Thank you. Please be seated. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Businesses across the Northwest Territories have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but perhaps none more so than our tourism sector. The tourism sector was one of the first hit by the pandemic and will likely be amongst the last to recover from its effects. Northwest Territories tourism is reliant on national and international travel. However, for the time being, our borders must remain closed to protect the health of our residents and our small and remote communities. We recognize that this is happening at a cost to business owners and entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories. For those whose livelihoods are built around attracting and welcoming visitors to our territory, the impacts have been significant.

As we mark National Tourism Week this year, we continue to work with the Government of Canada to identify a measure of relief for the Northwest Territory tourism industry that is reflective of the impact that is being felt and the significance of the tourism sector to our economy. The advocacy of our territory's tourism association on behalf of our tourism industry has been instrumental in helping us increase the overall awareness in Ottawa of the need for specific and regionally appropriate support programs.

The federal government is listening. As a result of our work, CanNor's Northern Business Relief Fund was introduced and significantly expanded relief options for Northwest Territories and Indigenous businesses. We were also able to secure additional support for the North's airline industry, which a large portion of our tourism sector relies on. We know that some of our tourism operators have accessed relief from this fund, but we still have work to do. In the coming weeks, Premier Cochrane will be bringing the challenges faced by our tourism sector to the attention of the Prime Minister, asking for more funding under the Northern Business Relief Fund to address the specific needs of our operators and tourism businesses.

Meanwhile, as Northwest Territories businesses begin to resume operations across the territory, and we take steps to recover our economy, we have re-introduced our Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development program, also known as SEED for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. It represents $4 million dollars of investment into businesses in our communities.

Similarly, we will inject almost $4.4 million into parks infrastructure, tourism product development, and community infrastructure projects this summer; supporting local suppliers, contractors, and employees as we improve our tourism products for the future. We will be waiving tourism insurance requirements and licensing fees for the 2020¬21 season as another means of short term relief.

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of COVID-19 the landscape of tourism in the Northwest Territories has changed. We are already considering how our next tourism strategy can be adapted and its funding approach redefined to support the economic recovery of our tourism sector. To this end, we are once again engaging with our tourism sector specifically to understand the level to which their businesses and operations have been changed.

As we do so, we can take some comfort in what hasn't, and will not, change. With its wild natural beauty, rich cultures, midnight sun, and Aurora Borealis, our North remains as attractive as ever before.

Northerners will always be warm and welcoming; our industry vibrant and resilient; and our tourism product spectacular. It will take time, and it will take work, but we will recover. Our borders will open and our North will once again take its place as one of the world's most spectacular tourism destinations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was happy to hear the Minister just now speak of SEED funding, and I'd like to take that a step further with her today.

Mr. Speaker, our NWT businesses need aggressive, innovative stimulus programs and an influx of cash so they can start the long journey of regenerating our northern economy. I was pleased to hear that ITI has topped up its SEED program by $140,000, to $4 million, to support new, innovative proposals that reflect the realities of the post-COVID-19 economy.

The program guidelines provide that funding should support forward-looking business proposals aimed at supporting employment, creating new business opportunities, or positioning businesses to recover and grow. Applicants should also demonstrate innovative approaches, ideas or solutions to the current economic operating environment. This top-up is welcome, Mr. Speaker, and I congratulate the Minister for finding the funding from within. However, I am concerned that the program, which was not designed to support existing businesses, will do little to help longstanding NWT businesses in this COVID-19 world.

SEED stands for Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development, and the new program was specifically designed to give new businesses the opportunity to take root. As it stands today, the policy guiding the SEED program contains a market disruption clause which gives ITI the authority to deny funding to anyone offering services similar to another business. Unless this is remedied, Mr. Speaker, most of our long-time established northern businesses will not qualify for SEED program funding. Most marketplace evolutions take place gradually, allowing entrepreneurs the time to determine how to make their businesses into living organizations that grow with the world around them so they do not risk losing out.

Mr. Speaker, COVID did not offer a gradual evolution to business owners. One day, the North was operating business as usual, and then, the next day, businesses were forced to close their doors. In this context, market disruption should be the least of our concerns.

Mr. Speaker, GNWT programs must be fluid, capable of change in a new world that shifts daily in response to COVID-19. SEED is a great opportunity to use existing GNWT dollars to regenerate our economy, but it needs further tweaks to ensure that as many northern businesses as possible can access the program.

I look forward to a productive discussion with the ITI Minister on how we can work together to evolve SEED to best support the regeneration of NWT businesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] When we look at the hospital, there's a lot of people in the hospital. We wonder sometime how they are being taken care of. When you're hospitalized with an illness, there's the discomfort of the treatment and worry about the recovery, and the heightened fear of the COVID-19. When you're a unilingual Dene elder in an English-speaking medical world, it's more stressful for the patient. During the daytime, the Stanton Hospital provides interpreters, but once their shift is over, the interpreters are not available. What happens after 5:00 p.m., when there are no interpreters? What happens to the elder, and how are they to communicate? Who is interpreting for them after hours? Sometimes in the evening, the patients are asked to take medication, and they are not able to communicate anything to the nurses. This is a very important issue. A lot of elders had brought this concern to me. They said that, once they are in the hospital, the interpreters are not available after hours, and they say that they are not able to talk to the nurses, at all. I think it's important that an interpreter should be available after 5:00 p.m. because we have a lot of elders who speak their language, and they are unilingual. I will ask the Minister of Health and Social Services on how Stanton Hospital operates with the interpreters after hours. Masi. [Translation ends]

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statement. Member for Deh Cho.

[English translation not provided] ... prohibition order in place. I'll use the short form as "TPO" for that. This is the prohibition of all alcohol within the area of the community. There is a means to stop the flow of alcohol into the community as the consumption of excess alcohol leads to many social problems.

