type. It is not simply enough to condemn this practice. We must also never forget that providing real support to those affected by this continuing tragedy is among our top priorities.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I will repeat the words of the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh: "If you suspect that you or someone you know has been pressured for sterilization, make it be known. No person should have the procedure performed on them without free, prior, informed consent. Anything else would be a violation of the victim's human rights."

Sadly, it appears that the echoes of eugenics still haunt us today. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I feel sick, I want comfort food. The same is true for our elders and family members who are in the hospital. Unfortunately, most traditional foods that we want when we are sick are not available in our hospitals and long-term care facilities.

In the Yukon, there is a traditional food program that serves wild game to patients that is donated by local hunters. They fill out a checklist ensuring the food has been handled safely before sending it to the local butcher, who also has to complete a checklist before sending the food to the hospital. At the hospital, liaison staff visit all Indigenous patients to help them access the traditional food, run by the First Nations Cultural Programs Coordinator.

In our last sitting the Minister said that the new Stanton Hospital would have the ability to prepare country food, but that it was not quite ready. I hope to hear from the Minister later today, or the Premier, that they are up and running. I also hope that they are looking at how to get country foods into our other health facilities in the territory and also our long-term care facilities. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to make my statement. The Mackenzie River itself, Mr. Speaker, is 1,650 kilometres in length. In most areas, its 1.6 to 3.2 kilometres in width can present many logistical challenges, particularly during the later part of the low-water season.

I have seen it myself during my boat ride of last month between the communities of Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope. In particular, you have to cross two sets of rapids and, in particular, one just above Fort Good Hope, eight kilometres. There is a landmark rock on the outside of the boat route, the only route on that section that is passable. Now, the rock in my last trip was showing, measuring the low-water season.

Mr. Speaker, this is the main supply chain for many routes and coastal communities, the resupply that is the utmost importance to community residents and businesses that the Marine Transportation Services provides.

Last month, during my visit to the community of Hay River, I was accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure to tour the Marine Training Centre, which gave me the privilege of meeting two young ladies taking marine courses, one from Deline and one from Tulita. It was quite remarkable to see them, Mr. Speaker, these young ladies pursuing their career choices. Given the logistical challenges that our service company has to resupply and the importance of sustaining those communities and the businesses and supporting the residents in particular the store shops, later, Mr. Speaker, I will have progress questions to the appropriate Minister on the progress of this sailing season on resupply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about support for the film and TV production industry in the NWT.

Film and TV is one of our success stories. Our production industry has grown substantially in recent years, with feature films, international festival screenings, and TV series gaining attention across Canada and around the world.

The government has played an important role in that success. As the Minister stated in the House this week, 11 film projects have received our support in the last four years, leveraging about $1.5 million in investment.

I spoke about this program in the last sitting. After that, I was pleased to take part in a meeting bringing in representatives of the production community together with the Minister so that he could hear first-hand from the industry how beneficial this program would be for the North.

Mr. Speaker, there is an appetite across Canada and around the world for our northern stories. More and more producers are becoming aware of the North and want to make their productions here, but the funding model that has been applied to media, ITI's SEED program, was designed to support business start-ups. It's not designed to recognize the unique qualities of the production industry and the production process.

Film industry representatives have proposed a better model, based on our very successful Mining Incentive Program. That program offers two streams of funding, one for planning and developing new projects and one for production, to actually bring a project into being. Similar to the Mining Incentive Program, this program could be funded up to $1 million. Our production industry has grown significantly in recent years, but it has the potential to grow much more.

Northern producers have an incentive to develop projects in the North. They want the industry to grow so that they can pursue their craft here at home. They know the northern people and places, and they have northern stories to tell. All they need is access to sufficient resources and supports.

I will be working towards enhancing our funding system to provide stronger, more consistent support for this important, growing industry so we can continue to diversify our economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I sense a growing frustration amongst residents and community governments in the NWT for the GNWT's approach to land administration. Residents on leased land want ownership in the form of fee simple title to enable them to get mortgages and invest in their properties. Business owners want land that is developed and zoned for commercial and industrial use. They also want certainty that the value of their investment will not be undermined by their business being on or next to leased property, where property values are lower. Community governments need access to land for municipal development, such as the construction of a municipal building or recreation facility or the development of a park or trail system. They also want to be consulted on things like land withdrawals, both inside and adjacent to their boundaries, which might impact future growth.

