Thank you. Good afternoon, colleagues. Today is the first time this House has met since the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Before we begin, I ask you to join me in a moment of silence for our late Queen.

Thank you, colleagues. Please be seated.

Members, I also want to take a moment to reflect on the passing of Elizabeth Harnum and Elaine Keenan-Bengts. Ms. Harnum was the Northwest Territories' first Languages Commissioner and was an advocate for the revitalization of our Indigenous languages. Ms. Keenan-Bengts was the Northwest Territories' first Information and Privacy Commissioner and was a strong champion for the protection of people's personal information.

Since we last met, we have also lost a former Member of this Assembly, Alfred Moses. A Member of the 17th and 18th Legislative Assemblies, Alfred served as a regular Member, committee chair and Minister. Alfred and I worked together for eight years here at the Legislative Assembly. I am grateful to have become friends with him during that time. Alfred was a champion of our youth and healthier communities. His passing was a great loss for the town of Inuvik, the Beaufort-Delta and the Northwest Territories.

As a territory, we are a better place because of the service, dedication, and passion of Ms. Harnum, Ms. Keenan-Bengts and Mr. Moses. On behalf of this House, I offer our deepest condolences and gratitude to their families.

Many of our communities throughout the Northwest Territories are dealing with the loss of loved ones. It is, especially gratifying to see how our communities come together at times of tragedy. Continued prayers for all those throughout the Northwest Territories as we come together and show we care and help out as much as we can.

Colleagues, please join me in thanking the Aklavik drummers for joining us today.

---Applause

It was my pleasure to welcome them to this Chamber, and I feel blessed to be able to share their talents with you and everybody who is joining us in the gallery or following our proceedings on television or online. It is an honour to be able to see and hear our culture in this House.

I would also like to take a moment to advise Members that we will be providing interpretation into the following languages during this sitting: Chipewyan, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, Tlicho, and French. Please join me in thanking our interpreters for the work they do; they make it possible for us to use and honour our languages. Mahsi.

---Applause

Members, I would now like to welcome you back. We last met in this Chamber on June 2nd. I know that each of us were busy with the ongoing business of government and committees; however, I hope that you also found time to connect with family and friends and recharge your batteries. Our jobs are not easy, and to effectively represent our constituents we need to take care of ourselves. It is an honour for us to be here on behalf of our constituents and all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Members, I would like to remind you to conduct yourselves in keeping with the rules of this Assembly. Show respect for one another, for this institution, and, most importantly, for the people we represent in this Chamber. We won't always see eye to eye with each other. That is not possible. But we can and must treat each other with dignity and respect. We are here to serve as representatives for the people that elected us and put their trust in us. Take pride in that work.

Now, colleagues, it is my duty to advise the House that I have received the following message from the Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

It reads: Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the passage of Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2023-2024; Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2022; Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2022-2023 during the Second Session of the 19th Legislative Assembly. Yours Truly, Leonard Kenny, Deputy Commissioner.

Thank you, colleagues. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Education, Culture, and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university is often presented as one project, but it is in fact a collection of over 100 projects spread out over three phases. The work has been a collaboration between Aurora College and the Government of the Northwest Territories, with wide-ranging and ongoing engagement throughout the process.

Significant progress toward achieving this mandate commitment has been marked by the completion of key milestones, bringing us closer to the accreditation and launch of an arm's length polytechnic university that responds to the needs of Northerners.

With foundational planning completed in phase 1, we are now in the second phase of the transformation, which includes finalizing a facilities plan, re-establishing the board of governors, establishing an academic council, and completing changes to the college's organizational structure.

Mr. Speaker, phase 2 is on track, and a clearer vision of the future polytechnic university is beginning to take shape. Over the summer, Aurora College began efforts to recruit the Aurora College board of governors. With recent amendments to the Aurora College Act, Aurora College's new governance system will have three bodies that together govern the college, at arm's length from the government. The board will serve the people of the Northwest Territories by setting the vision and mission for Aurora College, and eventually for the polytechnic university. Recruitment efforts will continue until enough nominations have been received and the required competencies have been met, and I hope to see the new board in place early in the new year.

Last month, we released the Polytechnic University Facilities Master Plan. The facilities master plan is a comprehensive, strategic document that provides a picture of what the polytechnic university could look like. It proposes enhancements and expansions to existing Aurora College facilities and includes information on teaching and research facilities at all three campuses and across their network of community learning centers. The Facilities Master Plan will be a key planning tool for the Aurora College board of governors, who are now ultimately responsible for the financial and capital planning decisions.

The Facilities Master Plan was informed by extensive engagement. A summary of feedback collected during that engagement can be found in the What We Heard report that was released this summer. Youth, Aurora College students, faculty and staff, Indigenous governments, community governments, post-secondary education partners, industry, GNWT departments, and local community members were engaged and provided valuable information that helped shape the document. I believe that the Facilities Master Plan captures the key themes heard during the engagement process and will support the needs of NWT students and residents.

Mr. Speaker, the polytechnic university will be an institution for all NWT residents. It will provide enhanced education opportunities to residents and create economic benefits across the territory with job creation and capacity building.

During this final year of the 19th Legislative Assembly, we can expect to see substantial progress on the Aurora College transformation, and I look forward to keeping Members of this House and NWT residents informed of the progress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, for the second consecutive year, several communities throughout the Northwest Territories were impacted by flooding. That flooding caused significant damage not only to homes and properties of residents but also to the roads, buildings, airports and ferry landings they use regularly. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories' response to the devasting impacts of this spring's flooding, particularly in the South Slave, Deh Cho, and the Beaufort-Delta regions, required effort from several departments.

As the Department of Infrastructure is responsible for the operation and maintenance of public buildings and transportation infrastructure and systems, today I want to highlight my department's tremendous efforts to respond and assist in the Northwest Territories recovery from the flooding. Many of the department's staff were responding while their own properties were being affected.

Air transportation is vital in the NWT. During this spring's flooding, the Merlyn Carter Airport in Hay River saw extensive flooding to its main runway, which led to erosion and damage to airfield lighting and slope along the runway. Crews and contractors worked hard for six weeks to restore the main runway to active service. Maintenance staff were also able to quickly get the secondary gravel runway open so emergency flights and air traffic could continue operating while repairs were made to the main runway. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT's buildings and infrastructure were also repaired as quickly as possible in Hay River and K'atl'odeeche First Nation. This work included repairs made to the damaged K'atl'odeeche pump house to be able to keep the water pumps operational and ensure the community had access to water.

Inspections staff inspected gas, boiler and electric systems in homes, schools, pump houses, regional offices, and other flood-damaged GNWT properties within Hay River and K'atl'odeeche during and after the flood. These inspections were conducted regularly to ensure these systems were operating normally and that properties were safe to the public.

