Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Quanani. I would like to update Members and the public on some of the activities occurring at the Yellowknife Airport, or YZF. The airport has had an eventful year that included lucrative cold weather testing partnerships, responding to the challenges from COVID-19-related events and work to advance important infrastructure improvements.

Quanani, cold weather testing at YZF continues to generate economic growth in the Northwest Territories. After successfully hosting Bell Helicopters in 2019, we followed up by welcoming the Korean Aerospace Industries from December 2021 to February 2022. This partnership supported cold weather testing for their weaponless light-armed helicopter, with a total of 40 pilots, engineers and support staff travelling to Yellowknife. Over $2 million was injected into the northern economy through spending on local hotels, car rentals, office spaces, and other local businesses. All travellers were required to comply with Northwest Territories health order.

Det'on Cho Logistics, the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation secured a contract with the Korean Aerospace and provided logistical support and gained valuable experience that will translate into future cold weather testing support opportunities.

As we now recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yellowknife is in the unique position to provide both the ideal climate and the necessary amenities to support cold weather testing. Our government continues to seek partnership with international aviation leaders who are in need of suitable testing locations.

Mr. Speaker, It is no secret that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on airport traffic. At the lowest, we saw 91 percent decrease from previous pandemic numbers in passenger movements through YZF. There are signs of recovery in the travel sector which, when compared to 2020, saw nine straight months of increased in passenger traffic from the past April to December.

As passenger movement increased, airport staff and management worked to support the monitoring of passengers and the implementation of federal travel requirements that is related to COVID-19. As COVID protocols evolve, the airport will update and change procedures as required for staff and passengers. I am optimistic that with the opening of the borders to leisure travel on March 1st, today, we will see a marked increase in the number of travelers coming here to the North.

Mr. Speaker, YZF continues to improve and modernize its infrastructure. Upgrades to the runway airfield lighting were completed in October 2021. This included replacement of all cabling, lighting, airport signage, and improved approach lighting. These improvements provide increased reliability and safety for its users. Work scheduled for 2022 also includes rehabilitating the airfield drainage and replacing the public parking access control and management system.

Finally, the airport consolidated master plan is in the final stages of development and scheduled for completion by the end of this month. The re-instatement of the Economic Advisory Committee is also underway. The committee members will be confirmed within this next month. And this month, the work is vital to support the continued improvements of YZF infrastructure in the years to come.

The GNWT and the YZF will continue to work with private and public stakeholders to secure new investments and federal funding to expand our local economy while also improving our infrastructure. Quanani.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to update to talk about steps being taken to address the recruitment and retention of Health and Social Services staff in the Northwest Territories. Members will remember we created a mandate priority to increase the number of resident healthcare professionals by at least 20 percent during this 19th Assembly.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for Health and Social Services workers across Canada and within the Northwest Territories.

Staff in the Department of Health and Social Services and the health and social services authorities have been working hard to respond to the challenge of recruiting healthcare professionals and to retain them at health facilities across the NWT. We have talked with frontline staff and the Union of Northern Workers, as well as reviewing efforts undertaken in other jurisdictions. We want to be competitive within Canada and a destination of choice for healthcare professionals.

Mr. Speaker, to guide this work over the next three years, we are finalizing the 2021-2024 Health and Social Services Human Resource Plan which will be released in April. Looking ahead, several of the plan's initiatives are specifically designed to attract Indigenous and northern residents to careers in health and social services. Many of these initiatives will go live over the next few months, including a transition program to support new graduates moving into permanent positions within the health and social services system. We will also be launching a bursary program for Indigenous and northern students who choose to pursue an education in health and social services.

Mr. Speaker, we are also developing job shadowing and observer guidelines, along with an updated NWT Health and Social Services career guide. These tools are designed to inspire students and youth to consider a career in health and social services. These new initiatives will complement outreach programs, such as Take Your Kids to Work events and promotional activities through PracticeNWT.

In the meantime, we are aware of concerns about staff morale within the healthcare system and work is underway to address them. We understand that staff are a most valuable asset. Ensuring they feel engaged, valued, and supported to build a career within the NWT Health and Social Services system is critical to us being able to provide sustainable services to residents.

Mr. Speaker, we are aware that the NWT is the only jurisdiction in Canada without a registered nurse recruitment bonus. There was a time when registered nurse salaries in the NWT were significantly higher than in most other Canadian jurisdictions, and this helped to attract staff. However, we are watching that gap narrow.

The Financial Management Board recently approved a Labour Market Supplement Policy to enhance our ability to recruit and retain positions identified as difficult to fill because of national shortages of skilled staff. The Department of Health and Social Services recently requested this policy provide a wage supplement for frontline registered nurse positions and medical laboratory technologists across the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, our intention was to provide recognition of existing staff within the system and to demonstrate the value of their continued retention, while also encouraging new staff to work for us.

