Welcome, colleagues. First of all, I just want to welcome the grade 6 class from William McDonald here today. I got a quick introduction to them, and they may not be here when we do Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Ministers' statements. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services is reviewing the supplementary health benefits available to NWT residents. These benefits cover prescription drugs for approximately 1,500 residents, benefits that go beyond coverage provided by the NWT Health Plan. Unfortunately, these programs are not currently available to everyone, so we are now updating policies that underpin this program.

To access the Supplementary Health Benefits Program, you must be a senior or have a specified disease named on a list of conditions developed more than 30 years ago. The seniors program remains unchanged. Our current focus is on replacing the specified conditions program with one that provides more people with coverage. The specified disease conditions program discriminates against residents based on their diagnosis rather than their need for help to pay for medication. We want everyone to have access to benefits, and we know that some people can afford to pay a portion of the costs. We also know that some medication is very expensive. We are working to find the balance where we can provide benefits to more people by having those with the financial means to pay to do so, without creating hardship.

Madam Speaker, there are 2,200 people in the territory who do not have benefits through work, non-insured health benefits or Metis health benefits. We know that some of the residents do not get prescriptions filled because they can't afford them. As a result, they end up accessing the healthcare system when their needs become urgent. The change in policy will enable residents to access the medication they need when it is prescribed and before a trip to the emergency room or doctor becomes necessary.

Madam Speaker, recognizing that medication can be very expensive, we have already made changes to existing programs to enhance sustainability. We introduced the Lowest Cost Equivalent Policy which specifies that the Extended Health Benefits Program covers the lowest cost alternative drug in generic brands. We also put in place the Long-Term Dispensing Policy that requires certain medications be dispensed as a 100-day supply therefore reducing the number of dispensing cycles. We launched the Biosimilar Policy in 2021 to switch patients from biologic drugs to their biosimilar versions. All of these initiatives have reduced the cost of the department's supplementary health benefits programs. Work continues to identify further administrative improvements that will make them more sustainable. We are acutely aware of the continually rising costs of healthcare overall.

Madam Speaker, the proposal we have put forward for public engagement is based on what we have learned from research on benefits programs across Canada. The NWT is one of the only places in the country that does not have a government funded benefit program for low-income residents. It is time to change that.

We are proposing that residents with low income have access to the same suite of benefits as residents who are eligible for the federal non-insured health benefits and Metis health benefits programs. Benefits available under these programs are covered at no cost to those eligible for them. Residents above the low-income threshold will be required to pay for their drugs on a scale rising with income level until maximums are reached. When costs are maxed out, the GNWT will pay for the drugs required by residents.

We have posted a discussion paper outlining the proposed changes online for review and feedback, as well as sample scenarios and frequently asked questions. We have developed an online calculator to help residents understand how the proposed changes may affect them. We have met with interested parties, and we are planning to host a virtual town hall in mid-November where the public can ask more questions and provide feedback.

It is important for residents to make us aware of their many unique circumstances and nuances. We have been getting a lot of feedback so far. Keep it coming. We are learning a lot and your responses have been extremely valuable. For example, through the engagement we have learned more about the need for coverage of medical equipment and supplies. We want to create the program that bests represents peoples' needs. We will continue to accept feedback until November 23.

Madam Speaker, by embracing this important work we are taking care of those who do not currently have access to supplementary health benefits. We are working to ensure all residents have consistent access to medication without a financial barrier.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Arctic Energy Alliance 25th Anniversary. Madam Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy, stabilizing the cost of power, and supporting national and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are projects and initiatives the GNWT is leading that will help us meet these objectives, like the proposed Fort Providence to Kakisa transmission line and our efforts to make biomass the main heating source for GNWT buildings.

We also need action at the community level. That means residents, businesses, and communities across the territory taking steps to reduce their own energy costs and increase the use of alternative and renewable energy in their homes and office building.

Madam Speaker, for 25 years the Arctic Energy Alliance has been providing that support at the community level. The Arctic Energy Alliance is a non-profit society, which is funded by the GNWT, dedicated to reducing the costs and climate impacts of energy use in the Northwest Territories by providing programs and services. Madam Speaker, back in 1997, when the organization was created, their primary focus was to be able to provide energy education and awareness, energy audits for buildings, and renewable energy initiatives. The Arctic Energy Alliance continues to deliver these programs and has broadened their suite of programs and services over the past 25 years. The organization now provides even more options for residents, businesses and communities to save on energy costs and become more energy efficient.