Mr. Speaker, it is known that the continued use of alcohol for prolonged periods of time eventually puts a strain on the healthcare system and has a significant impact on the resources of the RCMP, not to mention significant impact on the lives of friends and families.

In my community, the RCMP were doing double duty. They are not only tending to their regular duties, but include chasing down party-goers who were in contravention of the Chief Public Health Officer's orders banning all gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic. The RCMP were dealing with a host of alcohol-related incidents, including physical assaults and sexual assaults, all from the excess consumption of alcohol stemming from the free-flow of funds from the COVID-19 initiatives.

My community of Fort Providence, a population of around 750 people, requested the TPO, but according to the NWT Liquor Act, if there is a liquor establishment within the community, then there would be no issuance of a TPO; the community would have to go to the community-wide plebiscite route. This takes up a lot of resources to pull off, and it does take some time, the same formalities as an election, and we know how long that would take, and all of that during the time of a pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, during my response to the Commissioner's opening address the other day, I outlined the need for the Fort Smith corrections complex to resume the rehabilitation focus that was once offered there. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my speech, the majority of the facility's inmates are Indigenous people and are products of the multigenerational impacts of residential schools and colonialization. Given this history, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, TRC, provided calls to action outlining the need for rehabilitation to be a key part of the correctional programming for all levels of government.

Mr. Speaker, to carry this idea further, I also mentioned in my speech that, since part of the rehabilitation process includes an educational component, I think that the town of Fort Smith has a very unique opportunity to offer inmates the chance to attend Aurora College to help themselves improve the quality of their lives. This would give inmates a chance at a fresher start and possibly to return to their home communities with new skills and certifications.

This idea would be a win-win for everyone involved as it would benefit Aurora College, the corrections complex, as well as the inmates themselves, and since this program has already existed in the NWT, the logistical infrastructure to enact this program should not be too cumbersome to get under way. Therefore, the only barrier is a matter of the political will.

Mr. Speaker, the people in our corrections systems are important, too, and they deserve good care, treatment, and rehabilitation, just as anyone else. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Downtown Yellowknife is home to many businesses that have been hard-hit by the lockdown resulting from the pandemic. The Chief Public Health Officer ordered some businesses to close, such as restaurants and bars, hair salons and barbers, dentists, and yoga studios, to name a few. Our once-thriving international tourism industry is on its knees. Other businesses have adjusted their operations to comply with the public health orders by allowing a limited number of people in and reducing hours to accommodate extra cleaning.

Mr. Speaker, the result of these changes has been dramatic. Some businesses had no revenue coming in at all and still don't. Tourism operators have no hope of seeing international visitors for at least a year and have started to close. Businesses that stayed open have seen their revenue fall by as much as 90 percent. Owners are worried about how to keep their staff, how to pay their rent, and what to do about inventory on order.

To put it bluntly, the GNWT has been less than helpful in this situation. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment announced a business advisory council would bring the business sector together to chart a course through this unprecedented shutdown. More than two months later, we are still waiting for the Minister to launch the council. Meanwhile, in the Yukon, their council of businesspeople went to work within days of being announced. They created a unique $10 million business support program three weeks later. Here, in the NWT, the Minister's efforts to support business with BDIC has resulted in a total of $1.6 million being spent. That's in spite of the fact that BDIC has a surplus of over $30 million. Other new initiatives for small business amount to fiddling while Rome is burning.

Mr. Speaker, we often hear that homegrown small business is the heart of our economy, but the GNWT has not treated the sector in a way that acknowledges the value it provides. Sure, BDIC is offering loans and interest deferrals, but many businesses are leery about going further into debt because they don't know how they will repay the money. Fortunately for northern small business, the federal government has taken up some slack by providing grants through the Northern Business Relief Fund, but that doesn't let GNWT off the hook. The GNWT has been missing in action when it comes to putting its money where its mouth is by supporting small business. I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today, I want to talk about the relationship between our government and Indigenous governments. At the beginning of the 19^th Assembly, we had a very good roundtable discussion with representatives from all of the Indigenous governments and small communities, and we did that at the Tree of Peace here in Yellowknife just before the portfolios were handed out. That was actually the first meeting that we have ever done. That made me very happy. I thought that was a good direction to go as a group in the 19^th Assembly.

During that meeting, we heard very clear from the community and Indigenous leaders that this government must listen better and act on what has been agreed on and what it has decided upon to move forward in any types of meetings. In addition, Mr. Speaker, we also sat down and broke bread as a group with Chief Yakeleya and the Dene Nation after the portfolio assignments were handed out. It was here. We started some dialogue on how we would go ahead moving forward in unison.

Mr. Speaker, I think that we're at a point now where we're starting to drop the ball a little bit in terms of meaningful consultation and productive engagements with our Indigenous governments. I just want to emphasize "meaningful consultation." I have a couple of particular examples, and what I am referring to is the liquor regulations during this COVID crisis, with the amount of alcohol that is being sold, and also the dial-a-bottle issue. This implementation of these two regulations, I felt, was very much unilateral in its nature.

Mr. Speaker, the decision to go ahead with the dial-a-bottle was strongly opposed by the vast majority of Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories. They voiced their concerns, yet those concerns seemed to fall on deaf ears. As a government, we must incorporate a constant feedback loop in which we hear and incorporate ideas from our Indigenous leaders. It is very important that we keep a strong connection and maintain open dialogue on both sides.

Marsi cho, and I will have questions for the Minister of Finance, who oversees the liquor regulations. Marsi cho.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have seen significant change to the way we do work during this pandemic. We have seen parents juggling both childcare and their jobs, virtual care being delivered from back porches, and work emails delivered in the middle of the night. I, myself, have practically moved my office into my constituency assistant's living room.