Highway crews worked around the clock pumping water across flooded highways, keeping our highway systems open for safe travel, controlling traffic and escorting vehicles. Efforts included working with the Town of Hay River to build an access road to Paradise Gardens, restoring access through Vale Island in Hay River, Escarpment Creek on Highway No. 1, and dealing with the significantly flooded sections along the Dempster Highway. The highway transportation officers provided control at highway entrances to affected communities so that anyone entering these communities did so safely, understanding the risks.

Infrastructure staff also did outstanding work to restore and maintain ferry and highway operations, removing ice blocks at the Tsiigehtchic ferry crossing, at the Mackenzie River ferry crossing, and at the Liard crossing. Staff rebuilt and fortified washed-out ferry landings several times and actively monitored river conditions for debris and high-water levels to ensure ferry operations could resume as soon as it was safe. Marine transportation staff in Hay River were able to clear the terminal basin and synchro lift waterways of silt so that barges and boats could safely be lifted and loaded in and out of the water. After the flood, MTS crews successfully retrieved a sunken barge, cleaned up the shipyard and terminal yard of debris.

Mr. Speaker, this spring's flooding presented numerous challenges for the GNWT, residents, and our communities. At this time, I would like to recognize all the GNWT staff and first responders who did their jobs under demanding conditions in response to the flooding the territory experienced. Their efforts ensured residents could continue to access critical infrastructure, supplies, and services during a difficult time. I would also like to thank the NWT residents, some of whom had to leave their homes and possessions for safety. You showed tremendous resilience, courage, compassion, and patience during a difficult time. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a heavy subject impacting many northern residents, and I acknowledge that my statement may be triggering for some people as it includes subject matter around self-harm, suicide, and mental health in the NWT. I encourage anyone who may find these subject matters to be triggering to take the necessary steps for your emotional safety, which may include stepping out of this House or muting my statement until I finish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Last week, the chief coroner felt compelled to release suicide statistics for the Northwest Territories, earlier than usual, because of an alarmingly high rate of suicide deaths so far this year. There have been 18 suicides, most of them men between the ages of 20 and 29. There have been more suicides in a single year in the Northwest Territories than any previous year in the last decade.

I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families and communities who have lost loved ones. The grief that comes with the death of a loved one can be overwhelming, I am committed to providing communities with the support they need to heal.

Mr. Speaker, while I do not use the following term lightly, I do believe we are experiencing a mental health crisis in the Northwest Territories. The number of suicides we have seen so far this year, along with increased mental health hospitalizations, and increased staff vacancies, tells us that more attention and energy is needed to address this crisis. Thousands of NWT residents are currently struggling with their mental health. And while the GNWT is offering more mental health supports than ever before, we know that too often people in need of that support are not seeking it out. We need to step up our effort to reach people. We must respond to this crisis with the focus it demands.

We know that there are risk factors driven by poor mental health. Depression plays a role. The pandemic. Substance use. Trauma. The causes of despair may also include lack of access to employment and educational opportunities, a lack of healthy and safe recreational opportunities, poor housing, and inadequate food. These social determinants, combined with the inter-generational trauma caused by forced colonization, systemic racism and oppression, continue to weigh heavily on families and communities. Given this complexity, I believe a whole-of-government response is needed, and I have initiated discussions with Cabinet about how we can strengthen our approach to suicide intervention and prevention.

I would like to share some information about the approach of the Department of Health and Social Services. I have been working with the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, whose community has experienced four suicides since June. In response to their requests, we have provided additional counsellors to work with residents in Tuktoyaktuk. We also expedited the community's Suicide Prevention Fund application, which provided the funding to bring Jordin Tootoo to the community last week as an inspirational speaker. Jordin is someone who the community felt they could connect with and who could connect with youth and others who are grieving. Communities understand best what they need in times of crisis, and we are working with them to tailor our support. Mr. Speaker, we have heard from some residents that they are most comfortable talking to counsellors from their own community, and we are trying to adapt to a community-based approach that will make this possible. We have provided funding to support the Dene Wellness Warriors program, and we are assisting communities to hire these Rhodes College graduates.

In addition to the community counselling program, there are child and youth care counsellors in schools across the territory, and residents can access helplines 365 days a year. The Suicide Prevention Fund helps communities deliver programming or to obtain training they believe is effective and appropriate to address mental health challenges.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is critically important for me and the Department of Health and Social Services. Offering effective and culturally-safe mental wellness and addictions programs and services is a priority of this government, and for me personally. While we are putting more resources than ever into mental wellness programming and resources, I am concerned that more people are not accessing these services. We are working to understand why that is, and on how we can achieve better uptake.

If you, a friend, or loved one is struggling with mental health or talking about suicide please listen to them and reach out for help. You do not have to be alone.

I encourage all my colleagues here today to share our mental health and community wellness support information with your constituents. I have posted links to these resources on my social media channels. These challenges affect more people than any of us can imagine, and we can all be part of the solution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Deputy Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Caroline Cochrane will be absent from the House for today and tomorrow to attend the 2022 Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland.

As well, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Caroline Wawzonek will be absent from the House for today to attend the federal/provincial/territorial Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers in Vancouver, British Columbia. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk to dredging, a topic that has been discussed on the floor of this House for many years with no sitting government wanting to take responsibility for it. The federal government at one time provided the infrastructure and resources to dredge the harbour of the Hay River. That program ended in the early 90s, resulting in equipment being sold off and not replaced.

Mr. Speaker, the community of Hay River has the largest inland port in western Canada. It is home to a Canadian coast guard base, a federal department of fisheries and oceans office, our own marine transportation service, and a viable commercial fishing industry. As one can fathom, Hay River is a major and significant component of our northern transportation corridor and fishing industry. It is where truck and rail freight from the south converge to be loaded on barges destined for communities and mineral resource development projects further north. It is important we do not forget that fact.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year the buildup of sediments at the mouth of the east channel of the Hay River reached a critical level. Last spring, and throughout the summer, MTS, coast guard, and commercial fishing vessels all experienced grounding of vessels on sandbars resulting in negative impacts on equipment, marine service delivery, and industry livelihood.

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that dredging is a federal government's responsibility as that has been the answer of the current and previous ministers have communicated repeatedly. I have said it before, and I'll say it again. Regardless of whose responsibility it is, the issue is in our back yard. So as far as I'm concerned, it is our problem. Is it our responsibility, and we must do something about it.

Mr. Speaker, this government, with financial support from the Government of Canada, has, over the last several years, spent well over $50 million on the commercial fishery, more than $50 million on the purchase, repair, and operation of MTS assets and property, and most recently we are anticipating $200 million plus to address flooding damage in the community of Hay River; costs that continue to rise when harbour access is compromised.

