Ministers' statements. Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the world was thrust into uncertainty and turmoil as Russia launched an attack and subsequent invasion of Ukraine.

The Northwest Territories stands with Ukraine. The images coming out of the Eastern European nation are horrifying. My heart goes out to those who are forced to flee their homes to find safety, and to those who have lost their lives in a senseless act of aggression by Russia.

Canada has a long history of immigration from Ukraine. Today, Canada is the home to more than 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent, including more than 1,000 in the Northwest Territories. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

To support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, the Government of the Northwest Territories will match donations of NWT residents to the Canadian Red Cross up to a total of $50,000. This will also help to support Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion.

As Russia's alarming and aggressive actions are discussed among First Ministers and Canada considers how to best support the people of Ukraine, I will support Canada's immediate application of severe sanctions. I will also be inviting further conversations with Canada to consider the needs of our Arctic in response to Russia.

Mr. Speaker, history clearly shows we cannot turn a blind eye to international aggression. Although our voice may be small, we stand in support with the people of Ukraine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, partnership is a theme I have spoken about many times since becoming the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. The reason for this is simple: The most effective way to address the housing crisis in the Northwest Territories is by working in partnership with Indigenous governments, community governments, non-governmental organizations, and the Government of Canada.

By working together to offer home repair programs, community housing plans, investment in new housing units and support for individuals at risk of homelessness, we can make meaningful progress towards achieving our shared housing goals in the territory. Mr. Speaker, the Housing Corporation has had many recent successes as a result of our strong partnerships. One example in the Northwest Territories is the community housing support programs, which empowers communities to determine their own priorities and help them develop local appropriate programs to make home repairs a reality. Communities and Indigenous governments we have worked with include Kat'lodeeche First Nation, K'asho Got'yne Housing Society, Denyinu Kue First Nation, and the Tlicho government.

Another way the Housing Corporation partners with communities is through the development of community housing plans. We work closely with communities to collect information and feedback on their housing concerns and priorities. Wherever possible, a community member is hired to help facilitate this process and ensure that local priorities are first and foremost in the plan.

At present, the Housing Corporation has met with 24 different communities and is well on the way to developing many of these plans. Recent plans have been adopted in the hamlet of Enterprise and the hamlet of Paulatuk.

Mr. Speaker, working in partnership also extends to the Housing Corporation's action to address homelessness in communities outside of Yellowknife through the northern pathways housing program. This is a supportive housing program for single adults currently operating in Behchoko in partnership with the friendship centre; Fort Simpson in partnership with the Liidlii Kue First Nation; in Aklavik in partnership with the Aklavik Indian Band; and in Fort Good Hope in partnership with the K'asho Got'yne Housing Society. Northern Pathways to Housing works with partners to provide wraparound supports to stabilize housing for clients.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to all the great work done with our NWT partners, the Government of Canada is also a key partner in addressing the housing needs of the Northwest Territories.

Recently, the Housing Corporation has partnered with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to invest just over $9 million for the renovation of 50 units at the Borealis Co-op here in Yellowknife.

The GNWT also partnered with CMHC with the construction of a new building for the Hay River Family Support Centre. Once completed, this new building will provide 14 beds for that shelter.

Working in partnership is truly the most effective way to address the housing needs in the Northwest Territories. While all of the partnerships I have spoken of are important successes, there is still a great deal of work to be done. We will continue to actively engage the Government of Canada and other stakeholders on the territorial housing needs.

We are confident that with the support and partnership of the federal government, Indigenous governments, and organizations, community governments, and other stakeholders, will help make housing in communities across the NWT more affordable and more accessible for the residents who need it most. I also want to thank the staff of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and our local housing authorities for helping us engage at the community level and in the larger centre. Mahsi for your work, Housing Corporation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, traditional lifestyles are a very important part of the social, cultural, and economic fibre of communities in the Northwest Territories. Traditional livelihoods help to keep cultures strong and maintain on-the-land practices. This supports food security, provides valuable opportunities for individuals to earn an income and support a strong traditional economy across the territory. Support for a sustainable livelihood is a high priority for our government, and today I would like to highlight some of the investments and achievements that we are very proud of.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has expanded its programs this year to strengthen existing programs for people to access on-the-land activities and continue traditional practices.