If the work week doesn't change as a result of the last few months, we'll have learned nothing, Mr. Speaker. I am not just talking about within government, but globally. Two lessons I believe we should take away from the recent response to COVID-19 are:

1. All people have different needs, and there is no one ideal working environment.

2. People work better when they are rested and their mental health is prioritized.

Mr. Speaker, to realize these lessons, I believe that we should continue to allow GNWT employees to work from home, even after restrictions have been lifted. I am happy to see, in the recent plan for GNWT workers returning, that childcare considerations and accessibility concerns will be prioritized. I think we need to continue that and make it a lasting legacy of COVID-19. In addition, Mr. Speaker, I believe we need to explore the idea of implementing a four-day work week for those workers who want it.

Many GNWT staff will be working from home for the foreseeable future. There is a possibility that, even when restrictions ease and GNWT employees can return to their offices, many will prefer to stay home. I see this as an opportunity to improve working conditions for those who prefer to work from home. As days grow longer, I see no better time to implement a four-day work week. If we want to encourage domestic tourism, Mr. Speaker, why not give summer long weekends to all of our residents?

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that this will take some time, but I believe we can start now temporarily and see what works and what doesn't work. I believe we should reach out to businesses in the private sector to see what barriers they see to implementing a shorter work week. I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Human Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to rise in regard to the NWT Power Corporation's response to the pandemic. My riding of Nunakput, Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, and Tuktoyaktuk, are the most coastal communities in our territory and have little or no industry, no economy. Our people in Nunakput were struggling to make ends meet before this pandemic hit, Mr. Speaker.

Now, things are going even harder. We are still in the early days, and we are still in the pandemic. We are emerging from our lockdown of this pandemic. We are faced with a potential second wave of COVID-19 this fall. At this point, we have no idea when we will put the crisis behind us. We have no idea when the global airline industry will recover. From the long-term impacts of our high cost of food in the communities, I don't know if we will be able to welcome tourists back into our territory. Even the businesses, our government has curtailed. It's the backbone of northern economy, Indigenous governments, organizations cancelling assemblies, music festivals for this up-coming summer, which brings into our communities little funds to make ends meet during the summer.

Mr. Speaker, this is the reality now, the reality that the GNWT has to do everything in its ability to support our people in the communities, all 33 communities. As I said in this House before, many times, the cost of power in the NWT, especially in the remote communities, in my riding are paying the highest rates across the territory. The biggest financial challenge is to people, single mothers, having to pay their bills, having to choose. I am happy with regard to COVID-19 hitting because now people can live a little bit and get the little bit extra, what is needed.

NTPC removed this and suspended limiters. I was happy that the Minister did that. I thank him for that, and I wish this would be an ongoing thing when we come out of this pandemic. I want my constituents to know that I reached out to the Minister responsible for NTPC and instructed to make exceptions to late power bills, to ensure that there are no disconnections and late fees until we put this crisis behind us. We are still in that pandemic, Mr. Speaker. NTPC is run by a board of directors of bureaucrats. Now, we should let them know, tell them, "Let's keep doing what we are doing in regards with limiters, to keep on doing the right thing."

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, like I said, we are in extraordinary times. The GNWT cannot expect to continue running NTPC as a government business enterprise. In fact, the auditor general has determined that it's not an arm's-length operation. That is something else this government should be addressing. For now, however, Mr. Speaker, our small communities need assurance that they will not be facing long, cold winters indoors with no power, with these limiters on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister. Thanks.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On April 17, 2020, the federal government announced $1.72 billion in financial assistance for the remediation of orphan and inactive oil and gas wells in Western Canada. This includes:

• Up to $1 billion to the Government of Alberta;
• Up to $400 million to the Government of Saskatchewan;
• Up to $120 million to the Government of British Columbia; and $200 million as fully repayable loans to the Alberta Orphan Wells Association to support its work to clean up sites across Alberta.

There are currently about 4,700 orphan wells in Alberta, 600 in Saskatchewan, 350 in B.C.; inactive oil and gas wells: 91,000 in Alberta, 36,000 in Saskatchewan, 12,000 in B.C. I think there are some lessons there about how not to do oil and gas development, as well.

As part of this funding, the Government of Alberta has committed to implement strengthened regulation to significantly reduce the future prospect of new orphan wells. This will create a sustainably funded system that ensures taxpayers are not left bearing the costs of the environmental responsibilities of companies. The funding program will have oversight from a federal-provincial committee, and the federal government will ensure municipal and Indigenous engagement.

What does all this mean for us here in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker? While all of this is good news for the energy sector, we need similar federal investment here in the Northwest Territories to drive economic recovery and remediation of long-standing contaminated sites. The Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory shows 1,647 sites in the Northwest Territories, with an estimated assessment and remediation cost of $12.375 billion. The GNWT 2018-2019 public accounts show a total of 285 sites under our jurisdiction with a cost of remediation estimated at $70.6 million. What I am calling for is federal assistance to accelerate work on all of these sites and for our Premier to make sure that this a priority in her discussions with federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts on economic recovery. It may even be possible to work with Yukon and Nunavut to push for a dedicated, accelerated Northern contaminated sites initiative.

Later today, I will have questions for the Premier on whether she is willing to take this on to secure federal investment for the remediation of contaminated sites as a part of our drive towards economic recovery. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Residents of Hay River are wondering what is happening with the security on our border on Highway No. 1. Last evening, I received a call concerning a person who arrived in Hay River and was visiting job sites, attempting to sell mechanic tools. I was informed this individual was from Alberta and entered the NWT as an essential service. In Hay River, we have businesses that sell tools; we have a retailer that has his own truck filled with tools that is sitting at home because he is following our rules.

Mr. Speaker, a second complaint involved a person who once resided in Hay River, still owns property in Hay River, but has been living in the South for a number of years. The person, if not living in the NWT, I assume would not have the appropriate NWT identification, as it is a requirement to change driver's licence and healthcare if you are not a resident here.

