Good afternoon, colleagues. I am pleased to announce that we are now able to reopen the legislative building to the public.

Effective today, we have reopened for tours, event bookings and, most importantly, the public gallery. As a place of the people, we look forward to welcoming back our residents and opening our services to the public. Try not to get too shy today.

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

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.

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

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.

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.

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

Members' statements. Member for 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.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As noted by the Member from Great Slave, today, March 1st, is an important date for a number of reasons. Today, restrictions end, we are welcoming tourists back to our territory but, Mr. Speaker, all of these actions pale in comparison to one event that occurred today which is the opening of the snow castle, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to report that a special envoy of MLAs went down at lunchtime to the grand opening of the snow castle, and it is better than ever this year. The slide is in great working order, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage all of the residents of the Northwest Territories and all of the Members to get down there. And thanks to the contributions of Members of this House, it's free admission today at the snow castle.

There are a number of events, and the snow castle is actually looking for performers so if anyone wants to perform at one-of-a-kind venue, please get in contact with all of the great staff at the snow castle.

I would like to thank the carvers, the builders, the board members, and all of the volunteers who make this happen. 27 years strong of the snow castle. Long live the monarchy, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President, that's a tough act to follow.

Another day, another contaminated site mismanaged by our government. This time it is the Mactung exploration property in the former Cantung Mine. Cantung and Mactung are mining properties in the Mackenzie Mountains. The Cantung Mine was a tungsten producer from 1962 until it closed in 2015. The owner, North American Tungsten, went into creditor protection on June 9th, 2015 after we agreed to take on this operation under the Devolution Agreement.

Somehow the federal government let that company put up the Mactung property as part of its financial security for its water license. When our government inherited the management of the Cantung site under devolution, nothing was done to change that arrangement even though GNWT had total discretion over the form of the security. That's another preventible liability that has cost our government millions of dollars. So much for Polluter-Pays Principle and the devolution promise of responsible resource development.

As part of the creditor protection proceeding, Cabinet ended up purchasing Mactung for $2.5 million with a special warrant that bypassed the Legislative Assembly. In that way we were told GNWT could hand Cantung back to the federal government for remediation. When we acquired the Mactung property, a lot of junk and hazardous materials were on the site even though I had been told that there was nothing there. GNWT spent $172,000 on a partial site cleanup of that property. Then GNWT hired a southern consultant to prepare and submit a land use application to the Yukon government for an imaginary exploration program in an attempt to hike the value of the property.

As far as I can tell, GNWT has owned Mactung now for seven years and all attempts to sell the Cantung and Mactung properties have failed. These two properties are 140 kilometres away from each other by air and 700 kilometres by road. It's not clear to me why we are marketing these properties with the federal government. There is little chance that some buyer will take on these mining properties that are now contaminated sites without significant concessions and subsidies. Needless to say I will have lots of questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment about these properties, our failure to manage them properly, and whether we can ever expect to recoup the money spent on them. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on November 29th, 2021, I had made a Member statement on the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement with the NWT. I asked questions of the Minister of Justice about RCMP accountability in relation to the police service agreement and I did not receive any good answers to my questions. In fact, I walked away from that exchange with more questions than answers about the RCMP regarding transparency and accountability in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, according to the 2022-2023 Main Estimates, the Government of the Northwest Territories is paying over $50 million for policing services in the NWT which is already nearly $2 million than the 2021-2022 revised estimates. That's not even considering the additional $3.5 million for increased RCMP salary costs for their new collective agreement. There's also an additional $8 million that our Department of Infrastructure is paying to provide maintenance and utility services for the RCMP commercial and residential properties in the NWT.

All together that amounts to $61.5 million that the Government of the Northwest Territories is paying to the RCMP. With costs like that, what are we getting from it? How are these increasing costs for policing making policing services better for the people of the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, there is much talk in numerous jurisdictions about cutting or reducing funding to the police yet here we are increasing those costs. Do these increased policing costs make people safer? Will they lead to a reduction in crime across the NWT? Are police doing more patrols throughout the communities? Are there ways to measure whether police are improving the quality or level of public safety within our communities? These are legitimate questions given the amount of money we are allocating here.

