This is page numbers 3291 - 3324 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was work.

Topics

Members Present

Hon. Diane Archie, Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge, Hon. Paulie Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Hon. Julie Green, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Martselos, Ms. Nokleby, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek. Ms. Weyallon-Armstong

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

---Prayer

Prayer
Prayer

Page 3291

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, climate change is one of the most critical issues we face today. I am pleased to report on actions the GNWT is taking to address its impacts here in the NWT.

As a territory, we are responsible for less than 0.2 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions but we are experiencing climate warming at a rate that is three times the global average. We have already seen significant changes that are impacting our environment, our economy, our infrastructure, and our way of life. We are seeing changing ice conditions, coastal erosion, rising sea levels, and melting permafrost.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to taking action to address these destructive impacts.
Later today, we will table multiple annual reports highlighting work that has been done with our partners to mitigate and adapt to climate change across the NWT.

I would like to highlight a few of these actions today.

In January, we became the first jurisdiction in Canada to include consideration of a climate change factor in Cabinet and Financial Management Board decision-making. Assessing the potential impacts of government decisions on climate change ensures that meaningful and consistent climate change action is taken away departments and improving our accountability on climate action.

We have also worked with our partners to establish a Climate Change Council that includes members from Indigenous governments and community leaders. The council will include advisory groups such as youth, Elders, community governments, industry, non-government organizations, co-management boards, and academia who will inform priorities of the climate change action plan. In addition, the council will also include various advisory panels such as the water stewardship panel, the cumulative impact monitoring program panel, and the sustainable livelihood panel that will provide advice and recommendation. The council and advisory groups are important forums to bring together community perspectives and expert guidance as we face a challenging climate.

Madam Speaker, climate action takes investment in people and programming. Over the last year, our government has made significant investments when it comes to addressing climate change. We have invested nearly $56 million, and have created 15 new positions across government to work on climate change actions.

In 2021, the Department of Infrastructure invested over $38 million as part of the 2030 Energy Strategy, and for energy and greenhouse gas reduction projects and programs, which resulted in 3.6 kilo tonnes of greenhouse gas emission reductions. This $38 million included significant investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, such as providing over $5.3 million to the Arctic Energy Alliance, resulting in nearly $2 million in incentives being given out. These incentives help residents, businesses, and communities to be more energy efficient.

Our government has also invested roughly $3.8 million dollars in energy retrofits to government assets which has contributed to our own emission reduction over the last year.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Finance continued its efforts on carbon pricing over the last year. The price per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions rose to $30, and we provide rebates for residents to reduce the burden caused by high costs associated with residential heating.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to highlight that earlier this month the GNWT participated in the 26th Council of the Parties in Glasgow, Scotland as part of the Canadian delegation. It is unfortunate that due to the pandemic, Indigenous participation was not fully represented this year as previous conferences. I am hopeful that Indigenous participation will return to pre-COVID levels at future conferences and commitment to working with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations through the Climate Change Council to support Indigenous participation in the future.

COP26 was an opportunity for the GNWT to engage directly with the Government of Canada to advocate for NWT climate change interests and to highlight the unique challenges and opportunities that exist in the NWT. We shared ideas, learned from others, and brought back knowledge to inform our efforts on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Our government will continue to lead in the fight against climate change. We will keep working closely with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, the federal government, community leaders, academia, industry, and non-government organizations, who are our allies in taking action on climate change.

The GNWT has accomplished a lot over the past year in addressing climate change but there is still work to be done. We must all work together to find solutions to address climate change in the Northwest Territories and continue this important work. I know that we all rise to the challenge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' Statements. Minister for our Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, strengthening our leadership and authority on climate change and enhancing efforts to stabilize the cost of power is a priority of the Government of the Northwest Territories; so is increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy.

Today, as part of our government's integrated approach to climate change reporting, we will release four reports, including the 2020-2021 Energy Initiatives Report. This report outlines almost $38 million in energy-related investments the GNWT made during the past fiscal year. These investments not only reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and help us take real action against climate change, they also provide our communities with reliable energy and stabilize costs for residents. This supports the goals of the Northwest Territories' 2030 Energy Strategy and 2030 Climate Change Strategic Framework.