In the first instance, as far as I know the person did not self-isolate and visited businesses around the community. In the second example, the person did self-isolate, which was confirmed through Facebook posts. Mr. Speaker, the MLA for the Deh Cho discussed border security issues yesterday. With all the complaints we hear concerning border security, we could continue these statements until a vaccine is found for COVID-19.

I want to be clear. I do not fault the personnel working the border. They are restricted by the information or lack of information they are working with. There will continue to be gaps and grey areas. Everyone has a story. Everyone has a reason to want to cross into the NWT. Some are valid. Some pull at the heart strings. Others are fabricated.

The people of the Hay River and the South Slave want answers on the level and quality of security this government is delivering at the border. We are telling our residents to believe in us, to be patient with us, and to conform. However, they see non-residents coming in and not following the orders established by the Chief Public Health Officer. I know they are becoming discouraged and for good reason. It is time to give them some real answers. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Item 4, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, I have to say, "Thank you," that we have two Tlicho interpreters, Harriet Paul and Maro Sundberg. We know it's very important to get our message across, for your information. Thank you [translation ends].

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

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize our interpreters for Chipweyan. I would like to thank Tom Unka and Arthur Beck. They are coming up from Deninu Kue. Marsi cho for your service. [English translation not available]. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to see the GNWT slowly bringing some of our workers back to the office, those who are needed. I have seen flexibility and had a number of constituents help navigate their issues such as childcare. I hope to continue to see that flexibility from the Department of Human Resources. My question is: will the department be developing a work-from-home policy that extends beyond the measures imposed by COVID-19? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Human Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the interest of brevity, Mr. Speaker, I will simply say the work is already under way, and we will certainly continue. Thank you.

I am happy to hear that. Would this policy similarly allow more flexibility in hours, such that if a worker wants to work later, on weekends or evenings. Perhaps we could get the Department of Motor Vehicles open on weekends if our workers were a little more flexible. Will the plan include that, Mr. Speaker?

The Government of the Northwest Territories actually provides quite a variety of flexible options as it is. The challenge sometimes becomes that it is spread out over different departments, so that it comes down to individual departments, divisions, and supervisors. There already are flexible work weeks ago, flexible shifts and hours, to a large extent. The Government of the Northwest Territories certainly makes those efforts, and we are going to continue to make those efforts.

I would just say that, in light of what's happening right now and the experiences with COVID-19, the experience of having more people working from home is certainly going to inform those efforts at human resources, but also, I suspect within individual divisions, departments, and supervisors, as they see what exactly the possibilities of working from home can involve.

One of my concerns during this pandemic is that there are certainly many departments who are working on overdrive and all of those workers are working overtime. Many have been redeployed to other departments, and then I hear concerns that certain departments have essentially been put on hold, and some workers are wondering what to do. I think a solution to this is further redeployment, and also, I think one way to booth domestic tourism would be a four-day work week for some workers. I think we could start that this summer. Is that something the Minister of Human Resources is willing to consider?

It certainly is nice outside, so I can imagine a lot of people would enjoy a four-day work week right about now, or anything less than the work week many of us have. Some of that work has actually been done in the past; it has been looked into, and I certainly would commit to looking into it myself and seeing what's available. It may well be that some sort of flexibility can be found, but all I can say for now is that I've also been alive to the news reports that are coming around right now in the pandemic and looking for some more flexible options. At the very least, I'll certainly commit to saying that I'm going to look into it and see what we have available to us.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to hear that, and I look forward to continuing those conversations. Similarly, our society is operated on a Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 5:00, schedule for many decades now, and it's difficult, at times, for the private sector to break away from that, as there are a few key industries and businesses who necessitate that model, and then everyone must follow suit. Can the department reach out to those stakeholders? I think, in this territory, which is so small, we could be a little bit more nimble and flexible and reach out to private industries and see what barriers they see to implementing a four-day work week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think you're channeling my answer, which is that the outreach to our business community is going to involve far more than just my department, but I anticipate that, certainly as we're going forward in our response to COVID and our COVID relief efforts, I expect there will continue to be quite a bit of dialogue across different sectors. No doubt, if this is something that the industry of tourism finds, if they are getting interest from the community, then I'm sure that I'll work with my colleague to explore that further. Certainly, I am conscious that the public sector is a leading role and a leading employer, and what we do often can set a bar for what is happening in the community. It is important to engage the community before we make any substantial changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] When I made my earlier Member's statement regarding interpreters for the unilingual elders, I would like to ask the Health and Social Services Minister a question. [Translation ends]

...to help the medical staff community with Dene elders after the medical interpreters have gone home for the day after 5:00, especially after visiting hours at 8:00, when family members can no longer be there? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In our medical interpretation, we have seven official languages in the Northwest Territories that are offered at the Stanton Territorial Hospital. In terms of what's available after 5:00, we've limited some of the patients' visitors to most of our health centres and most of our hospitals across the Northwest Territories.

What we do have are some virtual services. On interpreter services, Stanton interpreters are available via the telephone and virtual care with an iPad, which is 24/7. We also have provided interpreters with iPhones and iPads to allow for a variety of virtual care options, like FaceTime and WhatsApp. Stanton also has a contract with CanTalk to provide interpretation 24/7.

I'm just trying to picture myself as a 91-year-old in the hospital, speaking to somebody in the Tlicho language, with an iPad in front of me or telephone beside me. I think it would be a very difficult, challenging task. They've never been exposed to that. They've been born and raised in the bush, and all of the sudden, it's an English environment in the hospital. I think we can do more, providing additional resources after hours. That's what I'm after. Could the Minister please describe the on-call system that the hospital initiated or instituted to make Dene interpreters available to assist these elders after hours?