ENR has worked closely with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to adapt the existing hunter's education program, which is now being offered for-credit program in the high schools. This program, developed in partnership with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, and respected harvesters, puts safety and respect at the center of the training offered to new young harvesters. Current high school students who will be the next generation of harvesters will take the new course this winter as part of the pilot program in nine schools across the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, we know the support for culture is also important for healing. ENR has worked with the Department of Justice to develop a trapper training program that we will deliver to inmates at the North Slave Correction Centre. This training will help participants learn about trapping regulations, the genuine Mackenzie Valley fur program, how to set traps and prepare pelts, as well as a variety of on the land and survival skills. This is not only an opportunity to reconnect with traditional lifestyles but also develop a practical skills that participants can use upon returning to their community. While roll-out of this program was delayed due to COVID-19, we look forward to the beginning to offer this new program soon.

Mr. Speaker, we have also continued to help families get on the land through many new and existing programs.

In January, ENR provided almost $180,000 for 17 projects under the second intake of Take a Family on the Land program. This funding will support 17 organizations to help folks get out on the land with whomever they consider family.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT also continues to support the NWT On the Land Collaborative which brings together government, charitable, corporate, and other partners to provide financial support for projects across the NWT that promote traditional on-the-land skills building. In 2022, the NWT On the Land Collaborative will invest nearly $1 million to 54 projects across all the regions of the NWT. I would like to acknowledge that the NWT On the Land Collaborative was recognized by the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association with a partnership award for their innovative work. Our government congratulates all the partners in the On the Land Collaborative for the outstanding work they do each year and for the well-deserved award.

Mr. Speaker, while we are proud of the programs offered by ENR, we recognize the importance of reviewing them regularly to make sure they continue to effectively support on-the-land activities.

To that end, we recently engaged with hunters, trappers, and other harvesters across the NWT about the long-standing Community Harvesters Assistance Program. We received valuable input on what is working well and about areas in which the program can be improved. A "what we heard" report with eight recommendations for improvement was shared with the public in January 2022. The intent was to seek additional public input to make sure we got it right. ENR is currently working to update some elements of the program and will use the input provided to continue that work.

Mr. Speaker, these investments are intended to support local harvesters, families, and leaders and continue to encourage sustainable livelihoods. I'd like to recognize the tremendous important role of elders, knowledge-holders, and Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations as they work to develop traditional activities and lifestyles. Our government will continue to provide support as part of our efforts to bolster the traditional economy, create employment opportunities in small communities, and increase food security for Northwest Territories' residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Diane Archie will be absent from the House today's proceedings to participate in a conference call with federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of transportation and highway safety.

Also Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable R.J. Simpson will be absent from the House for a portion of today's proceedings to participate in a conference call with the federal, provincial, territorial Ministers of labour.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In relation to my statement on Monday and throughout most of this week about economic recovery in the NWT, I would once again like to discuss the importance of the Taltson Hydro Expansion.

Mr. Speaker, all major infrastructure projects both currently underway, along with those in the future which I spoke about this week, are all interrelated with this hydro expansion. The Minister of Finance even said so herself the other day during question period. She said that to attract greater economic opportunities and investments into the Northwest Territories, our territory will need greater access to clean and affordable energy.

Well, that is exactly what this project will bring. We're not reinventing the wheel with this here. I mean the Talston Dam already exists. All we need to do is to add to it its increase in energy output.

Mr. Speaker, the construction of the Taltson Expansion would address at least two out of the 22 priorities of the 19th Assembly. The priorities include:

1. Reduce the cost of power and increase the use the alternative and renewable energy; and
2. Make strategic infrastructure investments that connect communities, expand the economy, or reduce the cost of living, including the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Slave Geological Corridor, and the Taltson Hydro Project.

Mr. Speaker, it is baffling that some Members of this House who are proponents of renewable energy are concurrently against this project's advancement and completion. We know that hydro power is a renewable energy as there are no greenhouse gas emissions that are emitted with this form of energy. We also know that our modern industrial economy is ever changing. We are increasingly becoming a more digital and information-based and technology-driven global economy.

For these reasons we need to better our economy for the future, and I'm convinced that the projects like the Taltson Hydro Expansion will be central in strengthening the NWT economy for the future generations. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken several times about the importance of this project. I even visited the Taltson Hydro worksite last year with the Minister of Infrastructure. This expansion project is a no-brainer and will help bring greater economic growth to the NWT by the way of cheaper electricity and renewable energy. This project will also help business in the NWT to be more feasible and cost friendly.

Mr. Speaker, despite most of our attention being given to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years, I certainly hope that we have not fallen behind or given up pursuing the Taltson Expansion. There's a positive business case for this project, and I'm willing to see it advance and supported by the government wholeheartedly. I will have questions for the Minister of ITI later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Fridays I tend to like to keep my statements light so today I'm going to speak about airships, also known as blimps, dirigibles, or zeppelins, but of course they are not made from lead.