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago Statistics Canada released two articles with detailed analysis of the perceptions and experiences of people in Canada, with particular focus on black and Indigenous people. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to complete my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

According to these studies, black and Indigenous people are twice as likely than non-Indigenous non-visible minority people to report that they have little or no confidence in police. Additionally, the studies also state that one-third of Indigenous people reported experience in discrimination from people in the past five years.

Mr. Speaker, policing and police services is something that affects everyone in our society regardless of color, race, or background. Upholding and maintaining public safety is the core duty of policing. It is also a core duty of governments to ensure proper transparency and accountability is maintained in all police services in all jurisdictions. I understand and I respect that policing in this country is done with an arm's length relationship between government and police services; however, as a public government we must provide proper oversight over the police to ensure public confidence and that peace, order, and good government is maintained. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, mahsi. Mr. Speaker, today I am going to talk about the housing corporation customer service. I am speaking on behalf of my constituents, a couple, an elderly, who live in one of the communities. Their interaction with the housing corporation demonstrates how the bureaucracy of the corporation approach the communicate with our Indigenous homeowners.

Mr. Speaker, it is a total clash of culture.

Mr. Speaker, this couple has received at least eight formal letters from the housing corporation, three of which were formally served to them. But Mr. Speaker, the housing corporation does not realize this couple cannot read English. The corporation has not taken the time to get to know their clients to recognize they will never understand any letter that comes to them. The housing corporation can send 80 letters and the results will be the same. English is their second language and is a foreign language to them and they speak only broken English.

Mr. Speaker, they are also elderly and do not understand the world of administration and legal contracts. How the housing corporation administer their housing unit is totally alien to some people in the communities. This couple understands life in the bush - hunting, trapping, surviving the seasons, and speak Tlicho.

Mr. Speaker, this couple has no understanding of the information they have received from the housing corporation. What is the purpose of all these formal letters? To intimidate them? To advise my constituents to seek legal counsel? Mr. Speaker, they have no concept of the western legal system.

It is clear, Mr. Speaker, the customer service standards for the NWT Housing Corporation need a dramatic overhaul. There needs to be an understanding between employees and clients. There needs to be communication and dialogue. If the housing corporation staff had made an effort to communicate or have a conversation with this couple, they would have quickly understood that translation is required. Mr. Speaker, if this is happening to elders and others in my communities, what about all of the other elderly people in other communities? Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude?

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, there needs to be a better communication between the housing corporation and its clients and a triage support system for clients of both income support and the housing corporation. Regular communications between income assistance and the housing corporation is required with clients to ensure they feel secure in their homes with adequate financial support for all their needs. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, FASD is similar to trauma in that it changes the way a person responds to the world around them and how they fit within it. People with FASD require some of the same supports as a person who has experienced traumas.

Mr. Speaker, there is limited research available about FASD prevalence and even less research available on parenting with FASD. In studies I did find, less than 50 percent of children to parents with FASD were in the care of their parent. Parents with FASD are more likely to experience homelessness, domestic violence, and substance abuse.

FASD is a spectrum of disability and strengths, Mr. Speaker, and integrated service delivery, harm reduction programs, and mental health and wellness supports are prevention tools.

First, people need their basic needs met, like housing and food security. Second is a need for long-term individualized comprehensive supports like, for example, transportation to and from work, parenting mentorship programs or also respite, Mr. Speaker.

To achieve this, the GNWT needs two key things. First is pathfinder positions in the FASD diagnostic clinics to set up connections to FASD-informed and trauma-informed support services and to help people navigate the GNWT system. Second, a safe space to secure support without the fear of triggering a child and family services investigation.

In its first year, the adult FASD diagnostic clinic assessed 25 NWT adults, 20 of which were diagnosed with FASD. There are no statistics in the territory on the prevalence of FASD in our communities, Mr. Speaker, and no statistics on the prevalence of parents with FASD and to understand the magnitude of this issue, more research and data needs to be tracked.

We are on the tails of a pandemic that saw increased trauma, increased alcohol consumption, and increased family violence during isolation, Mr. Speaker. We need to talk more about FASD and continue to peel away the stigma. We need to change the narrative and we need to continue these conversations in this House and in our communities. But most of all, Mr. Speaker, we need clear paths to person centre supports for all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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