Mr. Speaker, therefore, I expect this government to action its dredging plan prior to marine vessels leaving the harbour this coming spring, and I expect to see dredging take place at the mouth of the Hay River this winter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about suicide. Just by saying this, I feel that I'm doing something I shouldn't. Growing up in the North my entire life, I've seen and heard of many suicides. What I never did was talk about it after a loss or be given the tools on what to do or how to talk about suicide after it happens. We seem to try to move on and then it happens again. The families or those close to the ones who lost to suicide never get over the loss of their loved one. Sometimes we think we didn't do something, and we didn't do enough. We ask ourselves, what could have I have done? The thing is there are so many social and cultural factors that contribute to death by suicide as well as underlying mental health conditions, addictions, and asking for help can be extremely difficult for those, as mental health is not looked at the same way as physical health.

Mr. Speaker, this was part of my Member's statement from February 28, 2020, long before we even knew what COVID was going to do to us, long before we closed down the world to COVID. And since then, it's only gotten worse in our territory.

Mr. Speaker, the most recent suicide rates just released say that in 2022, as the Minister stated, by the end of August, that's the third quarter, we have lost 18 residents. This is almost double than in the entire year of 2021. And since that quarterly report, in my region we have buried more, more young people in my region. It also shows that it's the highest in my region. It went from one to seven deaths since then. Most are male between 20 and 29. I want to help them. I want us to help them. How do we reach them? I'm at a loss, Mr. Speaker. As an MLA, what can I do? As a mother, as a friend, as an aunty, as a member of my community, what can I do?

We have our Aboriginal organizations, and they're trying to work on this to assist to come up with plans to prevent this because we see it; we see it in our lives every day in our own communities. We have GNWT trying to assist families in communities, but we continue to lose more, more people to suicide, Mr. Speaker. My heart goes out to all those families that are suffering from a loss and those who are suffering with depression or addictions. Please talk to somebody. You are loved. You are important.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I raised the issue of discharges from the Alberta tar sands tailings several times in our last three sittings. I'm pleased to say that the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources has shared one confidential written update since June. I encourage the Minister to do that again, and perhaps a little more often, but also make more information public.

What I learned from the last couple of months from my own research is that GNWT has signed two contracts for up to $60,000 to end March 2024 to provide technical support during the development of potential tar sands discharge regulations. Associated Environmental Consultants Limited of Vernon, BC, will carry out a technical review of oil sands effluent treatment. Hutchinson Environmental Services Limited of Edmonton will review the work being done by Alberta on oil sands wastewater toxicity. It is a good thing to get this assistance and be prepared.

As I understood it, the governments of Alberta and Canada continue to deny the Government of the Northwest Territories a seat at the table on the oil sands monitoring oversight committee. Planning continues towards discharge of tar sands tailings water into the waters that flow into the Northwest Territories. It's not clear whether or when our government may conduct its own modelling of impacts of discharges into the Northwest Territories.

I'll have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources about what is going on with regard to tar sands tailings pond discharges and when information will start to be shared with the public. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Elaine Keenan-Bengts died at home in Yellowknife after a short and courageous battle with cancer.

Elaine was born on October 3rd, 1958, in Saskatoon and grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta. In 1969, Elaine's family moved to Yellowknife where she spent over 50 years of her life raising a family, practicing law, and becoming an unwavering force advocating for and supporting our community.
Elaine earned her law degree from the University of Alberta and was called to the Northwest Territories bar in 1983. She was ferocious when practicing law and fearless in court, standing firm even when challenged by the judge or opposing counsel. She was known affectionately amongst her colleagues for being a bulldog in court.

Fighting for the right thing was a hallmark of Elaine's long tenure as the NWT and Nunavut Information and Privacy Commissioner. She served more than two decades as the NWT's Privacy Commissioner, firmly believing that our democracy depends on the vigilant protection of privacy rights and the accountability of public institutions.

Elaine was active on various committees of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories and the Canadian Bar Association, or CBA. For a time, she represented the NWT on the Family Law Practice Committee of the CBA and chaired the CBA Women's Law Committee. She was nationally respected for her work and commitment to the profession and the people she served.

Elaine was recognized with the CBA's Doug Miller Award in 2013 for her contributions to the Canadian Bar Association.

Elaine's grit and determination extended to volunteerism, and she was active in many sports, including as a board member of Sport North, a dignitary for the Arctic Winter Games, and involvement with Volleyball NWT. In her younger years, she played slo-pitch with the Legal Eagles. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

One significant contribution Elaine made to our community was as a parent-volunteer board member and president of the Yellowknife Gymnastics Club. Through her leadership and drive, funds were raised to build the gymnastics facility at the multiplex. This included leading a group of four families in pledging their homes as security against the gym's mortgage without which the gym could not have been built. Elaine also served as a member of the board of the Yellowknife Community Foundation from 2018 to 2022.

As a mother of three girls - Amanda, Lauren and Stacie - Elaine was always there to provide love and counsel when they needed it. Her girls gave her seven beautiful grandchildren who were Elaine's sunshine and world. I've known Elaine's husband Peter for several years, and it is apparent whenever we have spoken about Elaine, what a wonderful woman she was and that they share a love that is timeless.

My thoughts are with Elaine's family and friends as they continue to adjust to a life without their beloved Elaine. She will be truly missed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe most, if not all the Members in this room, recognize the problems we have with education grade levels at the high school level in our small communities. Most of our students are graduating with lower grade levels than as required to continue into post-secondary institutions. Alarmingly, this has been happening for quite some time with no concrete actions to address and improve grade levels. I believe this is recognized by the school principals, school staff, and the regional superintendents. But nothing has been done to remedy this situation.

Mr. Speaker, many of our leaders recognize that education is key to a better and brighter future for our youth and young adults. I note that most trades entrance exams require at least a grade 9 grade-level and many higher positions require at least a grade 10 level. Most of these require proficiency in math, English, and science courses.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot get the education bodies to share the actual grade levels of our grade 12 graduates. I don't know why this information is not shared with the parents, the district education authorities, and the community leaders. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the ECE, minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Garnished wages. Mr. Speaker, I hear many stories from constituents in my riding about payments arrears to the NWT Housing Corporation. Now it's Housing NWT. Many people from elders to single-parent families are being forced to garnish wages, income taxes, or even pensions just to pay their arrears to the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, right now, there are countless elders living on fixed incomes, and it is difficult for many of them to make ends meet.

In the NWT, over half the population is Indigenous, and the majority of them live in small communities. Anyone who has lived in or even visited a small community understands there is a significant financial hardship in small communities in addition to social and mental health issues, emotional and substance abuse and much more.

