Welcome back, everybody, today. I just want to recognize that we have all our interpreters here and just a reminder to everybody to make sure you remember when you're speaking to slow down and when you're communicating back and forth. Thank you. It helps a lot with the interpreters to be able to do their job.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Canada-NWT Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement was signed 11 short months ago. Since that time, every licensed child care program in the NWT has signed on to the fee reduction subsidy. Licensed child care fees across the NWT have been cut in half, new licensed child care spaces have been created, and now we are rolling out new wage enhancements that will allow licensed child care centres to pay their employees more.

We could not have done this without the involvement of child care providers, early childhood educators, Indigenous governments and, of course, the federal government. I would like to thank all our partners for their continued input and collaboration, as we work collectively to provide children with the best possible start in life.

The creation of a coordinated early learning and child care system is a complex task with many moving parts and requires a multi-faceted approach.

First, we introduced the child care fee reduction subsidy. As with any systemic change, there were bumps along the way. We rolled the subsidy out quickly so that families could benefit from a reduction in child care retroactively, and we have taken note of, and learned from, the issues and concerns that arose from that approach.

Madam Speaker, you cannot have a child care system without child care spaces. I understand that a lack of child care spaces has created incredible challenges for many parents throughout the territory so I am pleased to say that during the last fiscal year, 67 new child care spaces were created and more are on the way. I am confident that we will meet our target of 300 new spaces by 2025-2026 through the expansion of existing programs and establishment of new programs if necessary.

Madam Speaker, we can create all the new child care spaces we want but they are of no use without early childhood educators. We need to retain the early childhood educators that are currently in the system and we need to attract more people to the field. In order to create a strong early learning and child care system, our childhood educators need to be supported and valued. That is why I am happy to announce that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada are creating a retention incentive by investing $4.6 million over the next two years to enhance wages for early childhood educators and licensed-centre-based programs. This enhancement is retroactive to April 1, 2022, and will provide operators with flexibility to make decisions on program and educator needs.

Madam Speaker, as I have mentioned earlier, we have learned from the roll out of the fee reduction subsidy. That is why we made sure to engage child care providers early and often in the development of the retention incentive. The GNWT will provide funding directly to operators which will then flow the money to their employees.

In the first year, licensed child care centres will receive $12,750 for every full-time position that is required under legislation keeping in mind that some centres have more than the minimum number of required employees. In the second year, the amount increases to $16,250. Child care centres will be able to decide how they distribute the funds to their employees so actual pay increases will vary based on the particular centre. This two-year program will bridge a gap until we implement a wage grid in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

To help develop a skilled workforce, we have also revised the eligibility criteria for the early learning and child care scholarship. Previously this scholarship was only available to full-time students but now part-time students can apply as well. By expanding the eligibility criteria, we are supporting flexible education paths and helping Northerners who are working in licensed early learning and child care
programs.

Madam Speaker, the creation of an early learning and child care system also requires legislative change. Earlier this year, the GNWT invited the public to have their say on proposed amendments to the Child Daycare Act. The results of that engagement are found in the recently published What We Heard report. The amendments would allow the government to establish a certification process and wage grid, increase inclusion and reporting measures, establish cost control measures, and protect the rights of families. These amendments would align the NWT with other Canadian jurisdictions as we move collectively toward a Canada-wide early learning and child care system.

Madam Speaker, we have come a long way in the past year. The GNWT and the federal government have invested millions of dollars in new child care infrastructure, reducing child care fees, and increasing the wages of child care workers. These actions have tangible results that are directly benefiting residents across the NWT. Although there is still a significant amount of work to be done, I feel confident saying that we are well on our way to creating a universal child care system that will give every family across the NWT access to high quality, affordable, accessible, and inclusive early learning and child care. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ministers' statements. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I would like to provide an update on the 2022 wildfire season.

Wildfires are a natural and important part of the boreal forest. They help keep ecosystems healthy, and they burn off excess fuels like dead and dried out foliage that builds up within the forest, which can lead to more extreme fires. That is why our fire crews do not fight all wildfires, particularly if the fire poses no threat to values at risk. When communities, cabins, infrastructure, and other values at risk are threatened, however, our wildfire management team is ready to take action.

The 2022 was a long and busy fire season that started in May and continued well into October. We surpassed the 10-year average for the number of wildfires before the end of July. We recorded a total of 256 fires by early October, with nearly 600,000 hectares burned. This was more than any year since the outlier fire season of 2014. Fire crews fought 99 of the 256 fires that occurred in the territory this season, which lasted much longer than usual.

This year, we saw fires continue to flare up as late in the season as the first week of October, which is well beyond the end of the typical wildfire season. As Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, I am very proud of the excellent work of the wildfire management team this year. They worked incredibly hard to respond to every threat and keep NWT communities safe.

Every wildfire season requires careful planning to make sure staff are well trained and adequately prepared for the challenging work of fighting fires. The wildfire management team must ensure that the right resources are dispatched to the right locations to manage fires throughout the season. In total this summer, we had firefighters working on 34 crews in communities across the NWT, including 22 crews contracted from Indigenous companies. We also hired 131 additional firefighters to support firefighting efforts throughout the summer.

In addition to crews on the ground, we also work with pilots, air attack officers, and tanker base teams, to provide critical air tanker support to suppress fires from the air. Firefighting efforts also require staff with expertise in fire management, weather, remote communication, logistics, finance, administration, and public information, to help support decision-making, operations, and public awareness.

Over the course of the summer, we are grateful to receive support from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Parks Canada. This support is incredibly valuable, particularly in a busy season like 2022.

Madam Speaker, just 10 percent of wildfires this season were caused by humans. I am happy to report that this percentage has decreased steadily in recent years. It has come down from 27.1 percent in 2020 and 12.2 percent in 2021. This is a testament to the enhanced awareness and outreach campaign by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and it reflects the efforts made by residents and visitors to practice fire safety. I am also very proud to say that despite dozens of fires that approached several communities throughout the summer, none of these communities required evacuation.
Unfortunately unusually strong winds, coupled with very dry conditions late in the season, resulted in the loss of two cabins. We recognize this is very difficult for those impacted but thankful no people were hurt in those fires.

Madam Speaker, managing wildfire is not limited to the summer months. There is important work that must be done in the offseason as well. This work includes FireSmart projects and community protection initiatives, which will receive an unprecedented additional investment of $20 million from the federal government in the coming years.