As I've mentioned, it's a very difficult time right now where we're trying to limit some of the patients' visitors to come in. I think where the Member is going with this is asking, you know, what's available? I understand that we do have elders who are in care and are patients, and it's very difficult for them to be able to look at an iPad or an iPhone. Some elders do, and some elders really engage with that, because they like to see what's going on on Facebook and some of the activities that are happening on social media. However, I do understand that some of the elders, they don't have that. What we do have is we are looking at on-call for Tlicho.

I need the Minister to elaborate more on this on-call system that she's referring to. Is it in place now, or is it coming? It's just a consideration that the hospital is introducing a night shift for medical interpreters at the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Medical interpretation is such a complex system to interpret, so it's very important that we have interpreters available for these patients, Mr. Speaker.

The interpretation services here in the Northwest Territories is very important. I mean, the majority of our patients who are in care, are in any of our health centres, are predominantly Indigenous, and it's important that we have the available services to them. What the Member is asking is to describe what the on-call looks like right now. Right now, we do have an on-call for Tlicho. Any time a patient requires any assistance, we go through the process to be able to call someone and have them available for interpretation.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. I think we can do more than just on-call. Again, I have to put myself in the position of an 86-year-old who was hospitalized a week ago, and that individual had a heart issue. The family left after 8:00 p.m., and there was no way of communicating with the nurse, and he was getting needles, and he was getting tablets, uncertain of what it was for.

Mr. Speaker, I'm just wondering of the Minister is open to the idea of creating more of an interpretation system, even improving that in Stanton Hospital. Masi.

I apologize for the situation that's happened over at the Stanton Hospital with the Member's constituent and patient. I am open to looking at options with the Member to be able to see what can we do to improve our interpretation systems in the healthcare system. I will commit to looking at some ways to improve. Right now, with the COVID situation, it's very difficult for us to do anything other than virtual. That is something that we can look at. Thank you, Minister.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I mentioned in my Member's statement the problems related to excess alcohol consumption and the avenue afforded the community leaders for TPO. The leaders of my community genuinely wanted such an order during this state of emergency as this was the quickest way to stop all alcohol from entering the community, quelling all of the problems associated with alcohol. My question: why is it that a coronavirus public health emergency, a state of emergency, is not enough to override any current legislation or acts in order to issue a TPO should one be requested? Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The situation of alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse certainly isn't new, as a result of the pandemic. It has, sadly, roots that extend long before the pandemic, and sadly will likely continue after, but the pandemic has certainly given us an opportunity to have quite a number of conversations about alcohol abuse and its causes and the troubles that abuse then causes, as well.

Unfortunately, the Emergency Measures Act doesn't give any special powers over any other piece of legislation. I shouldn't say, "unfortunately." It simply is the fact. It doesn't give special powers to overwrite the Liquor Act. Mr. Speaker, in this particular case, I don't have a tool available in the context of the pandemic to rewrite the Liquor Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho to the Minister of Finance for that answer. In the community of Fort Providence, the liquor establishments were working with the leadership and agreed to shut down the bars. Could this not be deemed as consultation and agreement with the liquor establishments and perhaps written into the act in a time of crisis in order to issue a TPO?

I'm certainly pleased to hear that there has been coordination and communication between the private establishments and the local government. I know I have also been in contact with the local government, and the Liquor Act is written such that, where there's a licensed establishment, a temporary prohibition order is not an option, unfortunately. Certainly, if there can be that communication within the community, that is good news. Going forward, as I've sort of alluded to in my first answer, Mr. Speaker, it's quite clear that there needs to be a much bigger conversation around the Liquor Act but perhaps also a much bigger conversation about alcohol abuse generally, which would be far and beyond the Liquor Act.

It seems like, when this pandemic started, we started off slow, but, eventually, we were working. We had patience on this side of the House for the actions of all involved with the CPHO and the emergency measures organizations. It has always been a problem that we just couldn't harness the very thought that this is a public health emergency and a declared state of emergency. We should have been afforded all avenues to change acts for emergency purposes. Perhaps we really have to look at that as part of the lessons learned.

It's been a while, this coronavirus pandemic. I believe there's an element missing from this process, this consulting with Regular MLAs. There are many heads on this side who would have ideas having to deal with this pandemic. We have a vast range of experiences on this side that could offer suggestions to make it happen. It is that side of the House that is going to want to make it happen because we keep harping on this, and, probably, it'll never end until they find a solution. I just want to ask: can the Minister commit to seeking advice or comments from Regular MLAs on an ongoing basis?

If what is sought is simply a "yes," then I'm happy to simply give a "yes," Mr. Speaker. I gather that perhaps slightly more may be in order, which is to say that there are a lot of ways of communicating, and I want to ensure that I commit to certainly informing Members before there are changes, where I can. On this particular instance, we certainly did have some correspondence on this particular issue, on liquor regulation amendments. I had a lot of conflicting comments about liquor regulation amendments, some people seeking complete prohibition, others saying, "Please don't do that." This was a very difficult issue, and I will certainly continue to, as best as I can, have those conversations with the Members, so I appreciate that request.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Justice tell us what Indigenous programming is currently being offered in the NWT corrections facilities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The correctional service did develop what's called "Northern Sessions." It was developed specifically in the Northwest Territories and was meant to bring northern Indigenous perspective into the correctional programming that's available. There are also other programs that are built upon from Correctional Services Canada and then adapted and delivered by local facility staff members.

Mr. Speaker, can the justice Minister tell us how many of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action have been implemented within the NWT corrections?

I want to start by acknowledging that that is going to be ongoing work and that it has to be ongoing work, and there are still quite a number of the calls to action that, quite frankly, are still outstanding. Number one that comes to mind with me is the over-representation of Indigenous people in the correctional system. That continues to be a challenge, and it's one that I've certainly spoken about many times, both in my past life as well as in this House.