Mr. Speaker, at a recent public meeting on Bill 46, Public Land Act, Mayor Winnie Cadieux of Enterprise asked the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment to amend the bill to make sure that there is a requirement for consultation with municipalities. She said, "When the GNWT comes into our community boundaries and wants to scoop up land for their own uses, that is just not right." I agree with her. The GNWT should be doing everything it can to ensure that, within community boundaries, municipal needs take precedence over the needs of the territorial government.

In fact, many municipalities feel that, now that devolution is complete, the GNWT should be converting all leased lands within community boundaries to fee simple title and transferring that title to communities. This would allow municipal governments to provide for their own future growth and development without having to apply to the GNWT for land approval on a parcel-by-parcel basis. This would help to eliminate the paternalistic attitude that communities experience when seeking land approvals from the GNWT. It would also help to overcome the piecemeal approach to land development that is inhibiting economic growth and development in communities.

I have spoken with Mayor Cadieux about Enterprise's experiences and their frustration in dealing with the GNWT. There are continuing concerns about the administration of lands within the community, and the leadership feels that it is being ignored. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

While the term of this Assembly is drawing to a close, issues related to municipal lands are likely to continue. I hope that Ministers of lands and municipal and community affairs in the 19^th Legislative Assembly will have the vision and leadership necessary to ensure that communities in the NWT have the land they need to grow and prosper. I will have questions for the Minister of Lands at the appropriate time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. The public and stakeholders consultations for the creation of an action plan for the NWT Arts Strategy have just wrapped up. ITI and ECE, who are leading this effort, say this work will now be added to research completed in March 2019 and result in action and new investments. I checked in with leaders in the arts sector who had input into the consultation, and I have not heard much positive as we work towards a fact-based, targeted action plan.

The problem is the lack of hard information specific to the producers and the NWT's operating environment. While government says it completed its research, sector players point out that, despite their pleas, comprehensive data has never been collected by survey of either individual artists and producers or the organizations offering cultural and performing arts products to the public.

We have national data about the NWT, which is impressive in itself. In 2017, the direct economic impact of cultural products was up 15 percent from 2010, estimated at $77 million or $1,723 per capita, in a sector directly employing 610 people. Impacts not revealed in that data are the contribution of cultural opportunities as part of the growing tourism sector or an evaluation of the impact of arts throughout the economy.

The GNWT's own rough data from 2012 shows that, while a million dollars spent in oil and gas extraction results in only half a job, the same million dollars creates seven jobs in the film or recording industries, a 14-times-higher rate of return.

The lack of comprehensive data specific to the cultural and arts sector makes it that much more difficult to access bigger pots of funds with no cost to the NWT. Artist and organizations need hard numbers to write applications for funding under Heritage Canada and Canada Council for the Arts programs.

The problem in terms of creating a successful action plan for the Arts Strategy is that this data should have focused and driven the consultations, providing a fact-based evaluation of what's working and what's not. I will have questions later today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on how we can collect the data needed to help support the expansion of our arts and cultural sector while accessing other funding sources. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past June 26^th, the last day of school, students were sent home with a letter from the Hay River District Education Authority stating that, starting September 9, 2019, students who want to ride the bus to school will need to purchase a bus pass. The estimated cost: $300 to $375 per student. As far as I know, there has never been any bus fees charged in Hay River up until this point.

This has upset a number of people in the community, and understandably so. No one wants to pay yet another fee. Some people didn't appreciate the timing of the letter, and some people were confused and angry because the letter raised more questions than it answered.

However, Mr. Speaker, beyond all of that, people were upset because they feared that this could negatively impact on children's attendance at school, and for good reason. If you live on Vale Island, you have between 5 and 11 kilometres to get to school. If you live in Delancey Estates, it's 10 or 11 kilometres. If you live in Paradise Gardens, it's 25 kilometres. Given those distances and the fact that it is winter for most of the school year, it is essential that students have the option to take a bus to and from school. Unfortunately, the DEA sees its fee as the only way to continue providing busing. The alternative, and I know it was considered, was to discontinue busing altogether, but luckily, that didn't happen.

The reason for the shortfall is that the DEA only receives enough funding to cover half the cost of providing buses. This means that, year after year, they've had to dip into funding meant to provide other educational services. It also means they haven't been able to put anything aside to save up to buy new buses to replace their aging fleet, which likely only have another year of serviceable life.