Airships or aerostats are aircrafts that gain lift using buoyant or lighter-than-air gas that can navigate under its own power and must be tethered to the ground. A hot air balloon is an example of an airship. Early airships utilized hydrogen gas to produce lift however after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937 when 35 people lost their lives, airships have transitioned to using the inert non-flammable helium gas.

In the North, we rely heavily on seasonal ice roads to move goods and supplies to our most remote communities. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent over the past 40 years on melting infrastructure to connect our people. By not investing this money into permanent infrastructure, we now find ourselves in a state of peril as the uncertainty of climate change wreaks havoc on the extremely sensitive ice. The vast geographic landscape of the North is rich in resources, couple this with a lack of transportation corridors and isolated communities, and the Northwest Territories may be a place to consider airships for our future needs.

Airships may prove to be cost beneficial over traditional transportation methods such as building and maintaining roads, as well as landing strip infrastructure is not required furthering savings.

Possible applications for airships in the North could include passenger and cargo transportation, firefighting and emergency relief efforts, telecommunications, tourism, and geographical monitoring and surveying.

Airships can provide an environmental benefit. Under certain conditions, airships can have better emission levels than traditional overland travel methods while having a lesser impact on local wildlife and terrain. Airships also have a much higher fuel efficiency than conventional heavier-than-air aircraft and an airship produces 80 to 90 percent fewer emissions than a conventional airplane.

In May, I will be presenting virtually at the 2022 Aviation Innovations Airship Conference being held in Montreal. Delegates are interested to learn more about how the NWT deals with our transportation issues, including our melting infrastructure. They've asked me to speak on my experience as an ice engineer and consultant in the North and the challenges we face. It is my hope that this will help to inform those who may be interested in collaborating with the GNWT in this interesting and exciting area of air transportation. And Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that my thoughts are with the people of the Ukraine and their families here in Canada. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past several months the NWT has many young people to drug-related deaths. They were sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and friends. Why do we continue to let this happen?

Mr. Speaker, whether we call these drug-related deaths an overdose or murder, the fact remains that these young people have been taken from their loved ones. Their families will have to live with the devastating fact that they have lost someone special to a disease that is remorseless and unrelenting, not only for individuals but for families and the community as well.

'We know it is a difficult and sensitive issue and that is part of the challenge. We can no longer keep quiet. We can no longer tiptoe around the issue. It is time for this government to realize that we must change the way we engage drug dealers, the way we support those with addictions, and the way we support families impacted by addictions. Change must begin somewhere. It must start now, and it has start with us.

Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility to talk to all those that come through our offices. Throughout my adult life in Hay River, more so now as an MLA, I had, and continue to have, people that I personally know with addictions coming to me seeking help - known drug dealers seeking help, family members seeking help for loved ones, and hearing their pleas are difficult but necessary if we want to address the issue and to effect change. We need to hear their stories, and we must not judge as they come to seek our support.

Mr. Speaker, from the standpoint of both justice and health, this government must ensure it has the financial and human resources in place to combat the disease of addiction. We must work in partnership with Indigenous governments, community governments, non-profit service providers, residents and, most importantly, we must engage those living with addictions.

Mr. Speaker, the approach and path we are on is failing our youth and residents. In a previous statement I said one more death in our community is one too many. Since that time, there have been many. Mr. Speaker, my heartfelt condolences go out to all families who have lost loved ones to addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to add to my colleague's theme day yesterday in this House since I wasn't able to do so.

Mr. Speaker, one of the issues I'd like to raise is how the Housing Corporation leases many of the units for the residents in Inuvik under their program. They lease a numerous of housing units in the Nova Apartments. Since I've been elected there has been nonstop issues with that apartment building that I've received, from not only my constituents but the other constituents of my colleague, that there are illegal activities going on, fire alarms being pulled in the middle of the night, parties continuously going on. But the one thing, Mr. Speaker, is that the landlord is part of another company.

The landlord is not with -- is part of the Housing Corporation.

I did approach the housing minister after I heard of the apartment building being purchased in Yellowknife to see if that would be a possibility for Inuvik. Since we lease so many units in that apartment building, would it not be more cost beneficial to buy the building, if possible, which would free up more units that they're already leasing privately. That way we can house more of then residents in Inuvik on our housing list at a lesser cost.