There is progress happening, though, Mr. Speaker. For instance, in terms of that particular call to action, number 30, of eliminating over-representation, there is work underway. We are taking efforts to again change the way that people are brought into the system and change the way that they go out and are reintegrated, with the hope that that will impact those numbers. With respect to addressing the needs of offenders with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, another call to action, Mr. Speaker, that is one where there has been a lot of effort made within the correctional service here around better diagnosis and treatment options and simply more awareness. Again, Mr. Speaker, there are others with respect to providing culturally relevant services, and, as I mentioned, there has been some effort to design local programming to better reflect the local culture and not just a sense of some sort of "pan" culture which really has and, perhaps, continues to be a problem, that we need to be more adaptive to the unique need of individual cultures across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, there are also calls around ensuring that there is better training about cultural sensitivity. Again, with the development of the Northern Recruitment Program in the North, it is our intention and effort that we are responding to that call by providing that localized cultural training. I'm conscious of the time. I'll stop there. That is an important one and I'll commit to providing the Member with going through those calls and providing some more detailed responses, again being conscious of time, but that is certainly an overview of the work that is happening, and I am conscious that there is more work to be done.

It is very important to have rehabilitation programming being led by properly qualified people, especially people who understand historic trauma and Indigenous healing, not just people trained in corrections or regular counselling. My question is: can the Minister list all the corrections programming that is being led or overseen by Indigenous personnel with proper qualifications?

Mr. Speaker, again, I'm going to commit to firstly put that into writing for the Member. I think there are quite a lot of programs that are happening, and I don't want to be seen as missing one or simply reading out a list and not getting to the root of what is being requested. I will just briefly say, Mr. Speaker, that there has been trauma-informed care being provided as training for correctional staff now for, I believe, two years. There are Indigenous liaison officers meant to be stationed at all of the facilities, although I acknowledge that sometimes those positions have not always been filled. I believe they are at present, although I will confirm. There is an effort at the facilities, often coordinated by the liaison officer, to bring elders into the facilities to provide spiritual guidance and cultural supports for offenders or inmates who may be there. I'll also note, as I think I've spoken about in this House more than once now, the South Mackenzie Correctional Facility in Hay River, although the work has been a bit delayed, there is still an effort to make that into a therapeutic community in line with Indigenous culture in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Indigenous healing work with elders and knowledge holders is an important component. My question is: can the Minister explain what collaboration is taking place in the NWT corrections regarding Indigenous elders in terms of healing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At the risk of repeating it a bit, there is a liaison officer position at every institution. It is a major part of their role to provide exactly that: the liaison between the community and elders in particular, and to have elder visits coordinated and available for anyone at the facility. That includes not only, for instance, here in Yellowknife, elders who might be part of the local Indigenous community but also Inuit elders. We certainly have a number of individuals coming from across the territory from different Indigenous cultures. There is a conscious effort made to be inclusive as much as possible. I know that, when I went to the Fort Smith Women's Facility, too, they again have focused on having that space available to be able to bring the elders in from the community. Fort Smith was one that has a long history of doing that and one that we are hoping that we will certainly want to put up as a shining star of what to do in the future, hopefully. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement today was in regard to the Minister responsible for the NWTPC. Since we are still in this pandemic of COVID-19, is the Minister prepared to instruct the board for making exemptions to late payments to the power bill and to ensure disconnections and late fees, once this pandemic is done, making sure that the date from, say, August to the end of April, our coldest months of the year, making sure people are not put on power limiters, and getting rid of the power limiter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've heard the Member and other Members in this House here about limiters and the impact it has on our residents. As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic happened, we stopped limiters and we did not ask people to be charged or making them pay because of their needs. We're working with the people right now and trying to make sure that they are treated fairly and are looked after. As for what we're doing with limiters, as I've said previously in this House, we are looking at that issue. We are researching across Canada to see what it is and to make sure that we are being fair for all of our residents in the Northwest Territories.

I ask the Minister if he is prepared to stop using limiters across our territory and to discontinue use. It's really belittling to people. I know it's a tough situation. People in the communities are really affected by this, and it's pretty tough to cook for families; like I said, planning for the winter already. COVID-19 is still here. Pandemic is still here. Why are we charging them? Why is the ministry able to push aside the bills, the power bills for the communities, and then, come September sitting, I'll be making a motion in the House to get rid of all the power bills and charge it to COVID-19. That would be the best way to do it. Is the Minister willing to do that?

Unfortunately, no. What we are trying to do is we are trying to understand how limiters have been operated across Canada. What we're trying to do is come up with a system that works for all residents. We are working with residents right now, with their power bills. If they need to, we try to give them avenues how they can get their power bills paid through ECE. We are also working with them to come up with a budgeting process that they pay a little bit more during the summertime so that their wintertime costs are not hitting them as big as it is. We're working with the clients. We're working with the system right now. I want to be able to make an informed decision because, if we don't, we're going to be having a whole bunch of people disconnected during the summertime, and we don't want to do that. We have made a commitment to take no limiters right now during the COVID-19. We're not charging interest on late power bills. We're working with the constituents. I've heard the Members from the other side, and we're trying to work the best we can with the system right now. I've made a commitment previously. We will work with the communities as we get this information.

Just in regard to the limiters and to the bills for the communities, is it possible to get it under COVID-19? I'm going to ask that for my Finance Minister, if we could write that off? I have a few other things I would like to bring forward to write off, too, for the people. It's the only right thing to do. The Minister is responsible for the bureaucrats that are these board of directors. He could instruct them. They work for him. Tell them. Work together in regard to making it better for the people and the costing of our power corporation. Again, from August to April, we can't have those for the weather up in the Delta and in my riding. It's the coldest months of the year. Make sure that we are working with them to get through once this COVID-19 is over. It looks like it's a long way off because of no vaccine.