Now, someone stated that it's okay to charge for busing. After all, they charge right here in Yellowknife. I mean, in many cities across Canada, in fact. However, Mr. Speaker, we can't continually adjust our expectations based on the lowest standard. We need to decide what our priorities are. My priorities and the priorities of many of my constituents whom I have heard from are to lower barriers to education and increase the chances of success for our children.

Mr. Speaker, the funding shortfall isn't an enormous amount of money, but when divided up among a small number of families, it can become a roadblock for accessing education. I will have some questions for the Minister of Education about how we can solve this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the hunters and trappers in the Northwest Territories, along with some highlights of two specific programs that are offered within the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program under the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. The program names are the Prime Fur Bonus and the Trappers' Grubstake.

Mr. Speaker, hunting and trapping has been a cornerstone of the NWT's traditional economy for centuries. Even today, it continues to be a vital source of commercial enterprise and income for many individuals and businesses across the Northwest Territories. In addition to the various economic benefits that come alongside this industry, hunting and trapping has also become a method for helping today's generation remain connected to their ancestral ways of life. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, it is important that our local hunters and trappers are informed about GNWT's various programs that are available to them, among which include the Trappers' Grubstake and Prime Fur Bonus programs.

This brings me to the crux of the statement, because, in recent weeks and months, I have had numerous constituents enquire with me about the status and functionality of these two programs. For those who are unaware of these two programs, I would like to provide a brief summary of how they operate.

Firstly, Mr. Speaker, the Trapper's Grubstake Program is an initiative designed to help offset some of the start-up costs that hunters and trappers will often incur at the beginning of each season. The sums of money given out to people are determined by the number of pelts harvested by each hunter from the previous year, and can vary from $100 to $2,000 depending on the hunter's haul, quality of fur, and fur type. Moreover, the Prime Fur Bonus Program is a monetary top-up incentive that's designed to spur the highest quality of pelts.

Mr. Speaker, it is programs like these that help keep the sector of our economy alive and well. As many hunters and trappers across the Northwest Territories consider these programs essential for their livelihoods, so because of that, I find it concerning that I hear stories from constituents about outstanding money being owed to hunters and trappers for furs they sold in the spring. As far as I am aware, there aren't any other programs like this in other jurisdictions in Canada. To maintain a sustainable system for our departments, our departments must work seamlessly with hunters and trappers who rely on these programs to hunt and trap across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to speak about the passing of yet another long-time Yellowknives Dene elder, Isadore Tsetta. Isadore was predeceased by his parents Antoine and Monique Tsetta; his wife Elise; his siblings Benny and Rosanna; and his goddaughter Adeline. Isadore is survived by his children, Fred, Ted, Charles, Peter, and Isadore and Elise also raised Peter Charlo. His grandchildren are Valerie, Aleisha, Trisha, Tyler, Corbin, Laken, Kylie, Tamra, Billie and Karsen. His great grandchildren are Courtney, Noah, Nolan, Chaylee, Tyshanyah, Tadeh and Alexis. His godchildren are Alice, Priscilla, Shirley, Kathleen and Eileen, along with his extended family, the Blackducks, Liskes, and Sonfreres.

Mr. Speaker, Isadore Tsetta was born on October 24, 1925, and passed away on March 17, 2019, at age 93. Isadore was a well-respected leader and an influential elder within the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. His notoriety in the community began in the 1970s when he operated a Dene store at Detah. During that time, he was also a full-time trapper, and after that, he became chief of Detah from 1979 to 1987. Another project that Isadore was a part of was the Dene Mapping Project through the 70s and 80s. Where the Dene Nation collected data on land occupation to help create land management plans. In his later years, he was also a member of the Elders' Senate for the Yellowknives Dene.

Mr. Speaker, his son and the former chief of N'dilo, Ted Tsetta, described Isadore as a principled man who never backed down and who stood his ground for things that he believed in, especially when it came to anything related to the treaty, which was something he was a steadfast defender of throughout his entire life.

Mr. Tsetta was also somebody who I knew on a personal basis. He was a very well-respected man right across the territory. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences to the family, as well, and to the community. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to personally thank the four MLAs who are leaving the public service at the end of this 18^th Assembly.