According to the collective agreement, to apply the Labour Market Supplement Policy the GNWT must first consult with the UNW on the terms being considered and unfortunately the approach proposed was not agreed to. While I am disappointed, I want the public and healthcare workers to know that we will continue to engage with the UNW on other ways to support the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals.

Mr. Speaker, we are turning our attention to other efforts to address staff concerns. As part of an employee engagement survey, we are trying to understand why staff are leaving or changing positions within the organization. Exit interviews and staff movement surveys are being conducted with all staff who have left the organization and with those who have transferred to pursue another opportunity within the system. Using the data received from these survey results, we have drafted an action plan to address immediate issues and concerns.

In addition, the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut is now conducting a survey of all nurses to better understand their concerns and solicit ideas for possible solutions to staffing issues. A report will be submitted to the department and recommendations to address concerns related to retention and recruitment will be provided to the health authorities.

In line with this work, retention strategies that address staffing shortages have been prioritized, particularly within the obstetrics unit at Stanton Territorial Hospital. The NTHSSA will be launching the specialized nursing transition program that will help RNs to expand their scope of practice into areas of specialized nursing, with a focus on orientation, mentorship, competency development, and financial support to obtain their certificate in obstetrics nursing. The long-term strategy for this initiative will be to expand the program to all areas of specialized nursing.

Mr. Speaker, supporting and developing the health and social services workforce will help to ensure that residents of the Northwest Territories have access to top quality services and receive the best possible care.

In closing, I would like to thank the staff of the NWT Health and Social Services system. I, along with the entire health and social services leadership team, remain committed to making improvements that will lead to a better future for staff, clients, and residents throughout the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, today is the day that the Northwest Territories tourism sector has been anticipating for nearly two years. I am happy to finally say that as of today, the Northwest Territories is welcoming back friends and visitors from near and far.

We all know that the Northwest Territories is a growing destination of choice for travelers from across Canada and around the world. In fact, in the year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the territory had a record 120,000 visitors, contributing more than $210 million to its economy.

Mr. Speaker, the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have been unprecedented, but so has the support provided by this government to ensure that this pandemic will not overpower our tourism industry. $3 million was invested in tourism initiatives across the territory under the Growth and Recovery by Investing in Tourism Fund. Additionally, two key support programs were introduced to help Northwest Territories businesses cover their costs, maintain staff and keep infrastructure and investments intact:

The Pandemic Relief Extension Program for tourism operators; and,.

The Supplement for Tourism Accommodation Relief Program for accommodation providers.

We have waived tourism insurance requirements and licensing fees. Further, we partnered with organizations including Northwest Territories Tourism Association and the Chambers of Commerce to encourage Northwest Territories residents to shop local and enjoy staycations within the territory. We also worked with NWT Tourism and the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer on the requests of qualified lodge owners to operate in the summer 2021 under special conditions. As well, we invested heavily in making our parks COVID-19 friendly for the extraordinary local use that we experienced from Northwest Territories residents and their families.

In total, we have injected more than $17 million into the tourism and parks sector since March 2020, and we continue to support local suppliers, contractors, and employees as we improve our tourism product for the future.

As we prepare to celebrate the much-anticipated return of leisure travelers to our territory, our government will maintain its long-standing commitment to tourism.

We recently closed applications for the second intake of our Tourism Restart Investment Program, with funding of $2 million, which will aid tourism operators in ramping up their workforce skill development and marketing to Canadian travelers.

In addition to supporting tourism operators and tourism-related businesses, the GNWT is also supporting Northwest Territories residents with the development of a Resident Readiness Strategy. This strategy includes actions to help the Northwest Territories residents welcome visitors and act as ambassadors in sharing their cultures and their way of life with people from around the world.

Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, the Tourism 2025 Strategy is in place and charts a path for the industry going forward.

Before the pandemic, we had committed to work with Indigenous and community governments to increase tourism and develop local tourism capacity and infrastructure. This remains a primary action of the Tourism 2025.

Mr. Speaker, behind our territories' world-renowned tourism product exists a community of dedicated and resilient individuals, many of whom have made it their lifework and passion to present and represent our land and its people to the world. One of these critical partners is Northwest Territories Tourism, who has tirelessly advocated and represented their membership throughout the past two years. They have carefully and consistently continued to strategically market the Northwest Territories both domestically and internationally, positioning the territory as a spectacular destination.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the Northwest Territories Tourism 2022-2023 Marketing Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. March 1st, Mr. Speaker - I don't think there's been a date in this territory that so many people have looked forward to, except perhaps the day the KFC reopened last year.