Yes, I will work with the Finance Minister to see if we can reach out to the federal government. Right now, we can't make a promise to do that. What I've made a promise in this House is we will work with the other side and people to make sure we look at this issue and to come up with an informed decision. As for the board, they are independent. They have the right to come up with their collective response. We're working with them. I believe the board has heard the concerns and we are moving forward on this. Yes, I will work with the Finance Minister. There is my "yes" for the day. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.

Yes. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When will the House see results of the work that the Minister tells us he has asked his deputy minister to do, developing options and reconstructing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I was waiting for this question. I thank the Member for asking that. The board is working on it, and we are hopefully having it by the end of this month in something we can present in June. We are working on this. They are looking again across Canada to see how the boards are done, operated. Again, what we are trying to do is make sure it is an informed decision and work with committee on it. At the end of the day, it's about working together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. As I said in my statement, I believe the GNWT has failed small business in this territory by not offering enough support through the pandemic. At the end of April, the Minister previewed her recovery plan and made the statement that some small businesses are expected to fail or scale down. My question for the Minister is: what is her responsibility to prevent small businesses from closing? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I made that statement, I was definitely talking about a global situation. That is what I had heard, that, globally, we would be seeing small business fail. Ultimately, my goal is to not have any Northwest Territories businesses fail through COVID-19, but of course, that is going to be a challenge as we are all aware. My role for small business is to be an advocate. I have been doing so. I know there has been conversation around: federal government is doing things and the GNWT is not. I would like for people to be aware that the way that the federal government knows what the GNWT or what the Northwest Territories residents need is through the lobbying efforts of myself and my colleagues here with them at our federal tables as well as our one-on-one meetings that we do have.

My role is to be the voice of small business. I do understand that small business is feeling not heard at the moment. However, we have introduced supports, and we quickly introduced the BDIC loan. It was actually rolled out on March 20^th. The border closed March 21^st. By March 25^th, applications had ended and money was starting to flow, or it at least being assessed. I do not have the exact date of when payments would have started. I know there is concern that they were loans and not free money. However, in order to get that liquidity out fast to people, we wanted to be able to make the requirements less. There would have been a lot more requirements around getting relief funding out by just handing it out as a grant. We wanted to ensure people could access money quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for that. I hear the Minister say she thinks she is done all she can, but small business mostly doesn't agree. I want to ask you specifically about BDIC. BDIC has a surplus of $30 million. Small businesses told me very clearly that they need grants, that in a situation where they are closed for good or their revenue has gone down by 90 percent, they are not interested in taking on more debt. My question for the Minister is: why didn't the Minister offer grants from BDIC to qualified businesses rather than loans?

I don't believe I said that I have done everything I can do. I will say, though, that I am doing the best that I can to my ability. I have several areas of business and industry where I need to advocate for everyone. I am only one person, and I do acknowledge that there are things that we could be doing better. I believe I already answered the question as to why we went with loans instead of grants with the BDIC. However, I do commit to coming back to the Member with a more fulsome answer on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the Minister's commitment to come back with a fulsome response. That is helpful. My next question is about the business advisory council. The answer to my colleague's questions yesterday indicated that this is a secret committee which would have the final say on whether to reveal their membership and their terms of reference and whether, in fact, we are going to know anything about them. Can the Minister confirm that this government is giving this council discretion to be a secret committee?

What the question was yesterday was: would I make the terms of reference and the membership public? It was not whether I would share it with the Members on the other side of the room. No, this will not be a secret committee. The reason for my response yesterday was that I do not want to tie the hands of anyone prior to even having the first conversation with them. I am open to sharing that and posting that publicly. However, I will have that discussion with the council, and we will move forward as the council sees fit.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that answer from the Minister. It's actually imperative that you shore up the credibility of this initiative by making as much of it public as you possibly can as soon as you can. My next and final question is what this council is supposed to accomplish and over what period of time. Thank you.

This council will be one of three that will be used by Cabinet and all of the government in order to be better informed by the stakeholders as was part of our 19^th Legislative Assembly mandate and commitment priorities. We will be working towards making more evidence-based decisions by looking at or getting the feedback from the councils and their inputs, their recommendations. There will be reports provided that will be sent to the executive council and also shared as part of the co-committee that we will be having with the Regular MLAs and ourselves on economic recovery. The plan is to use the experts in the areas of their industries and sector in order to provide the better responses or the better relief packages or recovery packages that we can provide as a government. There is no way that we are going to be able to do it if we don't take feedback. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This is a question for the Minister of Finance. Just for some context here, on April 16^th of this year, there were some liquor restrictions for sales that you announced. I have some figures in front of me that people are allowed to buy no more than six 375-millilitre containers of spirits or a maximum daily purchase up of $200 for individual customers. I have a two-prong question. My first part of that question is: how are these amounts determined? The second part of that is: what consultation was carried out with our Indigenous leaders prior to the announcement of these amounts? Marsi cho.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Liquor regulations are a regulation entirely within the department of finance and typically wouldn't necessarily be the subject of significant -- certainly not consultation as a legal concept but engagement, more generally. What we did do in this case, Mr. Speaker, is that certainly, at the same time that this was happening, there was a liquor-related motion by the Dene Nation that was made and a fairly lengthy response provided to them on April 7^th. I was involved in an Indigenous governments' call that has been happening weekly now with the governments during the pandemic on April 9^th to discuss the decision around closing of liquor stores. Then on April 15^th, when the letter went out, that went out only after I would had that length conversation with the Indigenous governments and had received also correspondence from them. At that time, I sent a detailed letter to them to explain what was done. While that was the liquor changes that were made on April 16th that the Member makes mention of, they are regulations. They are changeable.