In collaboration with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, we will work with remote communities to create firebreaks and implement fire fuel reduction strategies for over 12 hundred hectares of land across the territory, reducing the risk of wildfires and offering even greater protection to thousands of residents.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will continue to focus on staff training and development, building a skilled, engaged, and representative workforce to support those efforts for years to come. This year we offered extra firefighting training specifically for women and nonbinary individuals to increase diversity on our wildfire team.

We also make evaluation and planning a priority. Every season offers many opportunities to learn from our experiences, and we take full advantage of these opportunities. We regularly evaluate and analyze the research and data gathered and use this information to improve and plan for next year.

Madam Speaker, as most communities in the territory are situated in the middle of the boreal forest, wildfires will always be something we need to monitor closely. Our government will continue to work with our partners across the territory to ensure that residents, communities, and infrastructure are kept safe from wildfires. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister for Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Mr. Speaker, the value and potential of achieving greater economic diversification across the Northwest Territories has been talked about over the course of many years and multiple governments. The need to have that conversation meaningfully has never been greater. Even as we work to support new mineral resource exploration and development, the reality is that our existing economic drivers in the form of the diamond mines are approaching planned closure. We must face that prospect on all fronts, including economic diversification.

The fact that this conversation has been had, and that success in diversifying remains elusive, suggests it's time to try something different.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is currently leading work on developing regional economic development plans. These will provide insight into economic opportunities and challenges that exist in six of the territory's regions. Regional economic development plans are a requirement of the Government of the Northwest Territories' mandated commitment to increase economic diversification by supporting growth in non-extractive sectors and setting regional diversification targets.

The idea of developing a regional plan is not in itself new, but I believe the way in which we are approaching this work is. Before beginning, we went out to the regions to ask how the process of development should be structured. With regional feedback, we established terms of reference for an overall facilitator to ensure there is a strong northern voice that emerges from these plans. We are also utilizing local facilitators to support the regional work.

With regional facilitators, it is my expectation that we will see more strongly the strengths of individual regions. It might be that directing government supports towards a promising area in one region only produces a small change to the GDP but has a disproportionate change on the local economy and employment. While sectors such as tourism, arts, the traditional economy, and agriculture, offer opportunities in nearly all Northwest Territories communities perhaps other forms or at different levels for each; opportunities in other sectors like fishing, forestry, satellite communications, and manufacturing, may be more specific to particular regions and individual communities. By both breaking down our constituent parts, but also keeping the strength of the Northwest Territories as a whole, I believe these plans together will provide a new, better road map to support residents, businesses, and local governments.

Madam Speaker, public conversations on the development of regional economic development plans began last week in Hay River and Fort Smith to advance ideas for economic development in the South Slave. From now through January, engagements will be taking place both online and in public meetings in five additional regions. Regardless of subject, progress begins with dialogue and a mutual understanding of possibilities, and I am looking forward to seeing the results of these important conversations.

Madam Speaker, our efforts to advance regional economic growth and diversity are not limited to the design of these plans. This effort is supported by ongoing work to advance innovation in the Northwest Territories and to foster a knowledge economy that will cultivate entrepreneurship through an innovation action plan due out later this fall.

ITI is also working with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to deliver on the arts strategy and improve support for artists, musicians, and filmmakers. And, together with the Department of Finance, we continue the work to revamp our approach to government procurement and contracting in order to maximize benefits to residents and businesses. That work has also progressed significantly with some proposals for change due out this fall and some improvements to processes already implemented.

Madam Speaker, I cannot speak about economic diversification in the Northwest Territories without speaking to the tourism industry.

I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Council of Canadian Trade Ministers last week and discovered that many areas of predicted industry growth, such as Indigenous cultural experiences and opportunities for sustainable and regenerative tourism, are already present in the Northwest Territories. And as I prepare to address the membership of Northwest Territories Tourism next week, it is worth highlighting the extraordinary steps taken by the GNWT to deliver over $13 million in supports and programs for the industry since the onset of the pandemic.

Upcoming sessions to design and develop regional economic development plans are a space to have these kinds of conversation, to empower residents and their businesses, to identify, develop and pursue the economic potential that we know is there that they identify. Guided by Northerners, supported by governments, and driven by regional business and investment, regional economic development plans will set the stage for increased economic opportunity and diversity across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

I don't think I've ever got to go first. I like this Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I was at the city council for Yellowknife election forums, and I kept having déjà vu, because it sounded like the exact same forum I was at in 2018. Everyone there was talking about the bulk land transfer to the GNWT to the City of Yellowknife. And I thought to myself, wait, didn't we solve this problem? Isn't there a clearer process in place for transferring land? Well, I guess not, Madam Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister of Lands/MACA on why we can't give those poor councillors something else to talk about other than transferring vacant land. And, Madam Speaker, for the hundredth time, I want to clarify that no one is talking about the land currently withdrawn by the YKDFN in Akaitcho. I'll have questions for the Minister. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you treatment programs. Madam Speaker, according to the Canadian history, it is well documented that explorers and traders introduced alcohol in different ways to the Indigenous people, including the consumption of alcohol in official dealings and as a trade item. In other words, alcohol was used as a tool to influence Indigenous people and to benefit the explorer and fur traders. When alcohol was introduced to our people, alcohol abuse and destruction followed.

This alcohol abuse has continued over decades as Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories have continued to survive the impacts from colonization and systemic racism embedded in the government. As individuals, families, and communities emerge from the genocide inflicted upon Indigenous people, many turn to alcohol and other substances to cope. This perpetuates the intergenerational trauma that continues today.

Madam Speaker, the NWT desperately needs a territorial-based addiction treatment centre. Madam Speaker, how can we support the recovery and healing of our residents if we do not have an addiction treatment centre that is accessible for all residents?

Madam Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories must also recognize the importance of cultural and traditional Indigenous healing to support residents as they try to break free from the chains of addictions. This is a finding from the 2022 Auditor General of Canada Report to the Legislative Assembly on addictions, preventions, and recovery services. Quote, "that health and social services authorities did not do enough to provide residents with accessible, coordinated, and culturally safe addiction services", end quote.