The job as a political leader is a daunting one, which they all carried out with hard work, integrity, and were a good and faithful servant for their constituents and all the people in the Northwest Territories. Each person made an effort to make me feel welcomed and respected, providing good advice. Even if we disagreed, we walked away understanding each other's point of view. Three of the Members, I had the pleasure of knowing before coming into this House, and the other Member, I got to know really well during the 18^th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, the Member for Twin Lakes was my Minister when I worked for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. He has been a straight shooter, has a good sense of humour, and is a family man with strong beliefs. I have witnessed him at sporting events where the athletes and parents were excited to see him. He really cared. It is my understanding that he got into politics because of his family, and wanted to make a difference. He is now leaving because of his family, and wanting to make a difference in his grandchildren's lives.

The Member from Great Slave has always strived to be available, responsive, accountable, and compassionate. When his workload was high, he took the time to meet in person or by phone to hear my concerns and issues, including some early-morning phone calls. He was always eager to join me in Nahendeh to participate in constituency tours and community meetings. His preference was to allow the Health and Social Services system to respond and resolve issues raised by me, but he also understood and respected my needs to be involved.

The Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh is the person I have known the longest. I grew up with some of his family members in Hay River. I was lucky to have him as a mentor and a friend during my first four years as an MLA. His passion for small communities has been made very clear during his 12 years as an MLA. I greatly appreciate his knowledge of the NWT family history.

Finally, I would like to recognize the Member from Boot Lake. I have had the honour of working with this individual in a number of capacities. I worked with him for years when he worked for Health, Municipal and Community Affairs, and most recently in the 18^th Assembly. I would like to thank him for his frankness, recommendations, and honesty when working with me. He came into the Legislative Assembly with the goal of building relationships and creating partnerships in order to work on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories, and he leaves at the end of this Assembly knowing that he has accomplished this goal.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank them for all that they have done, and I wish them all the best in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

[Translation] We have a guest here, Dr. John B. Zoe in the gallery. We thank him. [End translation]

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Ms. Skye Mandigo-Stoba. Skye is from California and was granted a wish with the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Her wish was to travel to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to visit the vintage plane fleet at Buffalo Airways. Please join me in welcoming Skye and her family to our Legislative Assembly. Welcome. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize a dynamic group of individuals who are here with the Jane Glassco Fellows. We have staff, and we have fellows as well. I'm just going to name them all, and excuse me if I do mispronunciation of names. I'm going to try my hardest.

We have Sherry Campbell, Melaina Sheldon, Ashley Carvill, Chloe Dragon Smith, Don Couturier, Heather Bourassa, Hilda Snowball, Julianna Scramstad, Kaviq Kaluraq, Kelly Panchynshyn, Kristen Tanche, Killulark Arngna'naaq, Luke Campbell, Tina Decouto, Tony Penikett, John B. Zoe, and Vivien Carli. I appreciate you all being here. I am so sorry if I massacred some of your names. Welcome to the "Ledge."

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a couple of ladies from Tuktoyaktuk, Ms. Wanda Steen and her sister Annie. Mr. Speaker, Annie and Wanda have both worked for the Inuvialuit for a long time and likely still have a lot of connections. Annie also participated in some programs in Tuktoyaktuk, and she has actually helped the Community Corporation and the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk progress a lot with the tourism industry.