Mr. Speaker, many of the elders are retirees and have contributed financially to the territory's economy. In my eyes, the system has failed these individuals as they have fallen through the cracks. I have spoken to several elders throughout my constituency, and they have all told me that it is difficult for them to make ends meet given the high cost of living and the increasing prices of fuel and utilities especially with the recent NTPC power rate increase. This is a heavy burden, especially for many people within the fly-in communities whose electricity is powered by diesel generators.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, there are many elders who are in arrears with the NWT Housing Corporation, some of which date back as far as 20 years, and the arrears are not decreasing. The elders, who are our knowledge-keepers, are living in some houses which are in dire needs of great repair. Some repairs were done under a mortgage program. Other repairs were done to homes already under homeownership. As a result, many people have been unable to make arrears payments. Mr. Speaker, in some cases elders are left with no choice but to sign refinance agreements and legal action have been taken against them.

Mr. Speaker, elders are being put into difficult situations where, reluctantly, many must agree to have their pensions and taxes garnished just to keep a roof over their heads. And it's not just the elders.

Mr. Speaker, we also have young families, with six small children, whose income tax was recently garnished by the NWT Housing Corporation. And Mr. Speaker, I am well aware of single parents in this situation as well.

The financial stress caused on elders and families to maintain -- can I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement, please.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you. The financial stress caused on elders and families to maintain a roof over their head when they are already struggling with the cost of living is unacceptable. Something has to change. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our residents know that there is nothing more important than having a roof over your head and a clean sane place to call home. I rise today to speak on healthy housing in our communities, and the responsibility of this government to ensure public housing units are safe for families who depend on our government to support, especially when facing unprecedent strains on their pocketbooks.

It goes without saying that expectation for clean and pest-free homes are not outrageous, and any reasonable person would expect such conditions. So now, Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about cockroaches.

Cockroaches have been an insect pest for around 4 million years with more than 3,500 species found around the world. These detestable pests, particularly found and living in restaurants, food processing facilities, hotel rooms, nursing homes, measuring anywhere from 1.3 to 1.6 centimetres long. The German cockroach is one of the most common. Although not suited for the cold, the German cockroach has been found in buildings as far north as Nunavut.

Mr. Speaker, you don't need to go to Nunavut to find cockroaches. Indeed, you need to look no further than some of our own public housing units here in the Northwest Territories, especially here in Yellowknife, to find the truly deplorable infestation of 'Harry' on our residents. Constituents have contacted me complaining about severe mold, foul mold odours, worms, cockroaches coming through walls, floors, vents, plugs, under the sink, and floorboards. I've seen truly a horrendous video of this infestation submitted by the tenant, and I'm shocked that despite such definitive evidence nothing has been done by the NWT Housing Corporation local housing authority throughout NWT and here in Yellowknife to help families living in a safe and healthy environment. My constituents were brought to tears when they couldn't even cook a Thanksgiving dinner just last weekend due to so many cockroaches in their kitchen and, now, they're pouring into their fridge and kitchen cabinets.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is about health and safety of all public housing tenants and gastroenteritis, dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, and E. coli infection. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, it is completely unacceptable for any family to live in these conditions living in public housing units and just as unacceptable that their pleas for help have fallen to deaf ears in the last two years. These tenants need immediate help and do not deserve to be brushed off and told that they are not a very clean family.

I've asked the Minister responsible for Housing NWT to act in written correspondence, and now I'm calling on her again to do the right thing and help this poor family and so they can live in a healthy clean unit, free from cockroaches, worms, and to restore their self-worth and confidence in basic humanity and dignity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister.

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

Mr. Speaker, it's much sadness and grief today for my people of Nunakput as we have been so many loved -- so many loved ones have passed away since our last sitting here at the Assembly. I'd like to pay respects to the families and friends in Nunakput who have lost their loved ones recently.

In Sachs Harbour, well-respected elder Frank Kudlak will be dearly missed by family and friends, and thoughts and prayers for the Kudlak family. In Paulatuk, Mary Green, well-respected elder who will be dearly missed by her family and her long-time husband Tony, and prayers go out for Tony, Tony Green and the family. In Tuktoyaktuk, Josh Gruben. Thoughts and prayers out to his wife Roberta, Sharon -- his mother Sharon and his brother Justin and their children. Christian Mangelana, thoughts and prayers go out to Dawn, his mother Dawn, grandparents, Catharine and Clarence. Keith Anakeena, thoughts and prayers go to Nancy and Kenny, his grandmother Jean Gruben and the rest of the family, brothers and sisters. Rex Teddy Jr., thoughts and prayers go to Rachel Kevik and his father Rex Sr. D.J. Pokiak, thoughts and prayers go to Darren and Kayla and the Pokiak and Felix family. I lost my uncle Henry Steen, an elder in the community of Tuk, a well-respected elder and one of the smartest guys I've known in regards to technology, and he will be sadly missed. My nephew Morgan Wilhagen passed away this summer. Thoughts and prayers go out to my sister and to all her family.

We are deeply saddened for these losses, and I'd like to pass on to the families our prayers and love and may the All Mighty God have mercy on us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and region at this time. Members' statements. Member for Nahendah.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, George A. P. Jooris was born on the 15th of June 1951 to Daniel and Jeanine Jooris. He passed away on January 29th, 2022, in Fort Liard.

George left Luxemburg as a young man to see the world and leave his mark upon it. This was the same way he had an impact on the residents of Fort Liard's lives. George's parents had instilled with him the values such as open-mindedness, kindness, care, and love towards his peers. Although some did not understand it and considered it a sign of weakness, George considered it as his strength and a brand of his family even when he tried to hide it behind his gruff character.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some of Koty Loe, words that were shared at his funeral: I first met George when I was a young man. I remembered George's accent that I only heard in movies. In true George fashion, when he spoke to people it was not as a child but as a person. People remembered having very interesting conversations with him. Even though they didn't always agree, his perspective on things were very enlightening.

Mr. Speaker, George first met his love of his life Shirley in 1989 at the Fort Liard Northern store, and they've been together ever since. George married Shirley in 1995 during a ceremony at Whistle's Landing, an event which people still remember as if it were yesterday. They built two homes and have cared for and raised three strong, intelligent boys together - Jason, Liam, and the three boys nicknamed as Bah. When speaking to other youth, remembered him fondly.

George spent a lot of time on land around the Fort Nelson First Nation's territory, especially Burke and Needlay families during his time there, and he gained the nickname George Needlay.

George was an established welder by trade and worked for several years in the ENR warehouse managing their supplies. He was always very politically active in local matters, as those of us who remember him well can attest to. He held firm to his principles throughout his life and defended them in the same manner, a trait which we could all benefit from. George named his big grey welding truck Big Bertha after his grandmother. She was a tiny little lady, but she got louder and threw her weight around enough that everybody around her acknowledged her authority. He thought that was very funny.