Mr. Speaker, projects that are positively impacting residents and communities include those from the Greenhouse Gas Grant Program. One of the three projects approved this year by the GNWT was $1.1 million for the installation of two wood pellet boilers in two Yellowknife schools, in Mildred Hall and Range Lake North. Once these boilers are installed and operating, they are expected to reduce 578 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

This last year, the GNWT provided over $5.3 million to the Arctic Energy Alliance, resulting in nearly $2 million in incentives being given out. These funds support the energy efficiency, conservation, and alternative energy programs and services. Residents, businesses and communities all benefit. This year, the organization provided 1000 more rebates than in 2019-2020, despite dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to advance key projects that will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in diesel communities by 25 percent; one of the strategic objectives of the 2030 Energy Strategy.

This summer the GNWT and the federal government announced $60 million in funding to build the Fort Providence-Kakisa Transmission Line. This project will virtually eliminate diesel fuel consumption for power generation in these communities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3000 tonnes per year.

Mr. Speaker, the Inuvik Wind Project is another important initiative under the 2030 Energy Strategy. This 3.5-megawatt wind turbine will reduce diesel consumption in our largest off-grid community by up to 30 percent. The permitting phase for the project has been completed and it moved into final design. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in the winter of 2022.

When it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the GNWT is leading by example through the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund. This program delivers energy efficiency projects for GNWT facilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects completed in the last fiscal year decreased government emissions by two kilo tonnes.

The GNWT continues to advance the Taltson Hydroelectricity Expansion Project. Technical work on transmission routing options is also ongoing. We expect a preliminary business case for the project later this fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, while we have accomplished a great deal during the first three years of implementation of the 2030 Energy Strategy, we must keep moving forward. It is time to take stock of the lessons we have learned in implementing this strategy. We must combine these learnings with new research and analyze to inform a renewed strategy and accompanying the energy action plan.

As the GNWT conducts this review and carries on with implementation, we will continue to engage directly with communities and Indigenous governments and organizations to ensure their participation, partnership, and empowerment when proposing and implementing energy solutions. The GNWT cannot meet its energy and climate change objectives by acting alone. We need all Northerners to play a role. By continuing to work together, we can make it happen. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Unity in the Legislative Assembly
Members' Statements

Page 3292

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Caucus chair, I must address a very important issue which is affecting everybody in this building, the Legislative Assembly, as well as all people across the NWT. The issue I am referring to is to the need to maintain proper confidentiality of certain sensitive matters that are before the Assembly and the need for more unity, cohesion, trust and professionalism as MLAs.

This Assembly has been plagued by constant and ongoing leaks of various confidential and sensitive information. These leaks have had damaging effects on proper function of our government. They also affected people's lives, careers, and families.

I have always been a proponent of accountable and transparent governance; however, in my work it is also extremely important to balance that with confidentiality of sensitive information. Both as an MLA but especially as Caucus chair, I expect a certain level of respect for the office we hold and for the common good of the people of the NWT.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, if this Assembly continues to engage in sideshow activities on concluded matters, where neutral decisions have already been made by independent third parties, then the work of the Assembly will suffer. We've dealt with all these sideshows already in the Assembly's workplace review and in the inquiry and work of the sole adjudicator. It is distracting and obstructing the work of the Legislative Assembly.

Therefore, for the sake of the people of the NWT, the sideshow has got to stop.

In addition, I think some of the content quoted within the December 6th, 2021 News North front page is unprofessional, out of context, and must stop. I, for one, am not controlled by no one, and I am tired of our Assembly being portrayed as dysfunctional by the media and by the people of the NWT. For the dignity of this House, we must restore order to this Assembly to this sideshow behaviour. A sideshow is not what we signed up for but that is what the business of the Assembly risks coming to. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Our Assembly has lost its focus and has devoted considerable public funds and government resources in responding to and dealing with these various sideshow activities. It is time-consuming and inefficient for staff to continue to respond to these activities. What does it accomplish? Nothing.

Everything is at stake from the staff morale of the Assembly to the very confidence of the people of the NWT. We were put here to make the NWT a better place but are we really accomplishing that right now?

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, December for many people is supposed to be a joyful time during a special holiday season marked on our calendars. We shouldn't need to deal with this type of stuff. For those who want to continue these sideshow activities, just stop. For those who won't stop, our leadership must take action. We must turn the page on these matters and move on.

This Assembly has plenty of work to address. We can't be putting ourselves first before the people of the NWT. That is not good leadership. It is not what we were elected here to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Unity in the Legislative Assembly
Members' Statements

Page 3292

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. In June 2021 I tabled redacted summaries of the secret meetings of the GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID Recovery Working Group. I tabled another set of summaries earlier this sitting as well and they contained about 80 additional disclosures from the department as a result of a new review conducted under our more permissive amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

As I said before, what was supposed to be a working group focused on economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID pandemic has transitioned into a high-level lobbying campaign. This is not about whether mining is good or criticism of the Chamber of Mines; this is about the appropriateness of these meetings held behind closed doors.

