Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, one of the very important values in the new Northwest Territories Housing Corporation mandate is partnership. Partnership is how we are most effectively going to address the housing needs of residents across the territory. It is critical that we work in partnership with Indigenous governments, the Government of Canada, community governments, and other stakeholders to reach our housing goals.

As we work towards improvement within the Housing Corporation, I would like to highlight one of the areas that supports addressing core need.

Prior to 2021, the Housing Corporation delivered a program called the Transitional Rent Supplementary Program. It was 100 percent funded by the GNWT and at that time of sunsetting, it was funded at $250,000 per year and supported approximately 50 clients across the Northwest Territories. In our current bi-lateral agreement with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, provisions were made for the Housing Corporation to join other Canadian jurisdictions in delivering of a new Canada Housing Benefit Program. The current Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation bilateral funds this program from 2021 to 2028, and over that time the Housing Corporation is expected to receive a total of $9.6 million, which the Housing Corporation must cost-share.

In 2022-2023 our main estimates showed an annual budget of $2.5 million towards this program, up from $1.7 million in 2021-2022. With that level of investment, the Canada Housing Benefit is currently supporting approximately 250 households across the Northwest Territories, and we anticipate that will increase with the additional investment starting in April.

The Canada-NWT Housing Benefit, a rent subsidy program, is designed to help households that pay more than 30 percent of their income on their rent. In place since April 2021, this benefit provides qualified households with up to $800 dollars per month for rent and is a 50/50 cost share between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada. As part of the National Housing Strategy, The National Housing Strategy is a federal government initiative to address housing needs and chronic homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide this House with an update on the good work being done through the Canada-NWT Housing Benefit.

Right now, the benefit is supporting approximately 250 NWT households. This benefit is making a tangible, positive difference in their lives. When the benefit was first offered, the Housing Corporation received 50 applicants. Now the Canada Housing Benefit is oversubscribed by 20 percent, with more NWT residents expressing their interest in accessing the benefit as time goes on. The Housing Corporation is currently looking at ways to address this demand. The benefit is clearly meeting the needs to provide assistance in making rent affordable for private market units where they exist in communities.

What all this means, Mr. Speaker, is that someone who worried about being able to pay for childcare next month, now has more room in their budget. It means that someone can cope a little bit more better with the rising costs of food and fuel. It means that someone whose work hours have been cut back can still pay their rent at the beginning of the month. This benefit also helps the government address the core housing need across the territory, in this case by helping program partnerships address affordable issues.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we continue to look for ways to support our residents to secure safe homes and maintain housing stability. I am pleased that we are able to work with the Government of Canada on this initiative.

Partnership is a theme I have spoken about in this House many times because it is the best way to address the housing needs of the Northwest Territories. One government alone cannot solve the territory's housing issues. And despite the success of the program like the Canada Housing Benefit, there is still a lot more work to be done.

Mr. Speaker, as responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, I will continue to work hard to build and maintain these partnerships so that we can see more and more successes like the Canada Housing Benefit.

I would also like to thank the staff of the Housing Corporation for meeting with the federal government as well as we continue to find creative and innovative approaches and partnerships as we continue to meet the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories. Mashi, Mr. Speaker.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to announce that K'amba Carnival, celebrating its 40th anniversary, is back on and starts today with a fire feeding ceremony. It is hard to believe that I was only 25 years old when it started. The Minister for Education was one years old. And Rylund, well I'm not sure.

And as we now see COVID restrictions begin to lift, with more anticipated for April 1st, this event is a great reminder that we should cherish every moment we have. Enjoying events such as K'amba Carnival with family and friends is a good start, especially which temperature predictions are for single digits.

Mr. Speaker, to pull this event off it requires ingenuity, dedication, and countless hours by a dedicated community and group of volunteers. The impact K'amba Carnival has on the Katl'odeeche First Nations spills over into the town of Hay River where it generates much excitement. The people of Katl'odeeche First Nation and Hay River look forward to this event as not only great entertainment and fun for all but recognition that spring and warmer weather is just around the corner.