Madam Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories had a relationship with Poundmaker's Lodge in Alberta for several years but now no longer has contract with this Indigenous healthcare organization. Madam Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you. Poundmaker's has always been a good treatment option for Indigenous NWT residents. Poundmaker's have an in-facility detox function that allows their program to remove one of the major barriers for many Northerners wanting to attend residential treatment - needing to be sober before they can access treatment. Currently the Government of the Northwest Territories policies require people to be sober for a given period of time and then attend several counselling sessions before they will be considered eligible for southern treatment. For many people having made a decision to reach out for help, this is a barrier that is more than they can manage at this fragile point in their life.

Poundmaker's has also developed a community outreach program where their treatment program can be offered in a six-week program in northern communities. This is followed up with a year of aftercare activities that help people in recovery to prevent relapse and deal with the triggers, stress, and craving that they will face when they come out of treatment into their family and community again.

After our healthcare system struggling to fill positions across the Northwest Territories, Poundmaker's Lodge provides wonderful opportunities to provide highly trained staff with Indigenous sensibilities and methodologies for even our smallest communities. Madam Speaker, how is it possible that the Government of the Northwest Territories does not have Indigenous addiction services for residents and when they were able to contract for these services, the Government of the Northwest Territories was unable to maintain their contract with Poundmaker's due to contract disputes related to medical and other contract details? I will have question for the Minister of Health and Social Services at appropriate time. Thank you

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Just remind everybody, you have two and a half minutes for your statements. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I'm not sure what to do because I'm not used to going second, or third.

Madam Speaker, I want to end this week on a positive note therefore I am going to talk about the Kole Crook Fiddle Association and the positive impact it has on youth in the NWT.

Madam Speaker, if you are from anywhere in the Northwest Territories, I would expect that you know the legacy left behind by Kole Crook. Along with his big smile and zest for life, his legacy was his love for the fiddle and entertaining.

Madam Speaker, I personally had the privilege of knowing Kole, and I still remember the last time I saw him. It was years ago in Fort Simpson and, in typical Kole fashion, with his fiddle and duffle bag, he was standing on the side of the highway, with his big smile, thumbing a ride back to Hay River.

Madam Speaker, in Kole's memory, the Kole Crook Fiddle Association was born. It is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides music opportunities and youth leadership through use of the fiddle and music. Kole's legacy, through the Kole Crook Fiddle Association, has spurred a whole new generation of young and old fiddlers alike. Madam Speaker, the Kole Crook Fiddle Association is a medium through which to promote and preserve the northern style of fiddling that was taken away from many by the residential school system. To accomplish this revival, and as part of Truth and Reconciliation, qualified instructors travel throughout the NWT to expose youth to this traditional style and method of teaching. Madam Speaker, many youth, throughout the NWT, travel to attend and participate in events such as the upcoming fiddle and music jamboree in Fort Simpson this coming January which, without financial support from this government may not happen. For those that participate at such events, each has prepared by spending countless hours of instruction time, both in person and virtually. As each event nears, the excitement felt by those young people is electrifying when they hit the stage and perform. It is priceless when you see their faces light up.

Madam Speaker, the goals of the association are met through ongoing fundraising, community and government support. This fundraising activity and support has allowed the association to lend out musical instruments and have instructors, such as the famous Linda Duford from Hay River, and others, to travel to places such as Fort Smith, Hay River, Enterprise, Fort Simpson, Tulita, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope and Deline, where many students have now taken up the fiddle. In the coming years they are hoping to expand the number of communities and students they can reach. Thank Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker, if I look especially tired today, it's because I was up early this morning to present virtually at the 2022 Aviation Innovation Conference being held in Toronto. The University of Manitoba invited me to speak on the various transportation issues and challenges faced by the Northwest Territories, and the potential use of airships here.

In February, I spoke to this Assembly about the possibility of using airships in the North to help with community resupply and in the resource extraction sector. Airships, or dirigibles, have also been discussed in this House during the 16th, 17th, and 18th Assemblies.

On Monday, the Premier said, "The federal government has committed to aligning Canada's electricity system with its climate goals of net-zero by 2035 and a recent report by the Canadian Climate Institute says significant changes are required to every aspect of the provincial and territorial power generation and distribution systems to meet the future demand."

The Premier also stated, "Investment in infrastructure projects will play a significant role in the NWT's economic recovery, while also supporting national climate change goals."

Madam Speaker, low emission cargo airships are one way to help reduce emissions, and further transition the Northwest Territories to renewable energy. Airships also complement the needs of the mining industry and our remote communities as well.
Airships are a viable form of transportation for goods and supplies including fuel, food, and construction materials required for communities. They can also provide safety and emergency response, a critical need highlighted by the pandemic and recent flooding events. And it is only prudent, given the social issues roads bring, that they be investigated as a viable alternative.

In Canada it is illegal to use hydrogen for airships, rules based on outdated ideas of the safety of the craft. However in the US, new airship regulations have been developed that do not restrict the use of hydrogen gas. The role of the Canadian government in this conversation should be to provide connections and enable the use of airships through framework and regulation changes.

A first step to determine the viability of airships for use in the North would be to allow and facilitate experimental airships to conduct non-commercial test flights while simultaneously making changes to policy and regulations. Madam Speaker, I apologize, but could I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you so a first step to determine the viability of airships for use in the North would be to allow and facilitate experimental airships to conduct non-commercial test flights while simultaneously making changes to policy and regulations. With just a few small changes, it's possible we could become the leaders in an innovative industry that could provide another piece of the solution to the North's transportation issues.

Recently I was able to facilitate a meeting between proponents at the University of Manitoba and the Minister of ITI and her staff. I want to thank her for taking that time out of her busy schedule, and I will have questions for her later today. Thank you.

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

Merci, Madame la Presidente. Sunday September 11th may stand out in Yellowknifers' minds as the day of six separate and lengthy power outages. The power blips turned off freezers, ruined dinners, and shut down consumer purchases in stores across the city. It's difficult to assess the damage or impact on expensive electrical appliances, although we know power jolts don't help. The outages even caused the loss of the city's Yellowknife River water intake, due to multiple on/off cycling failures in pumping equipment electronics.

We later learned that power supply from the Snare system was likely cut by fallen trees, but the continuing bumps were caused by the failure of our diesel backup at Jackfish Lake. Six lengthy outages in one day is possibly a most-worst record.

While Yellowknifers are accustomed to power outages, there's no way we should accept them. Although it's true that we are more susceptible to outages because we lack a large multi-source power grid, the concurrent failures at Jackfish on September 11th just aren't acceptable.