The organization has offices in all six regions here in the Northwest Territories. This allows the Arctic Energy Alliance to maintain a close connection to communities throughout the NWT and establish important relationships and partnerships at the community level.

Madam Speaker, this work is having a positive impact. Since 2011, the Arctic Energy Alliance's building energy retrofit programs have resulted in combined annual savings of $2.4 million in energy costs. The Alliance is also a key organization in helping communities develop energy planning in the NWT.

In 2020, the organization launched a pilot Electric Vehicle Rebate Program to help residents in hydro zones reduce the cost of transportation. In 2021-2022, the Arctic Energy Alliance invested approximately $5 million into various programs and services. Of this $5 million, $2.7 million is core funding provided by the GNWT and $1.7 million is provided through our agreement with Canada for the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund. While this agreement is set to expire at the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, talks have already commenced with Environment and Climate Change Canada to renew this important funding. The remaining $0.6 million comes from various sources, including AEA membership as well as one-time GNWT funding. This investment resulted in significant dividends for the territory; 2,802 incentives given out, representing $1.8 million in direct savings for residents. This investment supported small communities, Madam Speaker, with over half the funding going to communities outside of Yellowknife. This also translated into greenhouse gas emission reductions of 1 kilotonne for the NWT - the equivalent of converting a third of the power generation for Tuktoyaktuk to renewable electricity, and 1,800 megawatt hours in energy savings.

Madam Speaker, in 2018 the GNWT released the 2030 Energy Strategy, our long-term approach in supporting secure, affordable and sustainable energy in the NWT. The Arctic Energy Alliance's programs and services are central to meeting our objectives of increasing the share of renewable heat in buildings to 40 percent and increasing energy efficiency by 15 percent by 2030.

Congratulations to the Arctic Energy Alliance on a quarter century of providing important energy programs and services in the NWT. I look forward to what the next 25 years will bring to the organization here in the Northwest Territories. Quyananni.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.

Madam Speaker, this government works to support Northerners who want to get out on the land and participate in the traditional activities as part of sustainable livelihoods. Since marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in September, I have thought about our efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods and support residents of the Northwest Territories, and the mandate commitments of this government all serve to create a critical mass that builds bridges and strengthens partnerships.

Northerners, and particularly Indigenous peoples, have important connections to the land, water, forests and wildlife, which have supported culture, traditions, knowledge, and way of life for generations. Today, I would like to share some of our collaborative efforts with communities, Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, and other co-management partners to support sustainable livelihoods in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources supports a wide range of programs that promote on-the-land activities, country food harvesting, and traditional economy. The Take a Family on the Land Program provides funding to help people take part in on-the-land activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and sharing Indigenous knowledge. This new program is designed to be accessible for diverse families. The first year of the program was very well received, with 29 applications funded. This winter the program will be providing $75,000 to applicants from across the territory.

Recently, the department expanded its Hunter Education Program to provide a new credit course for high school students. ENR worked closely with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to develop and pilot the new course in nine schools earlier this year. Both departments are pleased to announce that the course is now available across the NWT and will help students connect with and learn from local harvesters.

A new kind of program was developed to help support land-based healing by learning traditional trapping skills. This past February, ENR worked with the Department of Justice to offer a pilot in trapper training at the North Slave Correctional Centre. The pilot was so successful that it has been offered as a regular program as of June 2022.

The department is also looking for opportunities to provide equipment and support to participants so they can continue trapping after release. This is more than just a one-time course for inmates. It is a chance to learn traditional skills and make real change in their life and in their communities.

In addition to these new programs, ENR continues to deliver a number of core programs that support on-the-land activities. A major review of the Community Harvester Assistance Program, or CHAP, was recently completed and the work has begun to implement all eight recommendations from the What We Heard report. A final report on the CHAP review will be released in December 2022. A review of the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program is underway and expected to be completed in spring 2023. The Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation Program will also be updated this winter.

Madam Speaker, we know that some traditional harvesters were impacted by the extreme floods we saw across the NWT in the spring of 2021 and 2022, damaging cabins and equipment that they rely on to hunt and trap. The Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation Program was there to help folks get back on the land to harvest. In 2021-2022, approximately $346,000 was paid to 38 harvesters to help them with recovery. So far this year, approximately $115,000 has been provided, with more claims anticipated.

This government recognizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge as an equal measure with scientific knowledge to guide our environmental research and monitoring and management programs. Community-based monitoring, developing an Alberta-NWT traditional knowledge framework for the transboundary water monitoring, boreal caribou range planning, and a new berry expert committee, are just a few examples of programs underway.