Mr. Speaker, George had touched many people's lives everywhere he had been and will be remembered well by especially those in Fort Nelson and Fort Liard. He will be especially missed by those of us whose life he has managed to influence during his time among us. Rest well on your journey, George.

Thank you, Member for Nahendah. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community at this time. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the Minister of Finance, I would like to welcome the UNW executive to the House today. We have Ms. Gayla Thunstrom, the UNW president; Melvin Larocque, 1st vice-president; Josée-Anne Spirito, 2nd vice-president; Brad Brake, equity vice-president; Kevin Butt, regional vice-president North Great Slave; Randy Thompson, regional vice-president Sombaa Ké; Kenzie MacDonald, regional vice-president Beaufort Delta-Sahtu; Lauraine Armstrong, regional vice-president Fort Smith; Jeff Groenewegen, regional vice-president Hay River; Craig Black, regional vice-president Kimberlite; Geraldine Penney, Local 345 vice-president. Welcome to the Chamber. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Quyananni, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Kenzie MacDonald who is a constituent of mine for Inuvik Boot Lake. Welcome. Quyananni.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to welcome Kim Bailey. She's the Union of Northern Workers director of finance. She lives in Frame Lake. Welcome to the House, Kim, and welcome to the rest of your team as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Brenda Bernhardt. She is my new constituency assistant for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to recognize my constituent Melvin Larocque, who is the UNW 1st vice-president, as well as the rest of the UNW. I thank the Minister of Justice for taking on that task because I was also asked to introduce them as well. So welcome them all to the gallery. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a constituent, Mr. Jeff Groenewegen from Hay River. And also a past constituent, Mr. Melvin Larocque. Welcome to today's proceedings.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendah.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize two former constituents from my riding. Rebecca Jumbo, I met her in 1992 when I moved into the Nahendah riding. She has now moved to Yellowknife, and her son, Ace Jumbo Verdock, who is one of our pages. So welcome to our Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nahendah. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, please draw your attention to the presence of Mr. Floyd Powder in the gallery today. Mr. Powder is a retired and long-serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces who served our country both in Canada and overseas. Mr. Powder is an Indigenous northerner from Fort Smith and a keen observer of the Legislative Assembly. Welcome, Mr. Powder. Thank you for your service and for making us proud as northerners.

---Applause.

Welcome, everyone. If we have missed anyone in the gallery, welcome to the Chamber, and I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It is always nice to have an audience with us.

Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the questions I have are for the Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, every spring the issue of dredging in Hay River is discussed, more so now due to the extensive flooding that took place in Hay River this year. We have watched vessels being pulled off sandbars all summer which adds up to a financial and safety cost.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what the financial cost has been to MTS due to flooding in Hay River this year? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, after each MTS sailing season, we conduct an end of season review. So we looked at a number of things, like the full impact of factors that's influencing the season, the associated costs can only be understood once all the invoices are received once we have completed our review. This analysis is typically completed prior to the end of December. Mr. Speaker, I can commit to providing information to the Member as well as the committee once I've had to review the analysis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to receiving that information from the Minister.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what impact silt buildup in the Hay River harbour had on MTS's shipping season; were there delays? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a successful sailing season is dependent on many factors, including some that are beyond our control. The factors that influence its success are complex and interconnected. Adjusting sailing departures and schedules are a reality for shipping industry. Silt buildup will be number one factor that will be assessed during the end of our season review. Other factors we will need to include, but may not be limited to, high and low water, barges that washed out at the channel during the spring flooding, the deployment of buoys and weather. At the end of August, MTS barges became stranded in the channel, as the Member had pointed out when I was visiting Hay River during the flood season, which was leading into the Great Slave Lake and had to be towed back to the channel to the terminal, lightened in order to get them out of the harbour.

Mr. Speaker, we know that even a delay in a few days at the front end can result in longer delays back at the end as the barges move north. And encountering changing weather resulting in longer delays to get communities that are requiring a resupply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what, if any, discussions have taken place with the federal government on the issue of dredging the Hay River harbour? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm pursuing the issue with the federal government. So Canada's responsible for the harbour, and I addressed this issue as recently as this week, both to the federal Ministers of Transportation and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Senior officials from the department have also recently discussed this with senior officials from Transport Canada and brought this attention to the matter. I'm also working with MP McLeod in addressing the need for dredging of the Hay River harbour.

Mr. Speaker, our goal is to ensure that the federal government understands the serious nature of this issue, as we do too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now for the million dollar -- 10 million or $20 million question. Mr. Speaker, the harbour is critical to Hay River and has been critical to Hay River for a number of years. Will the Minister confirm if her department, absent any federal financial assistance, has identified internal funding to dredge the Hay River harbour? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The responsibility for dredging Hay River harbour lies within the federal government. However, given the importance of the Hay River harbour, and the urgency to restore it, we are willing to lead the work if ongoing federal funding is provided. We also continue to address this matter with its urgency with our federal partners and we look forward to looking for a solution, because I know this is very important to the community. Not only that, it's very important for some of the communities up the valley. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources about the development of regulations for discharges from the Alberta tar sands.

Can the Minister tell us whether the two consultants hired by his department to provide advice on tar sands wastewater treatment and toxicity have been put to work yet, and if so, whether there are any preliminary observations or recommendations? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Alberta has committed to sharing draft reports to fulfill the technical information gaps with the GNWT as part of the information share on our bilateral water management agreement, and I can tell the House here while I was in Whitehorse, I had the opportunity to had meet with the Minister and the deputy Minister, and they did reconfirm that they would get that information to us. Presently we have not received any of the technical reports to date and anticipate receiving the first report by late October. Once we do that, we can work with the committee to get that information to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I guess I'd hoped that the consultants would have been put to work by now but maybe we have to wait for those reports.

You know, we're downstream of this mess. There's a lot at stake for us in terms of water quality, aquatic life, and human health. Can the Minister tell us what the timetable is for developing regulations to allow the discharge of tailings wastewater into the Athabasca River system upstream of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, both the Alberta government and the federal government are considering the development of regulations for the safe discharge of treated oil sand water tailings -- or tailings water to the Athabasca River. The Alberta government is conducting scientific studies which could be used to support the development regulations that would outline requirements for the release of treated oil sand mine effluent to surface waters. Regulatory guidance could be developed by as early as 2023.

The federal government is also working to develop regulations under the Fisheries Act for oil sands mining effluents which will include quality standards and reporting requirements. Final regulations will be developed as of 2025.

So those two, the province of Alberta and the federal government, are working on those things right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. We got two freight trains coming towards us so I'll look forward to some kind of updates. And earlier today I thanked the Minister for the confidential update he provided to Regular MLAs; that's helpful, but there's nothing really in terms of clear public information on what's going on. There's also a lack of a principled position from our government on these proposed discharges.