It's not like this is new news, Madam Speaker. The last comprehensive look at outages was in 2012-2013 when the Public Utilities Board directed NTPC and the Northland Utilities to file detailed reports on the number, duration, cause, and frequency of service interruptions. Reports contained a snowstorm of information on outages ranging from seconds to more than an hour.

The main takeaway was that during two one-year periods, Yellowknife customers experienced 119 and 100 interruptions in each of those two years. Compare that to Ontario, where there is an average of 4.78 outages per year. Yukon reported 2.31 outages per customer in 2009. Current data isn't available to show whether performance has improved, but the events of September 11th don't look like much has improved.

Cabinet wants to pour our capital dollars into ever more roads and expanding Taltson hydro supply without a customer to use the power, but we're still nowhere on getting stable power for the largest community in the NWT. I'll have questions for the Minister responsible for the power corporation on cutting the very high rates of power outages Yellowknifers face. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, over the course of this term, I have spoken several times about a pair of constituents of mine who endured a natural disaster.

In June of 2019, a house in Fort Smith was destroyed and written off because a tornado had struck the community. Fortunately, the damage was not widespread; however, one elderly couple lost their home. This natural disaster has caused much stress and financial hardship for this family, and they have continued to have frustrating experiences in their dealings with Housing NWT.

Madam Speaker, I recently met with this family again to hear an update on their situation. What they told me was alarming. They said that they have been receiving mixed information from certain officials within Housing NWT. Officials at the South Slave district office say one thing and officials at the local housing authority in Fort Smith say another. It appears that in some instances, information was even being withheld from these constituents.

First, Madam Speaker, it seems that the policy of core need income threshold was not properly applied to this family when they were being assessed for public housing after their their house was destroyed. Housing NWT evaluated their tax returns and decided that these two retired seniors earn too much money from their monthly pensions. However, it seems that the Housing NWT misread their income level. The wife doesn't have an income and they do income splitting on their tax returns, so I believe this is part of the miscalculation here. Then, they were declined the option to reside in public housing partially because of their perceived income but also because Housing NWT said that because they still owned a property - a property with a destroyed house on it - they were ineligible for public housing because they were still considered homeowners even though their house was destroyed and unlivable. That was the barrier preventing them from public housing. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Overall, Madam Speaker, these constituents should have been put into market rental housing and having to pay several thousands were put into market rental housing and having to pay several thousands of dollars in monthly rental costs. Moreover, once their property was sold and the house was torn down, they would have been eligible to enter public housing immediately. However, the Housing NWT never informed them of that. So this family has been needlessly paying very high rental fees for three years now, which they cannot afford. They are having a very difficult time making ends meet especially during a time of high inflation and increasingly high cost of living.

Madam Speaker, this family has been shortchanged every step of the way. I am disappointed with how this situation has been handled. It has been over three years since they lost their home. They should be in a situation where they should have a stable living and financial situation by now. To address this matter in a fair and impartial way, I believe the best solution is to conduct an independent oversight into this family's situation and all the events that have transpired since their house was destroyed. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing at the appropriate time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Since the 18th Assembly, the Government of the Northwest Territories have produced a mandate that lays out the objectives of this government in sort of a four-year plan. The first mandate describes itself as an integrated long-range plan representing a commitment from the GNWT towards social progress that is environmentally sustainable and economic development built on a foundation of a strong consensus government and the priorities of all Members.

Madam Speaker, there is much to be said about improvement for our mandate as lawmakers in the 19th Assembly. The priorities are slimmed down and have much clearer metrics established to assess progress and judge results. For example, when it comes to housing commitments, the 18th Assembly's mandate promised to implement northern solutions to housing through a series of unmeasurable policy options. Contrast this to the current mandate that promised to increase the stock of quality energy-efficient housing, especially for vulnerable persons by 100 units over four years. This is clear and measurable commitments that allow the public and MLAs to hold the government accountable to this progress and equally allow Cabinet to celebrate its success in a meaningful way. They are still several years that lack transparency around these commitments are being measured.

In the Premier's most recent update tabled earlier this year in February, only 23 percent of commitments have been fulfilled, 65 percent are still in progress, and the remaining 11 percent are delayed, abandoned, or otherwise unlikely to be completed in this term. At the midpoint of this government, I would have hoped to see a better result. With only a quarter of our promise kept, that means a tremendous amount of work for the last Assembly of our Assembly.

Madam Speaker, I am concerned that calling many of these commitments in progress is just a bit too generous. I have asked the Minister of Housing for updates on her mandate progress and I was not given a clear answer. At this point, we have 75 new homes built, and yet the progress to date, in an update report, only mentions applications to national co-investment funds. Likewise, there should be 75 tenants in the co-lease-to-own agreements and only have eight successful become homeowners. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

Thank you Members, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays?

There's a nay. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I'm here, Madam Speaker, in regards to our youth in our communities.

Our sporting events like we used to have back in the 90s, that fell short because of funding, I think what we really need to do is, because we have so much suicide that's been going on, we have to catch them at an earlier stage in life, for our youth and our young adults that are coming up. What I really want to see is working with the Minister of MACA, Madam Speaker, is to get that rejuvenated in all 33 communities again. So Inuvik would do basketball or hockey or soccer, and Aklavik will do soccer, Tuk will do floor hockey, and vice versa. Ulukhaktok will do ping-pong. You know, something that's easy to travel with. But we had these up to about five or six years ago, then it all fell short. Money and that pot of funding dried up. We really need to be looking at this right now, Madam Speaker, in regards to working with our youth and giving them alternatives other than doing drugs or drinking and giving them that outlet of physical activity, ice hockey, making sure that, you know, we're bringing -- being able to bring in youth for our tournaments and stuff like that. Just bringing a broader look, a little bit money spent, and this is our future. Everybody likes to say oh, the youth are our future but they never back it up, Madam Speaker. They don't. We have to start making a stand for the youth that can't be in here that are asking for this. We need to really get all 33 communities, I guess, active again, getting off our phones. You know, that's the biggest thing. Everybody plays sitting around here and looking at their phone half the time. But, Madam Speaker, I am just really urging our government, and I'm urging the Minister of MACA, to find ways that we could work with all our 33 communities and our district, our regional districts in regards to, say, Inuvik district and Yellowknife and everybody, to bring the communities in to work with our youth and to get something going but positive. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker, as other provinces cap recruitment bonuses across the country to reel in new healthcare professionals, NWT healthcare staff waited for the same bait. As of September, the GNWT is now using the labour supplement policy to attract select healthcare professionals with bonuses of $5,000 to $7,000. This is one piece of the GNWT's push to recruit healthcare staff in the wake of a national shortage. But, Madam Speaker, I was surprised that the fall's announcement of recruitment plans for NTHSSA made no mention of one of the NWT's strongest healthcare success tools - the Aurora College's Bachelor of Science in nursing. So I have three suggestions to improve the NWT's recruitment strategy.