Elders, land users, and other Indigenous knowledge-holders contribute valuable information to support the NWT's environmental co-management system and inform the ongoing work across the government.

Madam Speaker, we have seen success in working with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, and individual harvesters across the NWT. However, we all can agree that there is more work to do. This government will continue to invest and deliver programs that help Indigenous peoples in the North get out on the land, practice traditional activities, and support sustainable livelihoods. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Member. Member for Monfwi.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker, modernizing the Education Act is a big undertaking. It is ensuring we meet the needs of our students and communities. The change it can bring is powerful and will influence our society. Madam Speaker, when the Minister of ECE proposes a two-phased approach to changing the Education Act, I cannot help but think still separate, still unequal.

Madam Speaker, I truly hope we are not dealing with continuing the segregation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous education. It pains me to think this way. It pains everyone who knows about residential schools and may hurt our family members who have seen segregation firsthand. Madam Speaker, let me use an analogy.

Let's imagine that each phase is a school bus. Bus 1 picks up people, but it only picks up the people that it wants. The only people that are allowed on the bus are from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Indigenous people are simply left on the side of the road asking for a ride. The Minister reasoning, we got to get this done fast, before the end of the 19th Legislative Assembly. Bus 2 will pick up everyone, but we do not know when this bus will leave or if it will ever leave.

The Minister says that phase 2 will happen but he does not have the authority to commit to anything past the life of this Legislative Assembly. There should be only one bus. This is the right thing to do and the right way to work. I find it insulting to hear the Minister say we do not have time to work with Indigenous governments when, in fact, they are very important partners in the work that we do. Some of the concerns that I have with the proposed Phase 1 are the following:

1. We do not know what the proposed changes are and we have been provided no details on those changes.
2. I fail to understand how the proposed administrative changes, like definitions, are going to improve student outcomes like reading levels.

Madam Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

1. ECE plans to clarify, ministerial powers as part of phase 1. These changes are not simply administrative changes; they are governance changes.

Madam Speaker, the Minister needs to table legislation soon, but he says he does not know what changes he is making or what the legislation will look like. No wonder Indigenous governments are distrusting and feel like the Minister is hiding something. Madam Speaker, the Minister refers to the What We Heard report. He is going to say everyone was consulted.

It is clear from the letters the Minister received from Indigenous governments that they feel like they have not been consulted or that they have been heard. The Education Act has not been changed in over 30 years. If this is very important work has to spill over into the 20th Legislative Assembly, then so be it. I say it is better to do things right not fast. Madam Speaker, Indigenous governments are on the second bus, sitting in the back. This looks like segregation, not reconciliation. Taking the time to do this right is very important. Madam Speaker, the two-phased approach is divisive. It recalls the past which was guided by privilege and racism and ended in deep segregation and suffering.

Madam Speaker, this two-phased approach is disrespectful of our treaties and agreements. It will affect government-to-government relations.

Madam Speaker, no one wants to disrupt our students' path to learning. We want to address the colonial legacy and improve the education system together. Our elders have always taught us we must act collectively in unity and collaboration to achieve big things. And I say, "Nothing about us without us"

Madam Speaker, let us not send the wrong message. Let us correct this immediately and work in Phase 1 together. We need a path that shows we can do things together - To find this path together is what we owe our children. Mahsi, I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the North is famous for our love of unique place names and Tin Can Hill is no exception. This beloved green space, located behind Rat Lake, is celebrated by new and long-term residents alike. It is where the snowmobile trail gets you out of the city, down to the lake, and across the bay in the winter. It was where the boats from across the lake would dock to resupply the town and where you can see evidence of our rich mining history at the old Con Mine. On Tin Can Hill, you can play and explore and walk on the 2.7-billion-year-old volcanic rock that underlies our town. It's where the city's folks run, walk, or bike extensive trail loops while conveniently remaining within the city. And recently the city and ECE decided it would be a good place for the new Yellowknife campus of the polytechnic university.

Madam Speaker, I understand why ECE decided to propose a standalone campus versus a downtown integrated approach. Without a standalone campus, there is no way enough funding can be secured. In other words, Madam Speaker, to fund the future polytechnic, the GNWT needs a "big ticket ask" to bring in "big ticket funding.” A plan that would incorporate existing buildings on a rental or leased basis would never get the fiscal support that it needs. As we all know, the feds love to give us capital money while operations and maintenance funding is generally not included.