Today we see the easing of restrictions and the end of the dreaded "mandates" or "proof of vaccines". Whatever you may choose to call them, the semantics game is over. Today is the day that so many NWTers have been anticipating for almost two years; the day where we no longer need to know how far six feet is or ask probing questions about our friends' vaccination status or who they've been spending time with. I know I'm not the only one who wants to sing with joy and dance in the streets. It's almost hard to believe this day has finally come.

However, Mr. Speaker, as we welcome this day, like we do the sun after it returns each cold winter, I must admit I still feel some anxiety.

After years of the onslaught of conflicting and changing information, I'm not quite sure what my risk is anymore. I'm immunocompromised, do I still have to be extra cautious in avoiding people? If I do get sick, will I be okay since I hear omicron is supposed to be less fatal? What's going to happen if I require hospitalization; has our healthcare system recovered enough to properly take care of me?

Mr. Speaker these are just the worries I have around my health. In addition to medical concerns, I now worry about socializing again. It's been ages since I've made small talk in person and I've been operating in a COVID fog for so long will I even be able to speak properly without putting my foot in my mouth? Will people continue to respect my personal space and boundaries as I remain concerned about risk, or will I have to ask people to back off, causing me further feelings of awkwardness and social embarrassment?

Mr. Speaker, I've spoken a lot about the mental health toll I've seen COVID taking on our people. But we can't discount that this "reopening" brings with it a whole new set of concerns and issues, particularly for the vulnerable. People with chronic health conditions and seniors have expressed to me a lot of apprehension about what March 1st means for them And, admittedly I don't have the answers. So, I urge my colleagues, and all the residents of our territory, to remember that while they may be excited to return to a life like that before COVID, for many it brings a whole new set of concerns and anxieties to deal with. So be kind, be respectful, and hopefully, Mr. Speaker, this is the beginning of a brighter time for our people. We all know they could use it. Thank you.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks the GNWT launched its remote work policy. This policy sets out the rules and conditions for GNWT employees to work away from job sites potentially in a different community or even outside the territory. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that there is a clear need for a remote work policy. Over the past two years, many employees were forced to work from home. Some of these employees found that they prefer the flexibility of working remotely while still being able to do their jobs well. And if it's implemented properly, the policy holds possibility to make jobs at headquarters available to residents in the smaller communities without having to leave home. But I am concerned with that in practice the opposite will happen. Positions in smaller communities will be filled by people who already live in or will move to Yellowknife. And, more generally, GNWT positions will be filled by people who live in or who have moved to other provinces and territory.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister, when I ask the Minister about this later she'll probably say that the various rules, principles, guidelines, toolkits should stop this from happening, or at least minimize it. But I am not sure that the policy will have such a small effect.

According to a News North report, as of February 1st there were 29 employees working outside the territory. While some of these 29 were approved for reasons besides the remote work policy, it's still a big number, especially considering that these numbers were only two business days after the remote work policy was announced.

I am concerned that this is just the beginning and that over the next months and years, more GNWT jobs will be done by people living in the south and community jobs done by people living in Yellowknife. Of course I hope that my fears are proven wrong but then I remember that GNWT already has problems with hiring local and with Indigenous recruitment and retention. I am worried that with all these policies and guidelines and checklists and community positions will be filled outside of Yellowknife and there aren't the right mechanisms to verify that employees actually live where they say they do. I will have more questions later for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when questioned last week about treatment centres for the NWT, the Minister of Health stated: "If there is a need for more bricks and mortars healing, then that needs to be a priority of this Assembly and it's something that we need to talk about together."

Mr. Speaker, one of this government's mandate items is to: "Increase the number and variety of culturally-respectful community-based mental health and addictions programs, including aftercare."

Mr. Speaker, this mandate item directs government to consider community-based mental health and addictions programs - programs that may go beyond community outreach for health, counselling, and support programs. Patients who have returned from southern treatment facilities, some, not all, are pleased with the service they receive. However, a critical issue raised has been the lack of acceptable aftercare or, more specifically, lack of aftercare facilities once returning home.

Mr. Speaker, if treatment centres are not on this government's radar, then I would like to talk about increased access to transitional housing for those returning from addictions treatment - an action item included as part of this governments mandate. It is important this government listens to solutions proposed by those who are suffering from addictions. Anything less may well result in setback or collapse of an individual's treatment progress.

Mr. Speaker, those returning from treatment in the south may require, in addition to counseling and support groups, those supports to avoid relapse. It may include removing oneself from a situation that requires a safe and immediate place to attend, whether it be for day, week, month, or months. To accommodate this, government must consider providing half-way or residential aftercare facilities in regional centres and small communities. It would allow those with serious addiction problems an option while integrating themselves back into the communities upon returning to the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, why is aftercare important? Statistics show that relapse can be as high as 60 percent, and it is those aftercare supports that stand between success and returning to substance abuse. It is up to us to change those odds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.