Can the Minister tell us whether there is a plan to provide regular updates to NWT residents about potential discharges from the Alberta tar sands and regulations to allow this to happen? So some public information. Is there a schedule, a plan to do that, Mr. Speaker? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said previously in this House, GNWT, I repeat, the GNWT is not supportive of a plan to release treated tailing waters from the oil sands to the Athabasca River unless we have information, data, and science that demonstrate that we can be -- this can be done safely and that it's not affecting ecological integrity of the shared water.

Mr. Speaker, through the Alberta/NWT Bilateral Water Management Agreement, ENR has regular communications with the Alberta government about the work that is underway on regulation development. Senior Alberta and GNWT officials are meeting regularly. Regular meeting updates with the Alberta office of the chief scientists are occurring as part of the bilateral management committee. The Alberta government -- the Alberta office of the chief scientist is lead on the Alberta science -- or sorry, is the lead of the oil sand mine water science team which has developed work plans and is reviewing technical reports to fulfill technical information gaps that could support regulation development. ENR regularly shares updates with the water strategic Indigenous steering committee. The department shall share on an update with Indigenous governments, council secretariat in August of 2022. ENR's shared an update with the standing committee on September 19th, 2022.

As information received, the GNWT will consider a thorough assessment of the technical reports prepared by Alberta to address the knowledge gaps as well as proposed regulations to ensure that the interests of NWT residents are well represented. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that, all that information about the process. But, can he just look at establishing a web page on that ENR website where this kind of information could be provided to the public?

So the discharge of tar sands tailings, or at least treated wastewater, is inevitable; it's going to happen either through treatment or there's going to be an accident. All of this will likely lead to significant public concern on the part of NWT residents regarding any potential discharges.

So can the Minister tell us whether his department has considered whether tar sands discharges might have a significant adverse impact on the environment or might be a cause of public concern and thus trigger an environmental assessment under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT will complete a thorough assessment of the technical reports prepared to address the knowledge gap as well as propose regulations to ensure that the interests of the NWT residents are well represented. Our Bilateral Water Management Agreement with Alberta includes information sharing, provisions, and water monitoring commitments, triggers and objectives that will provide an early warning system of change. The oil sands development and associated regulations and approval are assessed through Alberta and sometimes Canada's regulatory systems. The GNWT will and does participate in these regulatory process, including environmental assessment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Housing has been directed to provide effective housing supports for the people most in need. And Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has been talking about the Homelessness Strategic Action Plan since 2018. Homelessness is so important in our territory that I think it's one of the few things that all 19 of us actually agree on is something that we need to be focused on.

So can the Minister provide the status of the development of the Homelessness Strategic Action Plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for this question. This strategic plan has been in the works for quite some time now.

What the department has discovered is that it needs an all-of-government approach. It's not only a housing crisis. We are actually working with the Department of Health and Education and Justice, as well too, to formally look at what the strategy is going to look like and also where is the funding going to come from. Is this going to be a standalone department? Those decisions are being spoken about at the deputy minister's level. And I can provide Standing Committee with a further update if that's required, or requested. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that it is a cross-departmental approach; however, that just feels as another way to, you know, avoid actually providing us with any of the deliverables because other times when we're looking for things it's often well, that's not my responsibility, that's the "X" Minister's responsibility. So I kind of feel at times we get both answers when it's convenient for Cabinet.

Can the Minister explain how long the department has been working on this plan and who they have engaged? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And yes, this plan is very complex as well and looking at the stakeholders we did involve throughout the Northwest Territories, there is a quite large list of people who have been involved in the process as well. I don't have that information in front of me. I can provide that to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I get tired at times about hearing that things are coming soon or, you know, that the majority of people like things. In the engineering world, these are not numbers or amounts that are quantifiable.

So can the Minister provide a date for when the Homelessness Strategic Action Plan will be finalized and what funding will be made available to implement the homelessness solutions, such as the tiny house initiatives that my colleague from Thebacha is always very keen on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Assembly is eager to hear a date on when this strategy would be available. We are also looking at the process that we do have to follow within this Legislative Assembly. The expected date I'm looking at is April 1st of 2023 to just present this homelessness strategy with what we were able to provide up to this date, what we're able to collaborate with, with the Northwest Territories and with my colleagues as well too.

The other part to this strategy is it does not come with any funding. I don't know where the funding is going to come from. That is a totally different conversation to be having. But the priority is to get the strategy out by the end of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot to unpack in that one. First of all, I don't even know what I tell people that don't have a home as of October 2022 that they can wait until April 1st to find out what's happening for them. So I just find that to be crazy, in my opinion, considering this was the very first thing that we talked about needed to be done, was housing. And when we hear other Ministers constantly saying well, we can't hire people because there's no housing, I sit here and go how is the homelessness strategy not coming out until the last year of our Assembly. It's mind blowing.

So can the Minister describe what homelessness prevention strategies and actions are being implemented now? What's going to happen to Inuvik when there's no operator there for the shelter this winter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the portfolio, I am open to be working with Members. And looking at what we have done with the portfolio, we're looking at working with the renewal that we have just completed and also a 90-unit delivery that is coming to the Northwest Territories. We've had several engagements with Indigenous groups from homelessness, to the homelessness strategy to putting units on the ground, to looking at negotiated contracts, and looking at employment at the ground level, making sure that the communities are benefitting from housing being rolled out in our communities as well too.

And also just looking at the number of programs that we do have, we don't have enough housing in the Northwest Territories to house every single person. That is the reality. We have a 90-unit housing delivery that we have not seen in four decades for the Northwest Territories. And this is significant work that has been done within Housing NWT to change our approach with the federal government to be working more in conjunction with the federal government and with the Northwest Territories and with the Indigenous groups as well too.

For the Inuvik warming shelter, it is hard and challenging right now to find nonprofit organizations that are willing to come forward and wanting to work with us. There was a number of issues that have been identified. But Housing is working with those communities and with those nonprofit organizations as well too. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement spoke of the problems with actual grade levels of the graduates, the lack of information available to determine actual grade levels of these graduates. Mr. Speaker, information regarding actual grade levels will help education authorities to determine next steps to remedy these problems.

Can the education Minister let us know if these statistics are being collected and what are the findings? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Data collection has been identified as an issue by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as well as by the Office of the Auditor General in their 2019 review of education in the Northwest Territories. And so we're definitely well aware of the situation and, in the past number of years, have taken steps to remedy it. Every year I table a document in this House, accountability framework, which has information about the results from all of the different education bodies in the Northwest Territories. We produce a JK-12 education system performance measure technical report. This was held up because of Covid but I've tabled one previously. The draft of the next one just came across my desk. So the data is out there. And the findings, I think the Member's probably aware of the findings. I think we're all well aware of the findings.