Mr. Speaker, when the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway was completed, there was a little bit of a lack of infrastructure, and Annie picked up the a slack on that. I would like to congratulate Annie. I hear Annie is possibly running this year, and I encourage her to do it, as well, as many other women, especially in Nunakput. Once again, a strong Inuvialuit, so I would like to welcome them both. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Heather Bourassa from my home community in Ford Good Hope, a businesswoman and bush pilot. Mahsi.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a number of the ladies from the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship: Chloe Dragon Smith, whom I have the opportunity to know since she was a young lady in sports; as well as Tina Decouto, who used to live in Fort Simpson, and now she is in Iqaluit; and of course, one of my constituents, Kristen Tanche. Thank you, and welcome to the House, and to the other fellows here as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize two interpreters from my riding, Maro Sundberg, who is interpreting in Wiiliideh Dogrib language, and Tom Unka, who is an interpreter in the Chipewyan language or Denesuline language from Fort Resolution. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to take a moment to recognize a Page of Range Lake, Mr. Dexter Edjericon. Thank you for being here, and to all of the other Pages, thank you for all of the work that you provide to us. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to acknowledge and recognize Joe Tambour of the K'atlodeeche First Nations. He is translating, and he has been in the booth for some time. I really appreciate his presence in helping us to bridge the gap in terms of understanding English and Dehcho Dene Zhatie, and I expect him to be here for another week. [No translation provided] Masi. Thank you.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to recognize one of the Pages, Carter Kasteel, Frame Lake resident. He must be a glutton for punishment, because I know he was here earlier this year, but I want to thank him and all of the Pages for all of the work that they do for us. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome my friend Tina Decouto from Iqaluit, as well, too. She has done a lot of good work in Nunavut. Welcome to the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery, thanks for being here with us. It is always nice to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the Grubstake and Prime Fur Bonus Programs, and my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I would like to ask the Minister: when can hunters and trappers expect to receive payments for their monies earned from the auctions in 2019? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, challenges with the functionality of the Fur Harvest Management System has resulted in issues with the overall program administration, including manually calculating the accurate grubstake payments and reconciling auction payments for the trappers. We take these issues very seriously, and we are working to address them in a timely manner. ENR is actually working with Finance to make changes to the Fur Harvest Management System. ENR has made the first round of changes, and a working group has been established to resolve major issues by the fall of 2019. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In my region, there are a lot of hunters who trap in the bush, as well as along the coast. It is good to hear that the Minister is looking into this. Also, there are a lot of returning trappers preparing for the fall season. What is the timeline for when the Grubstake Program will be available to trappers this year?

I take the Member's point, because we are from a region where there is still a lot of traditional activity that goes on. They depend on the funds received from a lot of these auctions to finance their upcoming season. One of the ways that we do help them, though, is with the Grubstake Program, which is one of the better programs that are offered to those that continue to live a traditional lifestyle. We don't anticipate any changes to the normal timelines, and I think the plan is on track and will be available in and around September 15^th.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a good timeline. It gives hunters and trappers time enough to prepare for their upcoming season. Mr. Speaker, we do have a lot of outfitters, as well, in the region, and they sometimes require export for hides outside the country. My question to the Minister is: will outfitters in the Northwest Territories be able to get CITES forms, CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, permits for export of animal hides out of the country? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

ENR doesn't actually issue these permits. This is done through Environment and Climate Change Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my questions about the provision of school bus services, I have some questions for the Minister of Education. When we approve the budget for ECE in this House, the budget document contains very few details about how that money for schools is spent, and it's unclear what money goes to the local DEAs and how it gets there. So my question is: how are the funds that are approved by the Legislature distributed to DEAs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The MLA is right; the Legislation, it starts with us. We approve the budget that is going forward for schools. At that point, then, ECE allocates the budgets to the district education councils, and we use a school funding formula for that. That funding formula has different aspects; some for inclusive schooling, some for French languages, some per capita for the number of children in school. Then the education authority, at that point, we kind of lose our authority within that. ECE does not have a mandate within our education net to provide direction to any district education council regarding the allocations to be used to fund their district education authorities. So, because we haven't got the mandate and we have no authority over it, we don't track those, Mr. Speaker.

Some DECs have allocated money to their authorities based on the same school funding that we have, and others don't. The South Slave District Education Council, we do know, does fund based on our school funding formula. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So, because of how the SSDEC distributes funds, the Hay River DEA receives only the funding that is calculated in the funding formula. Now, I haven't gone through the DEA's books line by line, but I know that their budget is stretched thin and they have absolutely no wiggle room. I know the budget amount for busing doesn't cover the full cost of busing, and because their entire budget is already fully utilized, they have no extra funds to put aside to cover the costs of replacing the buses which need to be replaced in the next year or two. In the meantime, the district education council, the SSDEC, has been accumulating a surplus of over $3 million, as of I believe last year. Couldn't that DEC surplus be used to either fund the busing issue that we're having now or help replace the buses?

The basic, quick answer is yes. The district education councils and the district education authorities, under that, are responsible for deciding where they're going to use their funding, the best allocations of their budgets, but it was just last year that we realized that there were huge surpluses within our education districts all over the place so, in my opinion, that's not good. It's not good to have surpluses, huge surpluses, when we have children education services in need. I said that the other day. We need more resources. Part of getting the resources is, if we have money sitting out there, let's use what we've got.