In June, I outlined several options for the Minister to bring some transparency and accountability to these secret meetings which does not appear to have been adopted in any way, so I will repeat them again here.

Now that this information about these meetings has been made public, the Minister has several options, as I see it.

  • The Minister could stop these meetings now that the pandemic is almost over;.
  • Confine these meetings to their original and stated purpose of economic recovery rather than the current lobbying campaign that appears to have no limits;
  • Allow other interested parties to observe and/or participate;
  • Make complete summaries of these meetings public;
  • Allow other economic sectors and non-governmental organizations the same opportunity for consultation and lobbying; and/or,
  • Bring in lobbyist legislation so there is proper disclosure guidance for lobbying.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment on the GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID Recovery Working Group. Merci, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Abstinence from Alcohol and Drugs
Members' Statements

Page 3292

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given the upcoming festive season, I wanted to share a message regarding abstinence from alcohol and drugs. I wanted to relay a message about options should you continue and options to do other activities rather than turn to alcohol and drugs for enjoyment.

Mr. Speaker, when one chooses to party it up, whether they are single or in a relationship, and especially if they have children, there are significant effects to that decision. What we see from our communities and monthly RCMP crime reports is the escalating domestic violence and sexual assaults that plague our small communities.

Since COVID hit, there has been a significant increase in the use of alcohol and drugs, especially with all the free money floating around. Many families are running into problems with living expenses as they choose to buy significant amounts of alcohol and drugs; everything else is secondary to the fun they can have. The families of these people suffer because of their decisions and they bear the brunt of the stress waiting to see if they will come home safely and for many it is the children that are affected in this way.

We see far too often how happy the children are when their parents are home and taking care of them. This is what should be thought of before making decisions to purchase alcohol and drugs. What they also don't realize is the amount of stress that is placed on our ever-decreasing health care and staffing levels. Most get serious injuries from falls or beatings and most times can't get the immediate attention they require due to staffing levels.

Mr. Speaker, there are more positives than negatives when one abstains from alcohol and drugs. There is the all-important family relationship with immediate family and beyond, including the whole community. Healthy clear minds see improved mental health for all, increases willpower and self-esteem. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi, colleagues. This will also improve education outcomes as our Elders envisioned for us and have stated. We want good education for our children and future generations to become doctors, lawyers, and teachers and so forth. Abstinence from alcohol and drugs creates a positive community atmosphere as this will hopefully improve volunteerism and that helps to improve life in the communities.

I encourage all residents of the Northwest Territories to start doing and making things happen for your family, your friends, your community and, most of all, for yourself. There are always supports within your community to begin this journey. Please take advantage of all services available to improve your lives. Mahsi.

Abstinence from Alcohol and Drugs
Members' Statements

Page 3292

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Home Base Yellowknife
Members' Statements

Page 3293

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

As a Regular Member, I'm active on our social development committee which has identified children and family services as an area of focus. From this work, I have been learning so much about the issues facing families and youth in the NWT. One area that I am becoming more familiar with is the foster care system, and I want thank everyone who has taken the time to speak with me about this topic as it's a sensitive one.

Mr. Speaker, when I look at our social problems, I can see the gap that youth and young adults are falling into. Aging-out or kicked out of foster care, they often find themselves with little to no options, with too many going on to become chronic dependents of social welfare as adults. One way we can remove adults from our system is to prevent them from being dependent on it in the first place. And in the Northwest Territories, only one organization is supporting youth to get them out of the system, and that is Home Base Yellowknife.

Home Base is a youth support organization that offers four programs for youth to help them become self-sufficient and deal with trauma from their childhoods. Home Base has ten full-time dorm spaces in their main building on 52nd Street, also operating a shelter there from 8 to 8 daily. The shelter provides a safe space for youth to sleep, have a meal, and wash their clothes.

Home Base operates a second youth centre next to Overlander Sports, open from 12 to 8 every day, providing a second place for youth to shower, do laundry, eat, and work on resumes and life planning.

Home Base also has a housing program that assists 20- to 24-year-olds with housing through commercial leases or at their newly acquired Park Place apartment building near City Hall. Youth can attend any of Home Base's programs to receive support, advice, and guidance on careers and life management skills. The goal of Home Base is to stabilize youth in order to reintegrate them into society and get them back into school.