In the Northwest Territories, we have lower graduation rates than the rest of Canada. And those differ between Yellowknife, the regional centres, and small communities. And small communities, the outcomes are the worst of those three groups.

So we have the data. We have much of the data. But we don't have all of the data at our fingertips. And that's one of the issues that we face, is that the data is in the possession -- it's effectively owned by the education bodies, not by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. And so we aren't as nimble with it as perhaps we could otherwise be. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, small communities are the most vulnerable in regards to receiving a good education to be able to get a good job and a better future for our youth.

Can the Minister commit to ensuring small communities will receive improved education content in their curriculum? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and I've been doing my best to live up to that commitment. As the Members know, we've recently announced that we are transitioning from using primarily Alberta's curriculum to adopting and adapting the curriculum from British Columbia. And we wouldn't do that if we didn't think that it would help.

British Columbia's curriculum allows for more integration of local culture, local knowledge. And we know that when students are familiar with what they're being taught, there's better educational outcome. So we connect their real lives to what they're learning and make education relevant, there will be better outcomes. And while we have this opportunity to adapt this curriculum, we're going to make sure that we do make it relevant. So we have an amazing opportunity here, and we are definitely going to capitalize on it.

And one thing I'll mention as well is that the British Columbia curriculum, it works well with small multigrade schools. And so that's one of the issues we have across the territory, is we have a number of schools where there are teachers teaching to two or three or four different grades at a time. And this curriculum will better support teachers and students in those situations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. And Mahsi to the Minister for the answer.

Mr. Speaker, small communities used to have teachers assigned for every grade. Somehow this has changed during the course of our education journey, and now most teachers are teaching a wide array of grades. I don't believe they have the training for this type of situation since there are many grade levels.

Can the Minister commit to reviewing these situations in our small community schools with the intent of providing remedies to providing quality education in the small communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this is another issue that we are well aware of and are taking steps to remedy it. There are some schools where there is one teacher, and that's also the principal. And so we're developing training for individuals in those situations so that they can better handle those schools because we recognize that it is an issue. And that will be done in conjunction with the rollout of the British Columbia curriculum that we are adapting. So, yes, that plan is underway. We recognize its importance, and we are doing that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. And mahsi to the Minister for that.

Mr. Speaker, the North needs leaders that will clear a path for the education of our youth to be able to take over from us eventually. We need total education reform for our small communities, and we need to start now. We're losing many of our youth to substance abuse, peer pressures, and many are staying in the communities with no hope for a future.

Mr. Speaker, I live in a small community, and I see this every day. I am saddened by what I see and also angered at the people that can make change but are not doing their jobs.

Can the Minister commit to the small communities that the department will do everything in their power to improve the education systems for the betterment of our youth? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can make that commitment; that's what we do every day. That's why I had dark hair when I started this, and I have gray hair now, because this is a focus of my life. The Member said that, you know, we're not doing our job. This is all I do. Yesterday I was here 14 hours in this building with no breaks working on the education system. So there's a lot of dedicated people who are focusing on this. It's not an issue government can solve alone. It's a community issue. It's a family issue. We need kids in school. We need kids prepared to go to school. There's obviously a lot that government can do. You know, we have a major responsibility, and we owe it to the students and the families and the people of the territory to carry out that responsibility. But we can't do it alone. But we are working hard, and I can commit that we will continue to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health. And, you know, I hear the Minister when she -- like, with her Minister's statement on suicide, my question -- my Member's statement, this is not something that we haven't talked about in this House. But with the recent stats, you know, that's a significant jump. And we know that we've been going through a pandemic and we know things got worse. And we on this side of the House, and I'm sure you as well, know that we've gone through mental -- like, everybody's having mental health crises right now, addictions crises. And with these stats, I'm just wondering how the department -- I know when an initial suicide happens, there's all this team that comes in and supports the community. But how are they using this stat to prioritize assistance to these communities that are showing the higher rates? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the question. As the Member said, we have a crisis response team that goes into a community for immediate help. Following that, we take the lead of the community to tell us what they want. Sometimes they don't want additional counselling support. Sometimes what they want is an inspirational speaker. That was recently the case in Tuktoyaktuk. And there is a fund, a suicide -- community suicide prevention fund available to communities to identify what kind of activities we'll provide for prevention and for them to apply for.

One of the most promising things that I see on this front in the Beaufort Delta is the Inuvialuit suicide prevention strategy which, in English, is called Moving Forward, Healing Together. That lays out a comprehensive vision of what a suicide prevention strategy should look like in the ISR, and it invites the GNWT to be partners in the implementation of that strategy. And we are very keen to work with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to implement their suicide prevention strategy.

I've mentioned a number of other -- if people don't want to engage in a formal way, a number of other ways to reach out for help, including using the help lines, making a same-day appointment for community counselling, going to hospital if the need is imminent, or calling 9-1-1. So there are a suite of actions that are available. I feel that what we need to understand better is how to help the people in the group most affected by suicide according to the most recent statistics. We need to know how to reach them more effectively in order to offer them help. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. So looking at what you just said goes into -- kind of leads me into my next question is what prevention programs does Health have to target men and younger adults -- younger adult age groups with regards to depression and suicide at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question. At this time, we -- of course, youth have the child and youth counsellors in the school. There are three at the East Three School. My understanding is they are able to take same-day walk-in appointments. And so certainly for the group that is still accessing school, they could access those services.

We have a campaign called My Voice, My Choice in which we've been offering subscription boxes on topics that youth have identified as important to them. As it turns out, the September box was about suicide and self-harm. We've had excellent uptake on that. And, in fact, we've put the resources online now so that people don't necessarily have to wait for a box to be made available to them; they can grab the information right off of the computer.

You know, the other things that I mentioned in my first answer are, of course, available to youth, including the kids help line, which as well as being a phone number, youth can text. They can make use of some of the e-mental health strategies like -- or apps like the Breathing Room app. The community counselling program is available to them. So I feel that there are a good number of supports available.

And as I said in my last answer, I'm interested in connecting with the Member about how we can involve young men who are in that most at-risk range, 20 to 29, to be more interested in what we have to offer. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I hear the Minister when she answers with the CYCs. You know, I think that program, from what I've been hearing, it is a program that works except that when the students are in crisis, there's not enough of them. When they want -- when students are wanting help, in that crisis mode, they want help now. And what I've heard is that our CYC, especially in the Inuvik school, is busy. Like, she's -- they're booked. They're booked. And when a person is in crisis, I know the department tries to accommodate and help and, you know, everybody -- but it's -- I think that's the thing is, is they need ongoing.