Mr. Speaker, this year's events will include a children's talent show, crowning of the K'amba Carnival Queen, Prince, and Princess, the $10,000 bingo, drum dance, adult talent show that includes singing and jigging. And, of course, the highly coveted dog races.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself, the MLA for Hay River North, and all Hay River residents, I would like to send a big shout out to the Katl'odeeche First Nation, the K'amba Carnival committee, and the many volunteers that are making this year's event a reality. I encourage all of you here to drive or fly to Hay River this weekend and enjoy some of the events taking place. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my statement last November about the Territorial Police Service Agreement, I talked about an aspect of that agreement called the contract management committee. The Minister of Justice explained that the contract management committee is a national-level group that supports information sharing and collaboration among provinces and territories, the public safety, Canada, and the RCMP.

The NWT is represented on that committee by the assistant deputy minister solicitor general branch of the NWT. While that may sound good on paper, this is not what I was hoping to hear.

Mr. Speaker, there are some innovative ways that jurisdictions have developed to make the RCMP more accountable. For example, in 2010 Yukon's government initiated a review of the Yukon's police force, which took several years, but the outcome was very positive for their citizens and it helped restore some trust in the RCMP. Among the recommendations are the establishment of the Yukon Police Council consisting of seven members, three of whom are nominated by first nations and is chaired by the deputy minister of Justice. Another was to change the RCMP staffing process to incorporate community participation in the selection of the detachment commander. Another recommendation was for the RCMP to create and staff a position titled "professional standards" who assists RCMP to provide a thorough investigation of complaints and timely resolutions for all complaints.

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe the commanding officer of the NWT RCMP is doing enough to connect and communicate with community leadership. From what I've heard and experienced in my past role as Chief of the Salt River First Nation, there does not seem to be a strong working relationship between the RCMP and the community leadership.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the other day in answering one of my questions, the Minister of Justice stated he did not have significant concerns about the transparency and accountability of the RCMP. I find that statement concerning because I know of many people across the NWT who feel differently. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

There are people who feel intimidated and unsafe when engaging with police for various reasons. People of colour and Indigenous people are routinely racially profiled for crimes they haven't even committed, yet they are always the suspects by police. Victims of sexual assault are re-traumatized, undermined, or simply not believed by police when they report crimes. There are people who don't bother calling police in actual emergencies because they either simply don't come or they arrive late after the situation is over.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on but, clearly, there are major gaps between policing and both average citizens and community leadership alike. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the invasion in late February, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has not only dominated the news but the hearts and mind of many people within the Northwest Territories and worldwide. Our prayers go out to the people of Ukraine who are caught in the crossfires of this conflict.

Mr. Speaker, we are witnessing a global response to the crisis from economic sanctions, air traffic directives, sporting bans, protests responding to Russia's actions, and at the same time donations, volunteers, and an outpouring of support towards the Ukraine.

A few days ago, the NWT Liquor and Cannabis Commission removed products of Russian origin from its shelves while the federal government just announced an intention to ban imports of crude oil from Russia. Why does this affect us, Mr. Speaker? Two words: Arctic security.

Mr. Speaker, we all know we share Arctic waters with Russia. They are our circumpolar neighbours. Inuvik has the most northern military base in the Northwest Territories. With full federal support, Inuvik has even increased the airport runway for the use by CFA teams to support Canadian sovereignty in the North and NORAD obligations.

Recently, news articles have shown Russian interest in Canadian jurisdiction. There are reports of submarines in the Arctic Ocean and, just recently, a plane was grounded with Russian nationals in it.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the GNWT does not manage Canada's Arctic border security or the national defence but the GNWT does have a responsibility to liaise with the federal government and convey information to the public. I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last year Cabin Radio reported on allegations of unsafe conditions and mismanagement at the sobering centre. I asked then WSCC minister about the centre's inspection frequency went and how the allegations would be addressed. Minister Thompson responded that there had been seven contractor-initiated inspections since 2019 in response to incident reports, and that there were no outstanding issues with the sobering centre.