First, the GNWT applies a large budget to healthcare worker recruitment efforts with no guaranteed rate of return on our investment while at the same time students in southern Canada are looking for financial support to pursue post-secondary education.

Madam Speaker, the GNWT has a beautiful opportunity to invest in education of new nurses in exchange for years of service equal to their years of education. This type of support, education and exchange for residency, is already in place under the Student Financial Assistance Program.

Madam Speaker, for four years, a student could potentially come to the NWT to study nursing, experience the North, settle in, and work with the incentive to stay and work in the territory for another four years after graduation. This is a minimum of eight years of residency of students, and potentially their families, in exchange for an education and service as a northern nurse. This is also a potential avenue to increase healthcare staff in small communities.

Second, Madam Speaker, the GNWT needs to commit to conditional employment contracts delivered in January to potential nursing graduates. Employment contracts offered in June mean our students have already been headhunted by southern jurisdictions.

And third, the GNWT currently employs public servants interested in a career change but are being denied education leave for nursing as it does not fulfill their home department's mandate. The GNWT needs an all-of-government approach to education leave for public servants who want to pursue nursing.

Madam Speaker, the GNWT is falling short to aggressively attain educated NWT nurses and missing the opportunity to not only attract new ones but grow our own. This is an opportunity to let the success of Aurora College's nursing program play a vital role in addressing our nursing shortage. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, Grace Leona Berreault was born on the 5th of October 1980 to Mabel McLeod and Lawrence Berreault. She passed away on May 29th, 2022, in Fort Liard. Today Madam Speaker, I am getting to share part of her eulogy that was developed by her best friend Alana.

Grace was truly extraordinary. Her life could be all kinds of chaos, but she never wore it on her face. She was a true fighter and an energy force to be reckoned with. Grace could and would steer focus towards the lighter side of things, always finding the humour. This is a trait she had at a young age, and she would teach others to apply it in their life.

Alana spoke about the love of baking and cooking they both shared. This was thanks to Grace's mom Mabel, her aunties Sharon and Kathy, and her uncle Ernie. Alana spoke about their close childhood friendship where they had the most memorable memories as they grew up together. They loved the country music, Johnny Depp's Crybaby, and of course BBQs.

Madam Speaker, Grace was a hard worker from a young age and excelled in school. She was competitive in sports and a great big sister to her siblings. Even if it was carrying her sister kicking and screaming as they went to school. Grace, when she was really tired, she'd make sure she treated others as they were precious gems. She always had a voice, even if she didn't agree with her, she made sure people understood where she stood, sometimes fighting tooth and nail for others who did not have a voice.

Madam Speaker, she was strong, resilient, and yet beautiful in all her ways. She was a life that shined brightly just so the path of others could be illuminated. With matters that had to do with all-things-life, she was exceptional yet her multi-paths were sometimes wild, the outcomes have brought us nothing but joy with the children she has brought into all our lives. I had the honour of knowing three of her older children, and I can say they are a great reflection of her.

Sometimes in life, you needed the itsy bitsy or the full nudge from a loved one who sees in you what you could not see for yourself. From someone who believed you can, even if the circumstances dictated others. Grace was the person that would always be there for you.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I will use Alana words, It brings us great solace knowing that so many of our late family were there to meet her on the other side. She will be missed. We will miss her tenacity, compassion, and selflessness as we go on to others. Madam Speaker, she will be sadly missed. She will be missed by us all.

Thank you, Member. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Speaker, I'd like to recognize two of the pages from Thebacha here today, whom I'd like to recognize. Their names are Bowan Kent and Noah Leroy-Gauthier. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you recognitions of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm a bit blind so I'm not sure if there's nobody up there. Okay, I am just going to recognize the person who was here yesterday that I missed, and that was Twila -- I'm not going to say her name right -- Etchinelle, of Tulita, and I just wanted to say that I missed her and I'm sorry I did. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to recognize the page from Range Lake, Ace Jumbo-Murdoch, and we're really excited to have him in the House. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Minister of Housing.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to recognize two pages from my riding, Kora Ann MacCauley and Perry Pierrot from Fort Good Hope. You've done an awesome job this week, and mahsi and safe travels home. Mahsi.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to recognize the page from Yellowknife North, Mr. Logan Doll. You're doing a great job, thank you

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

Madam la Presidente. I wish to recognize a couple of pages from the Frame Lake riding, Kayden Halliday and Deagan Lacome. Thank you

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today my Member's statement was on youth, youth and sport in regards to the communities, all 33 communities, getting, I guess, a revamp and looked at again for sporting events across our territory. But the one I'm really looking at is the Beaufort Delta, for our ridings. So I'm just wondering if Minister Thompson would be able to find in regards to -- I know we have the Arctic Winter Games coming up in January 29th. I'm just wondering if we could try to piggyback with that sporting events with the monies that they do have coming, are we able to use that to bring in kids for other sport, younger youth and young adults? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So what the Member's asking is to piggyback with Arctic Winter Games. Arctic Winter Games are very -- trials are very focused on the competition to get the teammate up for NWT. However, the opportunity, if communities want to work and provide opportunities, these communities can work together to provide that opportunity and if they are able to put it in the same weekend, they can do it. Right now the Beaufort Delta recreation association does have money for opportunities to give youth to have competitions within the regions. So they can have that opportunity. So if the communities are willing to work together on that, and they can reach out to Josh McDonald, our recreation development coordinator. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you for that, Mr. Minister. We've been -- two years now we've been getting through the COVID pandemic. Now we're pre-COVID, I've been asking for this 18 months ago, in regards to trying to do something for our adults, for our elders, for our youth, our young adults. So I think that if the funding is there, why aren't they doing it themselves? Why do we have to come forward and do the job for them? If they're able to -- the monies that they do get, Madam Speaker, for the territorial trials, it's territorials before you go for the main -- for the Arctic Winter Games. So it could be spread around a little bit and making sure all communities and all students that are able to come in to do that, making sure they're able to come, the commitment from the Minister for that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Arctic Winter Games trials are for the Arctic Winter Games. It's like Team NWT. However, what the Member is asking is there's opportunity to piggyback on other regional events, other regional opportunities, then that is something that the regions and the communities work together on. So the money is for the communities to decide how they want to do it. We as the government and we as the department don't tell them well, you got to do hockey, you got to do this. Again, the recreation association, the communities work together, come up with a plan to do what they want to do.

