I'm sure it comes as no surprise that the department staff are always watching what happens on the floor of the Legislative Assembly, and if there is, indeed, some sort of solution that I'm not aware of, I have every confidence they'll bring it to my attention. I'm certainly not, at this moment in time, going to commit and say the solution is easy or obvious or simple because, just as there may be hundreds of people expressing one view, I expect that there are many more that express a different view on what is a very divisive issue.

We certainly made changes quickly to the liquor regulations, but it was clear that there were changes that could be made that would have impacts, and positive impacts. We made those changes only after having some consultations, not only with business owners, but with community governments, with Indigenous governments, and with members of the public. While it may seem like a small change, in my experience already, that change is not small and can have significant ramifications. I am always alive to the opportunity to make quick changes that have positive benefits, but that is about as far as I will go in terms of where this direction might go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the former chair of BDEC, I'm sure the Member knows the funding system better than me, but I want to say that, yes, that is exactly the plan. I committed to looking at the funding formula along with the Education Act during the life of this Assembly so that I can ensure that we can better support our small communities and regional centres. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Over the years, the campus in Inuvik has lost many programs. They have lost the environment and natural resources program most recently. They have lost the recreational leadership program, and they do not have any more trades program or intro to trades programs in our local Inuvik campus. Will the Minister commit to looking into utilizing the college in Inuvik to return programs that have benefited the regional workforce by bringing back Intro to Trades programs?

I don't get too much into the operations of the college and what they offer on a regular basis, but I can say that delivery of trades programming in the Beaufort Delta is one of the priorities of that campus. I thank the Member for bringing this up. I do appreciate bringing some attention to the campus in Inuvik because I believe it is under-utilized and we can do more. We can expand. That is the impetus behind this entire transformation, so that those types of programs that lead people into the workforce can be delivered where they need to be delivered. I am very alive to the need for tradespeople. The regional staff from Aurora College in the Beaufort Delta is very aware of it, and they talk to the Indigenous governments on a daily basis and are well-aware of what the needs are. Our public administrator is from the Beaufort Delta. I was just talking with him today about this very matter, so it's definitely at the forefront of our minds.

I can't commit to making any programming changes, especially in light of COVID, where things like trades programming especially have really been curtailed because of the limitations placed on the college by the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer. What we are offering now is a combination of a little bit of in-person, but mostly online. Unfortunately, I can't have a "yes" to this one, as well.

Just because we're in the process of transitioning or looking toward a polytechnic university, this shouldn't mean that everything else in our college system should be cancelled and put under review. What is the long-term plan for the Inuvik Aurora campus to build NWT capacity in the NWT workforce?

I don't have a long-term plan right now. That's what we're working on. There has recently been a couple of discussion papers released, one on areas of specialization. One of the proposed areas of specialization is trades, skilled trades, and technology, so similar to what the Member is talking about. Right now, it is tough to expand and transform at the same time. There is a lot of effort put into strengthening the foundation of the college and transforming it, and one of those steps is going to be a facilities plan where we look at what exists in all of the different regions and what we can then offer in that region, how we build on those natural advantages. The long-term plan, that's what is in the works right now, and that's the exciting transformation that is happening.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I would like now is a short-term plan. I understand we're in a pandemic, but we still have students and we still have a college there that is still operating. What is the plan for this winter, the winter semester, and do we have a plan for next fall as to what kinds of courses they are going to be having at the Inuvik College? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can provide the Member with a list of all the programming that is happening at the college this fall, or rather this upcoming winter. Again, COVID-19 has really hampered anything that can be done. I know that the JK-12 schools are back in, but I can't say the same for adult programming. Right now, it's mostly distance. As for fall 2021, that is, again, dependent on the state of the pandemic, and so those plans are being worked on. Without knowing what state we're going to be in and what the orders are going to say, it's really hard to tell at this point. I'm sorry I don't have more concrete answers for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the health Minister. The residents of my riding have grave concerns with the Coronavirus spreading into the Northwest Territories through the 60^th parallel border check stops. They do not want to see the second wave come into our communities. What intensifies their concern is the many sightings of Alberta and BC license plates travelling into our communities. One would expect detailed information, including temperature testing, before they are allowed to continue into the territory or, at the very least, turned back. Can the Minister provide an update as to what steps are taken when dealing with out-of-territory travellers into the NWT? Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services doesn't direct the border enforcement, and so this question would be better directed to the Premier who does. Thank you.