So I did make the direction that people need to use their surpluses; use it or lose it. We allowed them to keep a nominal amount so that they could deal with any emergencies, but the rest, I wanted to see implemented into student services. I brought that up at the council meeting. I thought I worked well with the district councils. They heard me. I said I'm flexible. So, yes, I've actually reached out to them, as well. Usually, within our allocations, we don't usually allow surpluses for capital projects because we do have a capital process within that, but I told the councils that I am flexible; come to me.

In the case of the South Slave, we were working with them, and I told them I'm flexible. It would take a Minister's direction to allow that, but I am willing to work with them. If buses are their priority, my priority is getting kids to school.

As the Minister mentioned, she ordered the education councils to reduce their surpluses; basically, spend this money. I think the SSDEC had to reduce their surplus by about $2 million, but in none of that was any money for buses. So why wasn't there any money allocated for the busing services in Hay River in that $2-million reduction?

Again, the act is kind of vague on the authority of the Minister, and I'm very respectful of them, they're all elected positions, so I'm respectful of their allocations and what they see fit for their regions. We don't tell the district education councils what to use their surpluses on. I felt that was very limiting; it's very patriarchal, it's not how I practise, so we gave the flexibility to say, "Tell us what you're going to use your surplus on."

The sad thing is, Mr. Speaker, that the South Slave District Education Council never identified busing as an issue within their surplus plan, so I never knew it was an issue until it came forward; in fact, the MLA brought it forward with a letter from a parent. That was the point that I knew it became an issue.

Like I said before, my concern is that I want children to get to school, so I have instructed my staff to get down there and work with them and see what we can do to assist them.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We distribute a lot of money to the regional education councils, and I know that there must be some accounting of what they're spending that money on, and there must be some results that they need to produce, and so perhaps we need to start looking at whether or not they are adequately funding things like busing, as well as the other things that we're looking at.

The Minister mentioned that her department had some talks with the employees in the DEC. Can the Minister sort of expand on what steps the department has taken to help mitigate the costs that parents could be incurring in Hay River in regard to this busing and what is being done to ensure that some long-term planning is done so that the buses that need to be replaced can be replaced in a way that's affordable for parents and that doesn't stop children from getting to school? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My direction to my department was, "Get down there, figure it out, work with them, get it solved." I can't really say exactly what was said in those meetings. That was my direction: get her done.

I'd love to be able to stay here and say what was stated, but I can't do that. What I can say is that my concern, again, and the MLA brought it up outside the House, actually, outside this Chamber, actually, and was talking to me, and he is absolutely right. He talked about low-income families and children not being able to afford to get there. Twenty-five kilometres is not acceptable. I don't care if it's winter or summer. I know in his statement he said it's cold here. I lived seven or eight blocks away from the school; I had to walk. I was a block away, I froze every winter. I would not want any child 25 kilometres walking, even in the summer, to be honest. We have bears.

So I've told them to work with them. There are models across Canada that I'm hoping the district education council will look at. There are subsidies for children with low income, based on income that they're making. I'm hoping they'll consider that, but what I really want to stress to families out there that might be struggling financially is that I have talked to my department. Income support does provide services for low-income families under the income threshold. If they qualify for income support, we are willing to include the cost of getting to school and school supplies within our funding formula. So any family that may be in financial need worried about that, please contact income support, as well. We want your children in school starting in September. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, as I mentioned, it's been a long time coming that our country foods are served in the hospitals, long-term care facilities. You hear it all the time. People are tired of hospital food, that same old stuff all the time. Especially when you are recovering from illness or any operations or anything, you want comfort food, caribou meat, moose meat, geese, these sort of wild game. Right now, luckily, we have a handful of ladies in Inuvik who actually take time out of their day to volunteer to cook caribou meat and caribou soup and bannock for people who are in long-term care. I would like to ask the Premier: can the Premier update the House on the status of country food at Stanton Hospital, which is the plan to start there and move it out to communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Traditional foods are presently being cooked and served to the patients by the Indigenous Wellness Program at Stanton Territorial Hospital with the support of Dexterra, the company that provides food services in the hospital. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier answered a part of my next questions, but who is able to provide country food to Stanton or any other hospital or long-term care facilities?

Approved owners of wildlife are experienced and licenced community harvesters or hunters and outfitters who harvest and provide gifts of wild meats according to the Northwest Territories Wildlife Act. Renewable resource officers may donate wild game meats which were unlawfully harvested. Fish may be donated by fishers holding sport fishing or commercial fishing licences. Plants like berries, edible greens, Labrador tea, and spruce tea tips may also be donated by community harvesters. I should point out that no licence is required to harvests plants.