Although Home Base wants to increase youth shelter supports to 24 hours a days 7 days a week, their current financial projection means a cut to shelter hours is coming rather than an expansion. In order to even maintain the current level of programming, Home Base needs additional emergency homelessness assistance funding to do so.

While Home Base receives programming money, they do not have core funding available for wages or to buy essential supplies. With core funding for staff and supplies, Home Base could offer 24-hour supports to youth in an effort to divert this vulnerable population from a lifetime of dependence on social programming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Home Base Yellowknife
Members' Statements

Page 3293

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituents travel medical appointments either to Inuvik or they're travelling in from Inuvik to Yellowknife if they can't be serviced, and if we can't do the servicing for medical here, we're sending them to Edmonton. My constituents fly all the way from their home communities who it probably take five days in return to going to the community. They wait for their appointment especially, you know, some of our cancer patients. We've lost so many people this year due to cancer.

We do need a health advocate Mr. Speaker, in the Inuvik Regional Hospital to assist our communities, to making sure that the people are getting to their appointments, information is shared on the patient, and so likely what's happening. This means that the travel dates in the right place for the right times for their appointments, to be on time, because I got a couple of concerns from my mayor from Ulukhaktok that patients are traveling and they're not having an escort; they're getting to their appointment, there's no appointments.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, sometimes things get missed, appointments, but they don't book the flights, book the travel. This means sometimes residents need treatment and they don't get it at the right time. And this has to stop, Mr. Speaker.

We need a patients advocate, again. We need somebody to help the patients in the communities that are at nursing stations to help them because they're overworked already. Our nursing staff, our health staff, they're overworked and they need their patient advocate out of Inuvik to help assist them to do their job. You know, sometimes they get calls at one in the morning or a text message and they're saying I travel at 9 o'clock, I never got no travel yet. I'm not going to wake up the Health Minister, Mr. Speaker, at 2 o'clock in the morning saying I need travel done for somebody. I'll send her a text message, and Julie's been good about it, the Minister has been good about it, get back to me first thing in the morning and we try to get it sorted out and try and do good for the patient. But Mr. Speaker, we do need a health advocate in Inuvik. I will have questions for the Minister on where that health advocate is for the community, to assist the communities out of the Inuvik Regional Hospital. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, my Member's statement is for the Minister of Education on community-based programs. Mr. Speaker, we cannot wait for polytechnic university. Bring the program to the communities rather than having students leave their communities, families, culture, and language. They will get the same education as students attending post-secondary education in the south.

The GNWT is too dependent on workers from the south. These workers often don't stay in our small communities very long. We have many young people in our communities, with Grade 12 education, either unemployed or underemployed with others having to go on Income Support. Mr. Speaker, the community labor force survey shows that the Tlicho region has the highest rate of unemployment in the NWT at 28 percent; the lowest participation rate in the workforce at 60 percent; and lowest employment rate at 43.6 percent.

Mr. Speaker, if the Aurora College Campus is based in Tlicho communities were fully utilized to deliver community-based program, we would have local people trained to fill the need for local jobs in communities. The challenge to promote post-secondary education in the Tlicho region is that not everyone wants to leave their communities or be away for long periods of time without the support of the families and culture. Further, with housing shortage in the NWT young families do not want to leave their home as there is no guarantee they will be able to access housing upon their return.

Mr. Speaker, times have changed, technologies are improving -- Can I have a unanimous consent to conclude my statement, please?

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, times have changed, technologies are improving. It should be possible to deliver Aurora College programs like education, social work, nursing, remotely in the communities and/or if the Aurora College does not have the capacity, perhaps another college or university can come and deliver the program. Who delivers the program is not as important as the fact that they must be delivered and based in small communities.

Facilitating the delivery of college programs in Tlicho region is a good opportunity to train young people to get the jobs they want and to find work to better their communities. The government can also save money on relocation costs for southern employees and reduce dependence on outside workforce. We need to invest more money in the younger generations.

Government leaders at every level say that the youth are the future but, Mr. Speaker, we seem to be failing to make the necessary investments in their future. The people that live in the NWT are not going anywhere. They are going to stay in their communities and work for the benefit for all Northerners. If the government can make the necessary investment in young people, the government can take a person dependent on the government for Income Support and social housing and turn them into a taxpayer. These savings, and the savings from relocation costs, should help to pay for those programs.

Our community people, with the right training, will do a better job as they know their communities, the people, the culture and language. The graduates will be part of northern economies. Masi, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Education.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that a new long-term day shelter has been made available to those in Yellowknife that have no other means of staying warm, staying fed, and staying safe during these cold winter days.