Unfortunately, COVID had an impact on us previously, but we are starting to work together. And so if the Member wants to reach out to me, and we can sit down and have the opportunity to talk with the recreation development coordinator and with his communities and see what we can do, work with Sport North, Aboriginal Sports Circle. We're willing to work with the communities to see what opportunities are available for the residents, for the youth. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think what we have to do -- I look back, back in the 90s when we were younger, when we were able to travel around with the education, through the education system, having, like, a -- putting it into the schools and having a -- if you're good attendance and if you're able to go with your attendance to give them incentive to go to school, to do travel. And that's what they used to do with us. And I think with the education, I think with the -- would the Minister be interested in working with the Minister of Education on this as well? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm more than willing to work with whoever we can get our youth engaged on, whether it's the education system, whether it's the schools and communities, the local sports groups. I do kind of disagree with the Member about making sure attendance and that. Sometimes the only reason our youth are coming to school is to be part of the sporting team. I can tell you from my experience as a coach, we lost youth because they didn't make -- didn't have their attendance. It wasn't 70 percent. It wasn't 60 percent. And what did we do? Those youth -- when we went and travelled, those youth were making bad choices. So if the youth are wanting to be part of the team, I think we really need to work with them and work with the system to get these youth engaged, because once we got them hooked, as the Member said, once you're hooked you want to go to school. You want to be engaged into the sport recreation activities afterwards. So I'm more than willing to -- make a long answer shorter, I'm more than willing to work with the Minister and the Member on this. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yeah, I just -- for myself, I think -- like I did last week, you know, I called everybody out on suicide prevention. Now it's the same thing but it's in a different light we're using. We're using our youth now to give them opportunity. We don't give them -- they're pushed to the side, you know. We have to stop this in regards to making a way for them. We can't just say oh, youth are our future and not do nothing for them. We got to stand up for them and let -- in this House, and do something for them instead of just lip service. So I will be talking to the Minister, and I look forward to working with both of them to get this happening for this year. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I can tell you the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is not doing lip service. We have youth contributions. We have youth core. We have youth centre initiatives. We also have children and youth resilience program. Youth -- the regional sports programs. And, you know, the NWT Youth Ambassadors. And we're also working on developing a youth strategy. So we are actually taking it to committee of Cabinet within the next month. Then we're going to bring it to committee to have that conversation. It's part of the youth -- our youth strategy, but it's also part of the suicide prevention strategies we're talking about, the Member's talking about. So I appreciate the Member's passion. I greatly appreciate his willingness to come bring this to the forefront, and I will work together with him, I can guarantee you that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can agree with the Member that renewing the Hay River Harbour is very important to the residents of the Mackenzie Valley communities as well as the Inuvialuit settlement area. I can also tell the Member that since we last spoke, an interdepartmental committee is being struck to be able to start the work on putting together the information that is required to get any necessary permitting in place, ultimately building a renewed proposal to take to the federal government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, that is good to hear. I'm glad to see that at least something was done in the last week. Finally we may have a Minister that will do what others before her were unable to accomplish since 1995.

Madam Speaker, can the Minister outline what the timeframe is for getting this information together in the form of the business case and forwarding it to the federal government for a funding decision? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'll take any compliment I can get right now. So, Madam Speaker, so right now the department's effort is focused on addressing some of the needs of the residents in Sachs Harbour. So I take this opportunity to assure the Member from Nunakput that, you know, that is a priority for us. Having said that, once we are done, we can put additional resources to put -- to the post-mortem of the MTS 2022 sailing season of which continued operation of the Hay River's harbour is a factor. So I can't commit to a definite timeline but be assured the Member -- I want to be assured to the Member that work is underway. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have four days off so hopefully when I ask her next week, we'll have made more progress.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Minister's pointed out, it will be very important, but hopefully not imperative, to get the federal government onside to secure the funding necessary for the renewal of the Hay River Harbour. Madam Speaker, can the Minister outline the efforts to date to engage with the federal government and the necessary federal Ministers? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So as of right now we are preparing material to bring forward to Cabinet, the Premier, and Ministers to use in any engagement with federal Ministers where the opportunity to be able to discuss the need to ensure that the Hay River Harbour is operational. I've recently wrote to the Minister of Transportation as well as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on the need to make sure Hay River Harbour is operational to be able to meet the needs of Northerners. Once we have done a post-mortem on the MTS 2022 shipping season, I will be engaging with the applicable Minister in person. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And hearing her say post-mortem, I'm thinking MTS might be dead.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I encourage the Minister to keep pressure on the federal government, seek support of stakeholders, and stress the importance of the Hay River Harbour in moving goods to the residents of the Mackenzie Valley and Inuvialuit settlement region.