We got back on the phone and had another long conversation with the Indigenous governments on April 17^th. On April 23^rd, I had written to the Indigenous governments again, seeking their input on the changes to date and then some further changes that, again, a number of parties were requesting. On April 24^th, I again went on to the Indigenous governments' call and had a lengthy discussion with them. At that point, set up a targeted call on April 28^th, specifically with the Department of Finance to have a lengthy conversation with them around how the liquor regulations were working and whether further changes needed to be made. That is the one part of the question, Mr. Speaker. The second was on how the amounts were chosen. There was a real balance being struck between the desire to put some regulations that would create a restriction in place to try to target bootleggers, to try to target those who were buying mickeys, those who were buying large amounts and then taking them back to smaller communities, in particular, for resale, but also not to create a barrier that would hamper the health system by driving people to consume other types of alcohol. We looked at the kinds of consumption patterns that we could see, and we looked at who was being impacted and who was being targeted, and tried to target those who were seemingly purchasing for improper purposes, and not target the large proportion of individuals who can consume responsibly.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker, and Marsi cho to the Minister of Finance for those responses. I listened very carefully to those responses, and some of the feedback that I got from some of our Indigenous leaders in my riding was that these amounts were still way too high. If we get six of us going into a liquor store, I'm going to make an example of say, Hay River, and then we go into one of the surrounding communities, we could still have a party for a very, very long time. Do you know what I mean? These amounts are still very high.

I guess my second part of that question: have there been any specific requests from our Indigenous leaders to lower these amounts since then? Marsi cho.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been requests around liquor for the last two months to impose complete bans, complete restrictions, to open it up, to make it available for sale from taxi cabs. I have had no end of requests and varying requests across the board. I simply can't accommodate every request because they are at opposites, one with another. I acknowledge that not every Indigenous leader's request to impose a complete ban has been followed. Obviously, that's not what we've done. Some of the Indigenous leaders who we spoke to were saying, "Please, just keep it as a simple restriction." There's not a simple solution to this, Mr. Speaker. I acknowledge that. I'm not going to make everybody happy with this one. We did our best to try to strike a balance between looking at the health system, looking at what we need to do to maintain the health system, trying to support some of the small businesses who were asking for changes to the Liquor Act, at the same time. As I've said on all of these calls, Mr. Speaker, the Liquor Act and the liquor regulations are not going to be where we address the fundamental problem of alcohol abuse in the territory. It's a crisis. It is absolutely a crisis, and it needs to be addressed in a much bigger way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you for that response. Just listening, I want to thank you for staying engaged because I think that's a proper way to categorize that instead of consulting. I understand the need to keep businesses afloat, and it's so important because, like I've said, everybody's feeling the pinch during this crisis. On May 8^th, I guess I mentioned, the class A and the class B licensed establishments are allowed to sell beer and alcohol with their food. I guess my final question is, what consultations were made with our local Indigenous governments before this was implemented?

I apologize. I should have been briefer in my original answer. I happened to have a chronology of the efforts we made because it's not the first concern that's been raised to me about what I've done to engage and the time we spent speaking to not only Indigenous governments but also our community governments and others. We did write out, seeking input. We also had two further conversations about this, and it was actually as a result of those conversations and of the input that we received that, in fact, we did not allow taxis to be involved in the sale and distribution of alcohol and that, if a licensed establishment now is going to include alcohol sales with their takeout, it has to be through their own delivery service; it cannot use the taxi cab. So we did remove that, and we also removed the sale of cannabis, which was also one of the proposals. Again, while it's not answering what everybody wanted, it certainly did make an effort, I believe, to be responsive to some of the requests that were being made.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Just for clarity, what department has authority over border security and under what authority? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The compliance and enforcement of the public health order falls under the Public Health Act and is the responsibility of the deputy chief public health officers and the compliance and enforcement public health officers who are appointed by the Chief Public Health Officer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister confirm how her department will address the ongoing issues surrounding border security such as documentation, essential workers exemptions, status cards, drug dealers, bootleggers, and tourists coming into the territory. They seem to be getting across the border.

In terms of documentation, we will continue to demand valid Northwest Territories documentation and provide them with information that I've outlined in the statement, and will follow-up if a complaint is made to protect Northwest Territories. In terms of the essential workers, we will continue to monitor the essential workers and their adherence to our rules. The case you cite in your Member's statement is very disturbing to me, and I commit to looking into the details and getting back to you. In terms of exemptions, exceptions are one-off and are granted for compassion or other valid reasons, such as caregivers and childcare are just two examples. There are also several categories of exemptions under the travel restriction order, so all Northwest Territories as well as essential service workers, mine workers, supply chain workers, are considered exempted under the travel provision. In terms of the status cards, we are only accepting Northwest Territories IDs where there's clearly NWT residency. In terms of the drug dealers and the bootleggers, of course we don't want these people in here. However, if they do have a valid Northwest Territories proof of residency, there's not a lot we can do other than, in the past, we have advised the RCMP when there are suspicious behaviours. That's been very successful because of the partnership with them.

Can the Minister relay to our Chief Public Health Officer that we will be seeing more residents travelling south throughout the summer and that, upon return, some of them may start to ignore the self-isolation order and look to self-monitoring as an option? Also, ask her how that will be addressed? Because the last thing we want to do is make criminals out of our residents.

Our compliance and enforcement task force are expecting and are prepared for more Northwest Territories residents that are travelling south during the summer months. They are working closely with officers who are manning the borders and airports to protect the Northwest Territories, to ensure that there is a consistent approach for returning residents, including extensive public awareness and communication efforts.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister confirm what authority the Chief Public Health Officer has, and can it be overridden by this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The authority is under Part 5 of the Public Health Act, respecting public health emergencies, as well as sections 11 and 25. The Chief Public Health Officer is a statutory appointment who reports directly to me, as Minister.

There are several categories in exemptions under the travel restriction order that all Northwest Territories residents, as well as essential service workers, mine workers, supply chain workers, are considered exempted under the travel-prohibition provisions. The best way to track the total exemptions would be to count the number of self-isolation plans, which we share weekly with our Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.