Mr. Speaker, it used to shock me how fast projects in Yellowknife, like the day shelter or others, can happen and how quickly funds can be found. Not anymore. I soon realized that when you are city with a population of some 20,000 plus; when you have the Premier; the Minister of Health; and the Minister of Finance, all being from Yellowknife, it will increase the pace at how fast funds can be secured and how quick an idea can be put into action.

Mr. Speaker, I now want to quote a portion of the statement made yesterday in a press release by the Minister of Health, which reads: "As part of our commitment to reconciliation and to ensure that everyone can access safe shelter facilities..."

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to hear the Minister refer to reconciliation and by further stating that everyone should have access to safe shelters. However, our regional centres and smaller communities are also struggling with the same issues but we do not have the population of Yellowknife, nor do we have the Premier, nor the Minister of Health, nor the Minister of Finance living in our communities to support something similar.

Our communities desperately need something in place for the longer term. Addressing the need for a day and night shelter every fall is not sufficient. It is not fair to NGO's that provide that service. It is not fair to the communities. And most importantly, it is not fair to those who require the service.

Mr. Speaker, I believe this government is on the right path with respect to supporting those finding themselves living on the street by providing long-term shelter options. For those in regional and smaller communities, they must have equal and equitable access to supports that those in Yellowknife take for granted. We need to identify local infrastructure that is being underutilized or sitting empty and repurpose it for long-term shelters and programming in our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A diverse and committed arts community exists in the Northwest Territories, with literally dozens of groups in the areas of dance, theatre, music, film, visual arts, crafts, and many more. Organizations may be small but they are big on hard work, enthusiasm, commitment, and inclusive programs that reach across our communities. Artists understand and acknowledge how the arts function to support our social strengths, our human health and well-being. Hill Strategies Research Reports reveal the link between the arts and student engagement in education, positive economic impact, and cultural tourism, improved quality of life, importance in aboriginal health and well-being, and the lists goes on. Beyond these at a time when social changes and challenges are many, the arts provide a valid way to engage community learning, exploration, idea exchange, and critical dialogue that ground our culture and identity. These same artists are seeing gaps, key gaps that are limiting the role the arts can play in diversifying and strengthening our territorial economy. One is the lack of a properly funded arts hub typically found in every other capital in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we currently have a surge in vacant space in downtown Yellowknife, the Bellanca Building, and with other government offices being vacated as they move to new buildings. We have an opportunity to now to take action. Many of that space is in Weledeh, an ideal location for an institution.

Wait a minute, Mr. Speaker. I apologize; I just read a statement from my predecessor Bob Bromley from over a decade ago, Mr. Speaker, because nothing has changed in this focus, Mr. Speaker. And now we have released an art strategy and still nothing has changed, Mr. Speaker.

I do not believe this art strategy is taking this issue seriously. I do not believe we are capturing the federal money that is out there. There are numerous funding pots across numerous organizations in the federal government, and if we had a proper art strategy maybe we could actually make some progress on this issue. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, GNWT spending is a key economic driver for the NWT. We know through the pandemic how much we rely on GNWT spending. And, Mr. Speaker, the impact of GNWT spending extends to the procurement decisions made just by this government but for the Crown corporations supported by our public funds.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize that the GNWT has undertaken a review of procurement and has made a commitment towards an Indigenous procurement policy, which is very positive. Local NWT-based businesses, NWT Indigenous businesses that are based in our communities hire local employees and contribute wealth back to the community, and we hear often of them falling through the gaps of the NWT spending.

I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, the procurement review will address the gaps that we see with the NWT businesses today as they compete on bids.

Mr. Speaker, the procurement review needs to recognize full impact of GNWT spending and include a review of how at its arm's length Crown corporations who spend of hundreds of millions of dollars every year and are procuring NWT goods and services. Will the GNWT hold Crown corporations accountable to the value of the NWT-based spending?

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT also needs to improve the directory of the NWT-based businesses to ensure that it is comprehensive and reflects local business registries. An updated and current NWT business registration will improve procurement decisions for GNWT and its Crown corporations.

Mr. Speaker, public money should be leveraged to grow our local economy through the NWT-owned businesses. NWT-owned businesses need to be prioritized for all GNWT spending, including the extension of GNWT spending through its Crown corporations. GNWT needs to ensure that local Indigenous business are considered first and that companies who do business in the GNWT or GNWT Crown corporations are required to demonstrate local ownership and local employment.

Mr. Speaker, the strategy behind the GNWT spending right now is essential to build back our economy and ensuring our communities have an economic chance. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance later today. Thank you.