Will the country food program be expanded to other health facilities in the Northwest Territories and long-term care facilities?

Operational guidelines for serving traditional foods in Northwest Territories Health and Social Services facilities have been developed. Obviously, food safety has to be taken into consideration. These guidelines are being finalized and will be implemented this fall. Test sites, such as the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home, have begun to tailor these guidelines in their facilities.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Are there plans for similar program as the Yukon to ensure that Indigenous patients can access country foods? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes. The operational guidelines for serving traditional foods and NWT Health and Social facilities have been developed following the Indigenous foods program at the Whitehorse General Hospital. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, my question is to the Minister of Infrastructure on the Marine Transportation Service Company, a division of our government. My first question, Mr. Speaker, is: how is the 2019 summer sailing season looking right now on targets of supplying the customers along the route, particularly and mainly the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 2019 sailing season is actually on schedule right now as we predicted going forward, even with the low water levels that have been on the Mackenzie River. We have already been to every community once. Presently, two tugs are northbound out of Hay River. They are going to be going to Norman Wells, Tulita, and Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. From Tuktoyaktuk, there is also going to be another tow going north to look after the Arctic communities. When we are finished that, if sailing allows, we are going to help with the North Warning defence system to do their deliveries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It is comforting to know that progress is being maintained in the schedule. Having experience on my boat ride between the communities, as mentioned, of Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope, the low-water levels, are these low-water levels creating any delays and challenges to the shipping schedules?

Historically, the rivers are at a 10-year low right now from the last time I got an update from our staff. The one thing that MTS did this year was factor in the possibility of that. The way we operated this year is we adjusted our loads for shallower draft. The low-water levels on the Mackenzie River haven't hampered our schedule. The other nice thing was, I have talked about it in this House, with the Steam River bridge that was on fire and the fuel company picked up the slack and delivered the fuel to Hay River by truck. It actually got there earlier than anticipated, so that helped assist with the schedule.

Thanks to the Minister for the fuel information there. Our public infrastructure depends on that fuel resupply. My next question is on the training provided on the Marine Training Centre in Hay River. Can the Minister elaborate or brief us on the training plan and student outcomes and how progress is being made from that institution?

The Marine Training Centre doesn't follow under the Government of the Northwest Territories, but they are leasing space from us in our facility in Hay River. The Member from the Sahtu and myself actually had a chance. I took him there and gave him a little tour of the facility, met a number of students who are there.

I have said earlier in my Minister's statement around Marine Transportation Services they have delivered hundreds of courses through there. A number of people have been picked up by MTS for employment this year, as well as Canadian Coast Guard that also picked up some people. As I said, I think, yesterday, some of them are actually going to be going up to the Arctic coast with the Coast Guard on ice-breaking facilities.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Tuesday I asked questions of the Minister of Infrastructure and asked him to explain how the Business Incentive Policy worked and how certain levels have increased percentage points. The Minister gave me a whole bunch of information. I would like to follow up to the questions with the Minister here today. Can the Minister please clarify what amount the contract needs to be in order to maximize the incentive of $500,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to the Member's question the other day, he did ask me, and this will clarify it a little bit more. Assuming that the full bid is 100 percent Northwest Territories and local content, the contractor would need approximately $16 million to max out the $500,000 bid adjustment. On the majority of contracts, there are a number that are under $1 million. Those contractors can receive a bid adjustment up to $200,000, which represents about 20 percent of the bid adjustment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When the Minister talked on Tuesday, as well, he talked about there being 46 big projects and 1,501 projects. Can the Minister tell us what the total value of the 46 projects were together and what the total was for the 1,501 projects?

This information is all publicly available on the Department of Finance's website, but if the Member will give me the questions, if he sends me an email with the questions, I will commit to getting him all of that information back by the end of the session.

I will follow up with the Minister on that question so that I can get that information. My next question is: can the Minister advise this House how many of these big projects ended up being awarded to southern contractors?