Madam Speaker, my constituents, and other residents, are still reeling from the surprise announcement that the GNWT wants to build on Tin Can Hill. I understand that the engagement part is to begin now but clearly before this, nothing was done in a transparent manner.

The facilities master plan, submitted as part of the federal ask, shows all traffic to the campus entering through School Draw Avenue, an area that will become a bottleneck for traffic. People will also cut through the nearby Copper Sky complex to reach 52nd Street causing safety issues for residents there. As well, the plan calls for 50 percent of students to find housing in Yellowknife's rental market. How? Our residential vacancy rate will be zero by this spring, dropping from its current 1.9 percent, and there appears to be very little construction planned once current projects are complete. All this will lead to long-term tenants, including many pensioners and low-income families, to be forced from their homes due to rising rents and neighbourhood gentrification.

When asked, the department's response is that this will all be sorted out through the engagement process. However, Madam Speaker, if this consultation leads to a resounding no from residents, my question is, will the Department listen? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Cost of living in the -- for Canadians and residents of the Northwest Territories is going up. We see it all around us, the cost of electricity, global fuel prices rising, home heating fuel rising, consumer prices have all gone up. The cost of food inflation is going up everywhere, Madam Speaker. We know the cost of food is going up, especially the fruit, the vegetables, the baked goods, and the cereal. Madam Speaker, people in my riding can barely afford to pay for that. We have to rely on traditional means, hunting, to feed ourselves but the price of gas has gone up as well. Getting out on the land is becoming more expensive.

Electricity bills are going up. NTPC has put before the Public Utility Board the application to raise rates 5 percent over the next two years. Cost of fuel continues to go up. Inflation is at an all-time high.

We also know Nunakput communities face the lowest household income and personal income, the least opportunity for jobs in the territory. Madam Speaker, residents in Nunakput region can't pay for the highest cost of living. How much more can the residents afford?

I understand the federal government is forcing our government's hand on this tax but the GNWT protecting the residents in the High Arctic. Residents in my riding are having to pay the price of carbon tax. There has to be a way that the GNWT can draw a line to stop rising cost for the residents in Nunakput in a tiered system. We are already dealing with the high impact of climate change, the most sea ice changing, weather impacting our hunting. We shouldn't have to pay carbon tax for that, Madam Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I too would like to congratulate the Arctic Energy Alliance on 25 years in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, we all know renewable energy and alternative energy solutions are the future. Our climate is changing and resources are depleting. We know we need to find sustainable energy solutions to replace non-renewable resources.

The Northwest Territories uses three main energy sources to generate electricity: water, diesel, and natural gas, along with some solar energy installations. An objective under the GNWT's 2030 Energy Strategy work is to reduce GHG emissions for electricity. Residents need to know what to expect between now and 2030 to reduce diesel consumption, and NTPC needs a comprehensive capital plan to reduce diesel consumption in the NWT.

There are successful examples of Indigenous companies installing renewable energy projects in partnership with NTPC. But building new energy infrastructure in the NWT does not come cheap. According to a recent report on energy transition, a renewable energy transition requires unprecedented investments in distribution systems and new renewable energy is supply. Given the 30 to $50 million annual price tag that NTPC pays to maintain our aging energy infrastructure and the added debt the GNWT would have to take on to build new energy infrastructure, it seems this is a clear path.

Partnership with a private sector, particularly Indigenous companies, to advance renewable energy installations across the NWT is a win-win. Renewable energy projects, developed in partnership with NTPC, ensure that renewable energy feeds into the grid and contributes to the GNWT's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Madam Speaker, when you look at the publicly-available information from NTPC and the GNWT, it is not clear whether there is a capital plan for developing renewable energy infrastructure in partnership with the private sector. But whether or not they have a plan, we are being charged for a lack of energy progression through carbon tax. Carbon pricing is about recognizing the cost of pollution and accounting for those costs in daily decisions, but here in the NWT it's largely the only decision.

Madam Speaker, it's a northern double jeopardy - charged by NTPC for using their expensive aging infrastructure and then charged through carbon tax for using our energy monopoly. With rising costs of diesel and northern cost of living, NWT residents should have a clear outlook of how the territory will add renewable energy sources and what the opportunity is for local companies. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. People love camping in the Northwest Territories, and I think we all know that. You can just look at the demand the minute the campsite bookings open for our 33 territorial parks, or you could look at the over 900 squatters we're trying to kick off the land right now, Madam Speaker. But what happens every year is that the season abruptly ends, and we have no winter camping anywhere in the Northwest Territories in our 33 beautiful parks that we all know and love, and I would like to see some sort of winter camping, Madam Speaker.