But my question to the Minister is -- and I mentioned this two years ago in 2020 and I don't know if you were the Minister at that time but you may have been. It might have been Minister Archie. But, you know, we have programs like the ASIST. And I'm not a youth, but I know when I was struggling as a youth, I would talk to my peers. I didn't want to talk to adults. I didn't want to talk to anybody. I talked to my peers. I talked to, you know, my partner or, you know, those types of things. So I'm just wondering if the department has looked at providing the ASIST training or a youth component training to the schools for youth so that they can be equipped with the tools on how to support somebody that discloses depression or discloses that they're suicidal or discloses that they have an addiction. So I'm just wondering if that's something that the department will look into because this is prevention too, you know. If we start younger, then we may prevent deaths later and suicides. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you. I appreciate the recommendation that we start earlier on prevention and that the ASIST program may be a good place to do that so that their peers are more knowledgeable about helping peers. So I certainly am prepared to have a conversation with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about what is offered now and whether it's possible to increase those offerings.

As I've said before, we have a suicide prevention fund. The last I heard it was not all spent. And communities decide what they want, whether it's suicide prevention training, which I know some communities have taken up, or whether it is an inspirational speaker. So I appreciate the suggestion, and I will follow it up. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary is, you know, you -- we see that the risks of suicide, depression, our dropout rates are higher in the small communities. We know that we hear about -- like, kids with addictions at a way younger age in the small communities that's -- because there's nothing to do. We're not providing with prevention tools. And I mentioned this to the Minister before is we don't have nurses in the community that are focusing on health promotion, health prevention. And I think that we need to start looking at different ways of doing business in our health prevention and especially in the small communities. You know, we have public health nurses, community health nurses, home care nurses in our bigger centres. But I think if we start looking at focusing on hiring a nurse, we could have a new grad. I went into being public health pretty much out of school, you know. So it's not something that you need to have all this emergency trauma training. You could go into the communities and be hired into your community and work with the students and work with the elders. You already know them. And this takes the time -- they're focused on health promotion, health prevention. Leave the chins to be working on the -- you know, the emergency nursing and clinics and things like that that they're trained for, just like we do in the regional centres. And I think maybe if we start focusing more on prevention that maybe we can start to turn a corner. And I'm just wondering if the Minister will commit to even entertaining this idea. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And again, I appreciate the question. As I said in my statement, I feel that we have turned a corner into labelling this issue a crisis because it will draw extra focus and attention to the issues. And to that end, I have engaged my Cabinet colleagues to see whether we can develop a whole-of-government approach to the issue of suicide. So that would include things like the training that the Member spoke about in the schools, recreational opportunities which would be offered through my colleague the Minister of MACA.

Mental health and wellness is not only a Department of Health and Social Services issue. It really does require a cross-department approach to look at the kinds of ideas that the Member has provided.

I just want to say in closing that the Department of Health and Social Services assisted in sponsoring the training of the Dene Wellness Warriors at Rhodes College in BC. And there is an addiction and aftercare fund which provides money to hire a counsellor. This counsellor could have suicide prevention as his or her focus. So that's something that communities might want to consider looking at especially if they don't have other mental health resources that are on site. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, some elders owe $100,000 or more. There is no way -- we know that there is no way in their lifetime they will ever be able to pay back this debt.

So Mr. Speaker, why is the Minister of Housing penalizing elders with a financial burden that is unrealistic to pay back within their lifetime? Does the Housing NWT consider the financial burden it puts on our elders? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too because this mortgage program is quite an old program. It was a program that CMHC had engaged in with Housing Corporation at that time. These files are quite dated, and the collection on them is quite huge. We have 247 mortgage files throughout the Northwest Territories, and the collection number on them is quite significant as well too.

These files are probably about -- I want to say approximately about 15 to 20 years old. And we are working with the outstanding of these files as well too. But we do work very closely with the clients as well. The other thing that I have realized with homeownership is it's very hard for the client to maintain their own home and looking at structural improvements that are needed over a certain amount of time which ends up in a lot of damages over a period of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I hear from constituents in my riding how they must resort to garnishing the little income they receive in order to pay for their housing. In some cases, people with children -- especially with children are applying for Jordan's Principle to pay back Housing Corporation arrears.

Does the Housing Corporation consider the means a client has to pay back their debts? How can the Housing or GNWT collect Jordan's Principle payments from a client when that funding is supposed to be used for social, health, and education supports, not to prevent homelessness? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question as well too, that when we're looking at garnishees for the Northwest Territories, this is a long -- a long process. And looking at the garnishing, that is our last resort in attempts to recovering that funding that is needed to be paid back to Housing NWT. And Jordan's Principle, I don't want to comment on that program as it's not a territorial program. I don't approve or deny applications so I'm not too familiar with their criteria. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, elders are on fixed income. Can the Minister explain what type of integrated and personalized support the NWT Housing provides for elders and for others to ensure that they can remain in their homes without living in poverty? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member the question. Housing NWT is a social program. We don't look at the high market rent in each of the smaller communities and the larger centres. We're severely subsidized to house people throughout the Northwest Territories. And looking at the elders and the fixed income, if the Member has some issues within her riding I'd like to take a look at those files as well too and further have those discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, that's good information. I know that the housing is -- public units are social programs. And there are some people that are paying max rent. It is a social program. And some is in deplorable condition, and they are paying $1,500 a month. And that is not part of a subsidized program. If it was a subsidized program, it would be less than that, people living on fixed income.

Mr. Speaker, it's not just my region that I am talking about. It's all over the Northwest Territories, especially in small communities, that I am advocating for too as well. So Mr. Speaker, many elders in the NWT still care for children and grandchildren. Although they are elders, they may still care for many family members as well, and this comes at a financial cost.

Mr. Speaker, how is the Minister of Housing considering the financial burden on elders who still need to care for children, grandchildren, or other family members? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too. And looking at the rent that we are charging that is according to our rental rates throughout the Northwest Territories, I just wanted to comment on it further that we don't -- to operate these units, it's 25,000 -- this number was given to me about -- it was a number provided ten years ago. And looking at the increase of fuel, the increase of power, I don't have that accurate number in front of me. But these units are severely subsidized. I really want to emphasize on that. And if we're looking at the $1,500 per month for the client that the Member had mentioned, I would like to take a look at that too and further provide an explanation of how we got to that number.

And also the Member had also spoken about the children, the grandchildren, the grandparents, the elders. We do have an overcrowding issue throughout the Northwest Territories and mainly in the smaller communities as well. With the response on that, we are doing a complete policy review of all of Housing's policies as well, and we have just entered into a renewal as well too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member's statement earlier today, I have been advocating for my constituents in housing, Yellowknife public housing units, that are suffering from an inexcusable living condition caused by an acute infestation of cockroaches. I will share the public housing names later with the Minister.

My question, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister aware of the significant infestation of cockroaches, insects, pests, and vermin in privately managed public housing units? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.