Mr. Speaker, this was in stark contrast to what a then employee described after contacting my office. It was surprising to me that the centre was only being inspected when the contractor identified a problem as it's across the street from WSCC. Private companies are subjected to random inspections yet an operation serving our must vulnerable during a pandemic doesn't warrant the same attention?

When asked about measures being taken to investigate the allegations, the Minister put the onus back on minimum-wage employees to raise issues under the Safety Act to their employer. One year later and the RFP to operate the centre has been issued late, causing a six-month gap as the current contractor declines to extend, something HSS says they learned of recently, with no explanation for such poor planning.

Last year it was asked if the issues raised by the whistleblowers would be investigated and at that time Minister Green said, and I quote, "I want to assure you that this matter is being taken seriously and is being actively investigated by the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority." However, a year later, we find out from media that the authority in fact did no such thing and instead asked RCMP to investigate the whistleblowers against whom no charges were ultimately laid.

The Minister knew we wanted the concerns investigated but looked to punish those brave enough to speak instead. This government talks about informed decisionmaking and change but instead chooses to punish those who raise the alarm. My own time in Cabinet is a good example.

Mr. Speaker, how much is this reactive response going to cost us? How much is it going to cost our vulnerable sector as services are disrupted and shifted?

The Minister says that service levels will be maintained and monitored with the ability to expand capacity if required. But how will she know if the onus is on employees to come forward with issues to their employer? WSCC doesn't think it's their role to proactively monitor but only react when the operator reports something. And now that the operator is the WSCC Minister's colleague, how much will they be really held to task again when issues are raised? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are always talking about connection - connection between economic and social success, culture and climate, and people. Small world stories with roots in the North are my favorite, and I love to learn of the familiar connections between colleagues, constituents, and Northerners. The North is vast in land but small in personal connection.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is frustrating that the government upholds a policy that dismisses the connections that exist across our territory and our reliance on one another. The Housing Corporation community to residency policy requires an NWT resident to live in a community for a predetermined number of months before they can add their name to the public housing waitlist. A waitlist, Mr. Speaker.

If implementing the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, the MMIWG Calls for Justice, and the TRC Calls to Action are a priority of this government, then they need to flip policies and ask if the unintended consequences are justifiable.

The community residency policy violates the TRC's section 1 Call to Action, To enable aboriginal communities and child welfare organizations to keep aboriginal families together where it is safe to do so and to keep children in culturally appropriate environments regardless of where they reside.

MMIWG's Call for Justice 1.1, We call upon all governments to ensure that equitable access to basic rights such as employment, housing, education, safety, and healthcare.

Call for Justice 4.1, All governments must immediately ensure that Indigenous peoples have access to safe housing.

Call for Justice 12.4, We call on all governments to prohibit the apprehension of children on the basis of poverty and cultural bias.

In the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 21, Indigenous peoples have the right, without discrimination, to the improvement of their economic and social conditions.

Mr. Speaker, I speak about this policy often in the House. In response, the housing Minister identified the following reasons for maintaining this policy:

1. People from across Canada will come sit on our waitlist.

People are not going to flood the NWT to come join our housing crisis, Mr. Speaker.

2. Our waitlist will be skewed.

Mr. Speaker, the government demands people who do not need housing put their names on a housing waitlist to access income assistance. So this issue of the housing waitlist is irrelevant.

3. Housing needs need to be addressed by specific community.

Housing is a NWT crisis. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apparently have a lot to say on this one.

3. Housing needs need to be addressed by specific community.

Housing is a NWT crisis, Mr. Speaker, not a community crisis, and if someone wants to move to self-determine their health, economic, or social sufficiency, then let them.