As to my previous answer, same thing. If the Member wants me to get him that information, we can compile that information for him before the end of session.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, and I look forward to providing those questions to the Minister. I will put them in writing and look forward to the answers. I am probably going to get the same answer for the last question I am going to ask, but I am going to ask it anyway. With all these big contracts happening, he talked about the 46, can the Minister advise this House if there were any of the big contracts that were negotiated contracts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is absolutely right. I don't have that level of detail here, but we can gather that once he sends me an email and get back to him by the end of session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am following up my statement with questions to the Minister of Lands in terms of the level the certainty for lands in communities. I think that everyone has the dream about the idea of buying and owning their homes. What is at issue at this point is that the certainty of land ownership is not clear. My question is to the Minister of Lands: how does the Department of Lands work with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs with respect to the provision of land for municipal purposes and interaction with community governments? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The two departments do, of course, work together. For example, the Department of Lands provides guidance to MACA and community governments when developing and implementing community development plans. Now, the department utilizes the community plans of the municipal governments to ensure that the applications are consistent with the use identified in the plans. MACA has the responsibility for ensuring that community plans are in place, so the two departments do work together in this important area. Thank you.

Once in a while you come across a policy that is seventies-era. That's when Ottawa made all of the decisions for people of the NWT, and times have changed. My question is: what concerns or obstacles would stand in the way of the GNWT converting all public land within municipal boundaries to fee simple title for transfer to municipal governments or current leaseholders?

Of course, Lands is bound by the law in this area. With respect to that, there is the Commissioner's land regulations that, among other things, in dealing with an application, the deputy minister has to be satisfied that the land is no larger in area than is reasonable for the purpose for which the land is required.

There is no overall policy to turn all land over to the municipalities. In fact, the GNWT may have its own future needs for infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, and so on. These future needs have to be considered if contemplating the turning over of lands to community governments. Also, in unsettled land claim areas, the Land Lease-Only Policy applies, which requires extra steps to transfer land to the communities in fee simple. There are processes that we have to go through. We do realize, of course, that the municipalities do have bona fide reasons to acquire lands, but they have to make application, and a certain procedure has to be followed.

As the Minister, what improvements does he think the Department of Lands could make to its processes to address the issues with land administration being raised by municipal governments?

Lands is working with the communities to clarify processes for the transfer of land and fee simple, as well as the responsibilities that go along with the administration of land within the communities. I understand also that Lands and MACA staff are currently working on a strategy or finalizing a strategy on the process for the transfer of land and assets specifically to community governments. We do realize that there is an issue here, and we are taking steps to improve the process.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask my question that I wanted to understand this policy here. The Minister had indicated that communities have community plans. I would think that those community plans are community land use planning zones. There are lands identified as residential, commercial, and industrial lands, and there are future lands that would be zoned in. I wonder if the Minister could clarify that and whether most communities have those community plans in place in the NWT? Mahsi.

I am not certain whether all communities do have community plans in place, but I know that MACA can work with communities, and Lands can also assist in developing a community plan, which is important for the progress and future of the community. 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. My statement recounted the disappointed arts community leaders who report that they have long appealed for the collection of hard data on the value of extended productivity of their sector. They say that this kind of data should have driven consultations around the development of an action plan for the NWT Arts Strategy. I would like to ask the Minister: why has the detailed data collection, through a survey of artists, producers, and presenters, not been done? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is quite disheartening to hear these comments today, in all honesty. I had a conversation with the MLA the other day about one organization representing the interests of all of the people who would be covered within that. This is an example of how, sometimes, it doesn't work really well.

We started out with the Arts Strategy, and between November 2018 and March 2019, we have done 16 key stakeholder engagements, we have 277 general public members who responded to an online survey, and then we realized that we hadn't engaged with the Arts Council, the NWT Arts Council, who are the leaders, who are supposed to represent the people who are artists. So I spoke to my colleague Minister, because we both have an interest in this, the Minister for ITI, and he agreed with me.

We stopped the process, we called the NWT Arts Council, and we got together. My department worked with them on input into the strategy. I did a personal meeting with the NWT Arts Council. I spent three or four hours with them in an evening and told them how important it was that we work together. This strategy would not be good if we did not work together; it's all of us.

To stand here and hear that the leaders in the arts community felt that we didn't hear them is really disheartening, because I did my best, Mr. Speaker. At no time when I was meeting with the NWT Arts Council did any of this data thing come even to fruition, so I am kind of not feeling really good about this, Mr. Speaker. I am open to feedback on how I can reach out to leaders. If the Arts Council is not the leaders, then I need to know who I should be dealing with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.