Thank you. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will have to get back to the Member about the testing that is done. My understanding, though, is that the testing that we have, and I'm not the health Minister so I don't know all of the different ones; I think there are three different test machines that we use and a whole bunch of tests. Right now, the priority is using them for essential workers, people who are in our healthcare field, our dentists, et cetera, like that. The Chief Public Health Officer would like to be able to test every single person coming in, as they come in, but at this time, our testing capacity, my understanding is that we don't have the ability yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi for that, Premier. You touched upon just the testing stuff, but I was more wanting to know the type of information that is collected from the travellers at the border, especially if they have Alberta plates, BC plates, because we are seeing too many of them coming into our communities. There is a big concern about that. I just wonder if you could touch upon that topic.

That one is under the secretariat. I can actually provide the information to the Members. I'll get a list of all of the information. It's been a while since I had that briefing, but my understanding is that the information that is gathered from the people who drive up to our borders or land in an airline is asking them where they are from, show us your ID, where are you going to, what is your purpose here. If they are going to be self-isolating, where are they self-isolating at? If it's going to be at an isolation centre, then the process followed is that, at the end of each day, our border patrols actually phone the isolation centres and give a list of the names of people who are going to be there to ensure that they have driven up.

I do know, Mr. Speaker, that we see a lot of people coming up with driver's plates that are not from the NWT, and that is a concern. I hear that all the time. However, all of them are either essential workers, or some residents in the NWT still have the plates if they are snowbirds or those kinds of things. Every person who comes through the border, though, has to have either a social-isolation plan or an exemption from the Chief Public Health Officer as an essential worker. That, I can say.

Mahsi for that bit of information. There are still a lot of concerns with travellers. I note that the enforcement team are all stationed in Yellowknife and not out in the communities. My question is: has the enforcement team ever been stationed at the 60^th border check stop to monitor travellers and to assist the border check stop staff in their duties?

I cannot say if the border team, the enforcement team, has been at the border to monitor people coming across because I have not heard that that has been a concern. We have only had one person that I know of who actually tried to run the border, and the RCMP were called in that instance. If we have issues with people trying to run the border or not complying, the RCMP is called immediately for that, Mr. Speaker. The enforcement team is actually to make sure that people are following the Chief Public Health Officer's orders, that they are self-isolating, that they are abiding by those things.

However, I do want to say, Mr. Speaker, we have got cases in the NWT now. It's critical at this point, and I know that people are tired. They have been hanging on for a long time, but this is not the time to let down our guard. Now is the time that we have to make sure. We can't confirm that every single person who comes across the border is going to be COVID-free. We are seeing that that's not happening, so every single person, I cannot plead enough, needs to start abiding by the Chief Public Health Officer's orders. Keep your distance. The best things you can do: keep that 2-metres distance; wear a mask; protect your neighbours; wash your hands frequently; and keep your circle small.

Mr. Speaker, all of us have a responsibility now. None of us want to see this in the NWT. We have been very fortunate doing what we did, but we knew it was only a matter of time. Now is not the time. I am pleading with everyone. Please do your part to help keep us safe.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish your enforcement team would have a hotline to Big River gas service station in Providence for all the information they need in terms of travellers. Anyways, there are many concerns that local NWT residents are travelling to Alberta and places beyond for vacations or to get out of the territory for various reasons, including going to casinos. Most are returning but not self-isolating and going on about their business, including partying with residents. This is one sure way the coronavirus will enter our territory, and it does get people's anxiety levels up there. How will the Minister's department deal with these situations or the CPHO's office?