Madam Speaker, for my last question is the Minister willing to come to Hay River and hear firsthand the concerns that Hay River residents and stakeholders have on the continued operation of the Hay River Harbour and the need for immediate action? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Just say yes? Thank you, Madam Speaker. So as the Member knows, I've already accepted an offer from both the two MLAs from Hay River to be able to go, not this weekend but next weekend, of October 29th and 30th. So I look forward to meeting with some of the residents to be able to discuss the need to remediate the -- I'm getting Sachs, Hay River Harbour. So thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, can the Minister of Housing NWT explain why constituents would receive inconsistent information from officials at the South Slave district office versus officials at the local housing authority in Fort Smith? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Minister for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The local housing authorities, they run under a service agreement that is provided by Housing NWT, and they operate under our policies. Unfortunately, in the last couple of years we weren't able to provide training to the local housing authorities but we've just recently completed workshops with the district offices, the LHO managers, and we are going to be also providing a workshop for the maintenance employees as well too that run under the local housing authority. We did have issues with this office in the past before, and I'm willing to send the officials into the office to provide further training and further distinctions on consistent information that should be provided to our tenants. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, can the Minister explain the reasoning why a destroyed and unlivable house would be used against someone who is applying to public housing? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Homeowners are not eligible for the public housing programming. But if those units are deemed not repairable, we do make exceptions with the local housing authorities as well too. And if their income levels exceed for the programming for public housing, we do make exceptions for market housing. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, can the Minister explain why Housing NWT had failed to reach out to my constituents once their destroyed home was sold and the property it sat on was sold so they could adjust their rental agreement and enter public housing? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And you know, I just wanted to comment that when these units are sold, we don't necessarily keep track of all of the units that are -- private homeowners that are selling their houses in the community. But I can have the LHO office reach out to the individual as well too. But right now, I'm assuming that the individual is housed in our market housing units right now but is just not eligible for public housing. I will follow up with the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Madam Speaker, will the Minister commit to initiate the process of an independent oversight into my constituents' housing situation, to understand all information regarding the rental agreement they have with Housing NWT, and fix this unnecessary situation for two elders who should not be penalized by this government? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I look forward to following up with the Member. It sounds like the circumstances for the individuals have changed. We are currently under a policy review as well too, and I will commit to looking at that file. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. You know, for the last week or two weeks here now, I've been raising issues about housing in our communities and what I've been hearing from this government is basically there's no commitments; they're just -- for me, I hear what's been said to me is, more or less, I heard that before; I heard it for a long time.

So I did have questions, Madam Speaker, is that my question is to -- when I was doing my Member's statement, I was a little taken aback that there was a "nay" coming from the Minister of Health, and my question was to the Premier. I have a lot of questions for Health; that will be next week.

In the mandate status report, 65 percent of the commitments are identified as in progress for the Premier's statement in her message, within the document, that the majority of the commitments identified as in progress or on track to completion. Can the Premier clarify her statement as to what "majority" means in this context on the 65 percent commitment. Is it 65 percent, or isn't it? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm kind of wondering if other Members besides myself wonder if we could turn back time, knowing that we'd be hit with the pandemic crisis never seen in our lifetime and lasting around two years, would we still have defined 22 priorities for this government. However, in saying that, despite the challenges over the past two years, we continue to work to achieve the majority of our commitments by the end of our term.

The Member is correct, that 65 percent of our commitments were in progress in our February 2022 status report. At that point, we had fulfilled 23.5 percent of our mandate commitments. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Thank you, Premier for your answer, and I appreciate that. And I understand that, yes, we've been through the pandemic and we're hitting the ground running again.

Can the Premier update the House as to the exact percentage of mandate commitments fulfilled? You said 23.3 percent. Also, can the Premier advise the House if that 75 percent of the mandate commitments in progress and in planning will become completed in time remaining before the next election? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think I'll combine two in one. We've since completed, since the February 2022 status report, we've since completed another 10 percent of our mandate items and moved out of the early planning for another 3 percent. The latest numbers I have for August 2022 are 58 percent of our commitments are in progress and 34 percent have been fulfilled. I don't have a firm percentage on hand precisely to find a majority, but the numbers show that we've made significant progress between February and August.

As for the 75 percent, as stated, COVID did slow the progress but we're still working on them. And I'm hopeful that the work in this House and the work with our public service and government partners, as well as Regular Members, that we're going to achieve at least 75 percent of our mandate commitments.

Madam Speaker, it's not unusual -- even though COVID hit, it's not normal that within Assemblies that the last term of the government to still have a significant high percentage of in-progress work. New and significant work takes time to plan before it can be completed but we're actually quite pleased with where we are. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. A reasonable person would say concerning 50 percent or less of commitments unfilled to be a failure to implement the mandate. What are the consequences of such failure if the government fails to deliver its mandate? So within -- by the next session, you will have good understanding of where we're at. So thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, the consequence of a government not delivering on its mandate is really up to the public. It's up to the voters to decide the consequences if we don't achieve the results in this House. As I said, I'm confident that we're going to be able to fulfill the majority of our mandate commitments. However, in honesty, Madam Speaker, I think a lot of the public in the next voting will be about the COVID, how we've related to the -- how we responded to the COVID pandemic, and that's not in our mandate but it was the number 1 priority. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

No, that's it, thank you

Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this is part of my question, okay. We all know Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories are struggling with alcohol and substance abuse, grief, loss, violence, and intergenerational trauma from colonization, residential school and systemic racism. Many want to go to treatment but are turning to alcohol and drugs to cope because the NWT does not have a territorial-based treatment facility. The overwhelming majority of the NWT residents want, a territorial-based treatment facility. Why doesn't the territory have a treatment facility located in the territory? Thank you

Thank you Member for Monfwi. Minister for Health and Social Service.

The simple reason that we don't have a treatment centre is because they don't work. We have tried four times. The effort to provide one treatment centre for all the regions, languages, and cultures hasn't been successful; people don't attend. And what we found is by giving people options, they attend in greater numbers than they ever have when we had a facility in the NWT. Thank you.

Okay, thank you for that. Why doesn't the Minister listen to the will of the people and develop a plan to open a traditional Indigenous healing territorial addiction treatment program? Can the Minister provide data on the number of injuries or death related to drugs and alcohol since 2013, since the treatment centre was closed in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you. I am not exactly sure what the Member is asking for. If she's asking for how many people have been to treatment in that time, I can provide that information.

Why doesn't the Minister listen to the will of the people, is what I said. This is what the people want. And at the same time, can she provide the data on the number of injuries and death related to drugs and alcohol since 2013. So this is all related to the territorial treatment facility in the Northwest Territories. So that's what I was asking for, thank you and that is not my second question, so I am just replying to her. I still have two more questions, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I don't have the detail at hand that the Member is looking for so I will have to return to her. Thank you

Thank you final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.

Will the Minister of Health commit to reopening an addiction-based facility and treatment and wellness centre in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you Member for Monfwi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No.

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am not actually really sure who is the lead on transferring the land to the City of Yellowknife. I think that MACA kind of writes the process but then lands at the end of the day, you know, has to do the work of getting it over there. So my question is for I guess the Minister of Lands on when we can expect the bulk land transfer to the City of Yellowknife to be complete? Thank you

Thank you, Minister of MACA.

Well, MACA doesn't deal with that, Madam Speaker, but the Minister of Lands, I guess that comes with me here.