4. And finally, Mr. Speaker, the most popular response, is we have to be fair.

This policy is not fair. It keeps people from jobs, family, and autonomy. But even more jarring, Mr. Speaker, it prevents Northerners from accessing resources, prevents parents from leaving violent relationships, and jeopardizes a parent's ability to keep their children out of the child welfare system.

If the Housing Corporation needs to amend the point system it uses to allocate housing, then do that. But stop upholding a policy that limits a person's self-determination in health, economic, and social sufficiency through housing, because that is not fair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are some conflicting views on raising the minimum wage and what the minimum wage should be established. These views were well sought out in the minimum wage committee report, and if that was a public document people could see that debate but it's not, Mr. Speaker.

Some economists feel raising the minimum wage brings inflation while others say it actually helps the economy by increasing purchasing power of citizens.

However, Mr. Speaker, there's one thing we can all agree on, that the cost of living in the Northwest Territories is way too high and living on $15.20 an hour is more like struggling to survive, Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I am proud that in this House we raised the minimum wage and we now have the second highest minimum wage in Canada, and I think it is only appropriate that we have got the second highest minimum wage in Canada, considering we have the second highest cost of living, that we try to keep that place, Mr. Speaker.

During the pandemic, we topped all of our workers up to $18 an hour. We called them heros, and that support has now ended. But I hope that one day we can get those workers their raise back, Mr. Speaker. I propose we tie our minimum wage to inflation.

Manitoba already has inflationary increases. BC and Nova Scotia recently announced they are moving in this direction. The Yukon and Saskatchewan tie their minimum wage to the consumer price index, Mr. Speaker. I think it is the time that the NWT moves to tie the minimum wage to inflation or the consumer price index to make sure that workers don't fall behind once again. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. The GNWT has set a target of reducing its GHG emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. As we know, the NWT is heavily dependent on burning non-renewable fossil fuels to meet our transportation, space heating, and other needs. Switching to a renewably-sourced liquid fuel is an obvious way to lower our greenhouse gas output and, with it, our contribution to climate change. That's a key part of the plan that the Yukon government has developed.

Investigating those possibilities prompted the GNWT to commission a report by the Saskatchewan Research Council on biofuel substitution that was carried out in three phases.

The first phase, the council identified petroleum fuel demand and required specifications, possible sources for biofuel supplies, and explored processes and feedstocks for producing biofuels for use in the NWT. In the second phase, the potential greenhouse gas emission reductions and costs of three biofuel-use scenarios were explored. Finally, uses in other jurisdictions were investigated and the steps required to implement a pilot project in the Northwest Territories were identified.

The study concluded that although there is a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through biofuels, availability and performance in Arctic conditions are an issue. But, if renewable diesel is technically feasible, it could reduce GHG emissions by 541 kilotonnes at a cost of $62 million per year, more than the 517 kilotonne reduction of the entire 2030 Energy Strategy, and over twice the stated impact of Taltson Expansion at a fraction of the cost.

The federal clean fuel standard will require liquid fuel suppliers to gradually reduce the carbon intensity of the fuels they produce and are designed to support the use of renewable liquid fuels in Canada. The standard could be used to encourage the production of Arctic-grade renewable diesel by providing extra incentives.

So where do we go from here, Mr. Speaker?

The GNWT study recommends two actions. First, a pilot during the summer months to confirm that equipment and infrastructure are compatible with renewable diesel blends. And second, a cold weather test of the performance of diesel fuels. I'll have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure later today on next steps in testing biofuels in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take the opportunity today to congratulate Yellowknife South constituent Margaret Henderson on being the recipient of the MACA Outstanding Elder Volunteer of the Year Award for 2021.

It was obvious from the words on her nomination form as to all the reasons she should be the recipient of this year's award, with examples of hard work that she has contributed to the Food Rescue Yellowknife since it began back in 2008.