Now I'm not asking that we keep all our parks open year-round; clearly there's not demand for that, but some sort of option somewhere in one of our parks to camp in the winter. Perhaps you could snowshoe into a hut in the Mackenzie Mountains. Perhaps there could be some yurts set up to book in Sombaa K'e. Perhaps a place to legally leave a wall tent. Perhaps a place to have a two-week program of winter activities such as skiing, ice fishing, or snowshoeing in one of our beautiful parks. Honestly, Madam Speaker, I will take anything at all. We could even put it on a tourism brochure. I just believe we love winter and we love our parks, so why not have some sort of winter camping option. I'll questions for the Minister of ITI. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. In August, this government announced a new approach to adjustment of the territorial minimum wage, where it will be increased in relation to the consumer price index and the average hourly wage in the NWT. How is this going to ensure people get a decent standard of living?

The factors resulting in the setting of a minimum wage were reviewed for several years running by a minimum wage committee, which included business and public representatives with ECE representatives making a report to the Minister that was then kept secret. A few facts from their reviews stand out and from other recent events:

• A minimum wage is nowhere near the living wage regularly calculated by the territorial social justice NGO Alternatives North.
• Few people are actually paid the minimum wage but about 9 percent of the workforce benefited from the COVID-related Wage Top-Up Program showing the inadequacy of our minimum wage.
• The minimum wage is way too low to live on, and employers can't attract workers in the current competitive hiring environment. Anyone relying on the minimum wage for their income has to have more than one job.
• Proportionately, it's large employers that pay low wages, such as Walmart, Canadian Tire, Tim Horton's, McDonald's, and none of those businesses, their bottom lines, none of them are in danger.

When you look at it, the setting of the minimum wage is a deal between business and government where workers have little to no say. The higher the minimum wage the more the private sector has to provide for workers. The lower the minimum wage the higher the costs to government for social support programs such as healthcare and more.

A low minimum wage is a public subsidy for business. I operate on the principle that if a person is working, they should be able to maintain a dignified minimum standard of living - working should give you enough money to live on. That's the premise behind calculation of a living wage, which provides the basic basket of necessities for a person or family. That's where we should be going, Madam Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on where we're going to get this new approach to a minimum wage. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Speaker, today I'd like to talk about the business community in the NWT. Over the course of the pandemic, every sector of our economy was adversely impacted by some level because of the interruptions the pandemic had on our daily lives.

Early on in 2020, all nonessential businesses had to shut down entirely and continued doing so periodically into 2021. Those actions have had a serious and long-lasting impact on the business communities, and some businesses have since shut down altogether while others are still trying to recover and remain afloat despite all the costs they had to incur during that time.

Madam Speaker, among the issues that the businesses have had to deal with is the rising cost of commercial insurance. For example, I'm aware of at least one NWT business whose yearly commercial insurance costs have increased from $17,000 to $43,000 a year over the course of one year. That business was also forced to find a new insurance company from southern Canada because the NWT company they used previously refused to cover them anymore. These are considerable sums of money for any business to incur but especially for small and medium-sized businesses. How businesses are expected to cover these types of costs and remain open in the long-term is beyond me. This is very concerning and something needs to be done to address this.

Moreover, Madam Speaker, the rising cost of inflation and the cost of living are also causing hardships for the business community. For example, rising fuel costs are increasing the cost for shipping and the transportation of goods. The price of building materials are also going up, which is increasing the cost of all construction projects. All these costs are putting more pressure on businesses because many of their employees are struggling to make ends meet. Therefore, businesses are struggling to recruit and retain workers at competitive wages. This cycle is creating a shortage of workers in all sectors of our economy and is negatively impacting the business community.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, according to a new report published on October 12th, 2022, authored by the economists at the Royal Bank of Canada, a recession will likely occur in Canada within the first quarter of 2023. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

RBC, which is Canada's largest bank, says that the primary reasons driving the recession are interest rate increases, inflation, and a rapidly cooling housing market. They anticipate the recession will raise the unemployment rate across the board and that lower income people will be the hardest hit.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, the overall gross domestic product of our economy has been getting smaller with each quarter. So that is also a signal of declining economy. All these factors are harming people and business owners. People need help. I'll have questions for the Minister of ITI later today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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