I can tell this House that the department has been working with the City of Yellowknife to discuss potential land transfers. We have also worked, as MACA has worked with the city, to come up with a bulk land transfer agreement there. We are also in the process of finalizing and MOU which outlines which lands the city wants. So the city, when we first talked about was the big chunk of bulk land and then they realized it wasn't the bulk land that they were looking, the big chunk, they were looking for specifics to start out and so we got that process going on. Again, it's also about location of the land and what's available and while this work continues, the Member must be advised that the process for the application to the city also involves our consultation, which are obligations, which we need to work with our Indigenous governments to work with them on that. So we are working with the city. We are trying to get them to identify the locations and pieces of land that they want, and the application process is in place and we start going through that process. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have reviewed the Minister's department has kind of created a process that any community can look to if they want to go through a similar process, and I appreciate that. I am just wondering if we can get a bit more of a detailed timeline for the remaining process, you know, and the stages to transfer land. I understand there is this land selection, we need the City of Yellowknife to go and do that, we need them to get back to us on an MOU, and then there's a number of processes, surveying and then ultimately transfer. But I am just wondering if somewhere there could be provided a detailed kind of timeline on the steps that need to occur. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the MOU will include specific parcels, we need to work with Indigenous governments, as I said, to undertake our consultation obligations, as I said previously. And the House has heard me say this, is we just need to do it right. We need to make sure that we do everything right, so we get the process done so we don't have any challenges later on. After consultation, hearing from Indigenous governments, we can then finalize the MOU. I can say that we are hoping to get the draft and consultation done by the end of this year, not fiscal year but this year. Calendar year. But I don't want to pre-empt the results of the consultation so unfortunately, I can't give you a firm timeline to finalize the MOU.

During this time that I mentioned, the city could still apply for pieces of land, certain parcels, and then we will go through that process to make sure that it is done properly. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. My understanding is that the YKDFN is in support of this, in fact it is one of the steps that is part of the boundary change where the city of Yellowknife is actually agreed to take land out of their municipal boundary and give it to the YKDFN, because right now the City of Yellowknife actually has quite a bit of their land in their land withdrawal in their boundaries, which I don't think is wanted or appropriate.

But I guess my question to the Minister is, you know, we have a new council coming in and they, this was very much an election issue as it has been an election I think every single city council for many years now. And I am just wondering if the department can reach out and give either the city or the new council, or the Minister can, a bit of briefing about what has been done so far, where the department's at and where the city's at, because it is clear that there is some misunderstanding and there is probably some work to be done both by their administration and our administration. But if the Minister's department could just reach out and make sure that this council is updated on what the actual facts are, I think that would help all of us. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you the preamble to the Member's question saying well, Yellowknife Dene is supportive of it, it's a little bit more complicated than that and I don't want to get into the House and have -- we have to recognize the consultation process of it and we are working with that. And the Member is right there, there some land withdrawals within the municipal boundaries that Yellowknife Dene have interest in. But in regards to his question, the department is more than willing to meet with council. We are more than willing to have that conversation but we just need this new elected council to reach out to us. We are more than willing to meet with them, have that conversation and if, even if the committee of SCEDE wishes to ask that, have an update, we could have a technical brief with them as well. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI and, again, I want to thank her for having that meeting. I know it was a tough one to schedule. So, around the conversation of airships with proper support and prototype testing for airships could begin here in the Northwest Territories in as little to two to five years. So, can the Minister give us her thoughts around the viability of the airships in the North given our meeting. Thank you

Thank you, Minister of ITI.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I don't know that my thoughts are necessarily the ones that matter the most. I am not going to be the expert in the area but I was fortunate to be joined at this meeting, staff, technical staff from the Department of Infrastructure, technical staff from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and it certainly was an interesting opportunity to learn about all of the tremendous possibility that could exist within the use of airships in the North or other remote sites.

So, you know, as far as the viability, I think there is a probably a number of challenges not the least of which would be the infrastructure to switch over to allow them to land for instance. But, certainly, we're grateful to have the conversation. The ideas can't get anywhere if the conversations don't start. So I am also going to extend my appreciation for having the opportunity to meet with the folks who are the experts in that area. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And yes, I know I have not given the Minister a long time to mull over the possibilities of airships so I do appreciate that the department and the Minister is open to this. And I guess where I come from there's sort of two-fold here, is that the airships could provide some transportation solutions for us but they are also an economic potential piece. And so can the Minister speak around whether or not she found that the applicability or the ability to attract this type of work as an economic arm or in the cold weather testing area, did she see that as being something that was viable from the conversation? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it is a conversation that I will have to have more with Minister Archie and my counterparts, her and her counterparts, over in the Department of Infrastructure, and then more importantly with our colleagues over in the federal government and the Department of Transport. They are responsible for regulating the airship industry and that will be certainly a first point of call before we are ever likely to get far head.

But to the extent that cold weather testing of various aviation products is out and is of interest to them, so once this idea does get to the federal table, well, then, the Northwest Territories has been a place where we have had cold weather testing. Recent Korean military helicopter testing brought I think over 60 people to the Northwest Territories for a period of time and a fairly significant economic investment. So, certainly share the interest in being a place, that if it is going to be some viability testing, then we would certainly want to be at the top of that list. So, again, don't want to miss opportunities and I am glad to make sure that that conversation is had. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister kind of answered one of my questions there so I am just going to go out a little bit further here. Given that, you know, we are really, and I get that this crosses two departments so I am just going to ask the Minister to bear with me, given that we are in the phase now of talking about the airport expansion at the Yellowknife Airport and given that, you know, cold weather testing is an area that we do want to be expanding, not only for the airships but for others, does the Minister see an option to have a cold weather sort of testing area in the new airport? So I am not saying just for this particular one but maybe rather than having people just randomly come and having to interfere with our regular airport or have the airport work around them, we could actually incorporate this into the design. Is that something that the Minister sees as feasible, or are we talking about land issues and it's just not going to happen? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, that is something that would involve probably not just one or two departments, probably multiple departments. So, you know, I can certainly commit to having a more detailed conversation about that prospect with all relevant colleagues over here and, you know, just noting that it was clear in our conversations when we had this meeting last week, there are some particular infrastructure requirements that are different for a dirigible than what there might to accommodate a regular or more traditional airplane. You know, but that's -- again, that in and of itself isn't a reason to not start having the conversation. So, you know, the idea that this could be a cold weather testing place, again, I'd be happy to bring that back and bring it back to the Member or to this House. It certainly is one that we had some good success in thus far. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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