Mr. Speaker, we need to start making these decisions now, housing our people now, not coming up with new mandates and new priorities and new plans and new this, new that, new paperwork. We need to put people in houses. And this way will -- I will ask -- I will have questions for the Minister to see if this is a possibility and she will act on it. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for challenging each of us to celebrate the UN's Indigenous language's decade.

I came into this job with a love and appreciation of the power of language. I believe language to be a tool to see the world different at a time when we desperately need a new lens. But language is more than a lens.

Over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to meet many new people. When I reflect on some of the commonalities between the stories people have shared, language revitalization has been an unexpected common thread.

One person shared their journey through addiction. They lost relationships, home, connection to culture, and themselves. Regaining these was powerfully rooted in reclaiming their traditional language.

[Translation] Further down the road, I sat and listened to the connection between traditional language and pride. A man told me of a childhood where he would feel great shame and when his parents and grandparents would speak his traditional language in front of other people. Over time, he lost his language and reclaiming it help him connection struggling youth with their land and traditional and community. [Translation ends] experience of learning their language. Words didn't always come easy, the sound wasn't quite right, and sometimes the words came out as a stutter. Again, this story emerged from a conversation about self-acceptance and healing.

In and out of this role, I've learned language is not only a way for us to see the world. Language connects people to one another, culture, the land, and the work we do in this House. Language is pride, and language heals. Language and memory work together as a moral anchor that bring us back to our foundations. Language is worth learning even if we stumble and stutter along the way.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank our interpreters, especially Mary Rose Sundberg, and also both MLAs from Monfwi that I've had the opportunity to work with and who have both ensured traditional language is heard every day we stand in this House. Thank you.

Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. In June and December 2021, I made statements, asked questions, and tabled redacted summaries of the secret meetings of the GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID recovery working group. As a result of my fifth access to information request on these secret meetings, I am pleased to report that this group has now changed its name and has a public terms of reference.

Furthermore, very short summaries of these ITI/NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Engagement Group meetings are now posted on the Chamber of Mines website. None of this was publicly announced, as far as I can tell, and this new information is found on the chamber's website but not anywhere on a GNWT website. I am not above taking some credit for this new found transparency and accountability on the part of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

In the terms of reference, there is an interesting item that "ITI members of the engagement group do not speak for the whole of the GNWT but will serve as an intermediary and liaison across GNWT departments where needed."

I hope that was the case during the previous secret meeting summaries which showed that ITI was going to be "watching" NGOs and pushing to lift land withdrawals. The affiliations of the engagement group are now publicly named and those attending specific meetings are now recorded as well.

As the Minister is probably fully aware, I am challenging the extensive redactions made in the previously supplied summaries of these secret meetings and look forward to a decision by the information and privacy commissioner.

There are still some troubling items in the three sets of meeting summaries now publicly available. The new summaries contain almost no detail as to what is being discussed. Several times, an item is listed as a topic with no details following. That makes me a little suspicious. There is more information in these summaries about the move to map staking and Mineral Resources Act regulations than I have ever seen before. It would be helpful if the department would be more forthcoming with all interested parties and included other interested parties in these secret discussions.

There is also a mention of sharing a pan-territorial study on northern mineral resource investment with the Chamber of Mines when this document has not yet been publicly released. I will have questions later today for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment on this working group. Mr. Speaker.

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

Good morning, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Okay, this is Member's statement to Minister of Health and Social Services regarding community-based wellness.

Mr. Speaker, many people in my regions are suffering with addiction and substance abuse. Achieving good mental health is a struggle for many. Unfortunately, that also means that many of our children and youth are growing up in homes that are not healthy and put them at risk for maltreatment. We are frustrated with this situation.

We know that the health and well-being of a person, family, and community is holistic. We need our health supports to reflect the wishes of our families and communities, yet my fellow community members and leaders are saying our voices are being ignored. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services need to do a better job of listening to the people in my region, including Indigenous government.

The Tlicho government wants to take some authority. We need addictions recovery and mental health services that respond to our need as Tlicho people. This has to happen now, as many people in my region are choosing not to seek help. We want to be able to get support for addictions, substance abuse, and mental health in ways that are rooted in our culture and from counsellors who are Indigenous, yet many of the people who are providing these services are from the south and have no connection to us. We need support, especially for our youth, that affirm who we are as Tlicho.

Mr. Speaker, my region faces many barriers, including lack of access to counsellors. We do have child and youth care counsellors program that is important to our children and youth, but we are having poor outcomes. The Tlicho government wants greater control over this program as it is our Tlicho children and youth that are being served. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at appropriate time. Thank you.

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