I'd like to echo the praise we heard yesterday from the Minister of MACA acknowledging Ms. Henderson's contribution from the very earliest days of the organization leading to it becoming the robust organization that Food Rescue is today. So, Mr. Speaker, congratulations to Marg, and thank you to her for all the work that she does putting into food security and stainability for the people of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my wife Helen Edjericon. She's also working on her master of education, and she also received a scholarship for her master program. My wife, Helen Edjericon.

Thank you. Welcome to the House. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to recognize our two interpreters from Inuvik - Lillian Elias and Valerie Stefansson. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. I'd like to welcome everyone in the Chamber today, especially our interpreters, just reminded me, I was asked yesterday to remind Members to speak slowly. There's a couple in here that I won't name but just be mindful of the interpreters. They were struggling the last couple days with some of us, and just keep that in mind. But welcome, Ms. Edjericon. It's always good to have family support for our Members in the Chamber. Mahsi Cho. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I rise to acknowledge the passing of Eva Henderson at 96. Eva came here in 1974 with her husband and family. A registered nurse, she worked at Stanton Hospital and helped establish Yellowknife home care services. She was the founding and lifetime member of the Northwest Territories Nursing Association. In later years, she ran a bed and breakfast with husband Eric. Eva's vivacious nature and ready smile will be missed, while her influence will be felt for years to come. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I questioned the Minister responsible for Infrastructure on rumors that a Russian-registered aircraft landed at the Yellowknife Airport. Since then, I've had people reach out to me, not only from the NWT but from across around Canada as well, some of whom were just looking for additional information, clarification, while others provided suggestions on what should be done with the aircraft and occupants, most of which I will not repeat here.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister clarify, in fact, whether or not the aircraft was Russian-registered and where did the flight originate from? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can advise our understanding is that the plane is registered to a company in Austria. The flight originated in Geneva, Switzerland. Until the Canadian Border Service met the plane here in Yellowknife and determined that the passengers were Russian nationals, there were no flags raised. Quyananni.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that confirmation. And with the nationality of the passengers being Russian, I guess what's the current status of both the passengers and the aircraft at this time? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Canada continues to gather the facts required to be able to make a determination on the next steps regarding these passengers. So Canada will also continue to hold the plane while the investigation is ongoing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the passengers were looking at going on expedition and given that, I just ask if the Minister's department was contacted by either the group or by any federal government agencies confirming that the plane had Russian nationals on it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was no knowledge of the expedition or contact with the Department of Infrastructure prior to the plane landing on Tuesday. I was disappointed with the lack of engagement, and I'm hopeful that they at least reached out to the Yellowknife First Nation or the Tlicho when accessing their traditional territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with what is taking place in the Ukraine, we need to talk about sovereignty protections and monitoring northern Canada. I also find it very disappointing that the federal government is not providing timely information that involves Russian nationals.

Can the Minister advise how her department will rectify this communication failure with the federal government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So once we opened the borders to tourists on March the 1st, our ability to be able to restrict access to the Northwest Territories has ended. It is now up to Canada to be able to determine whether the Russian nationals are allowed to stay in Canada. That's -- I can't say anything further as it is really out of our hands, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Justice provide any measurable data or evidence that demonstrates a positive benefit to the people of the Northwest Territories in relation to the increasing costs of policing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have the data at my fingertips. I'd be happy to get back to the Member with that information. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I talked about the government of the Yukon conducting a review of the Yukon police force. That review produced a final report, along with several recommendations for improving oversight to the RCMP and building trust with the public. The NWT could learn a thing or two from that work.

Has the Minister or the Justice department ever looked at the Yukon's police force review, and if so, have any of these recommendations been considered for the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I haven't read the report but when the Member brought it to my attention, I did have a brief look at it. The department is aware of the report, and one of the things about having a national body like the RCMP is that all jurisdictions share information and so the NWT does work especially closely with the Yukon and Nunavut. So that information is shared between the jurisdictions as well. So there is definitely an awareness of that report and its findings. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if he or the Department of Justice has ever considered conducting a review of the NWT police force like what has been done in the Yukon? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've just initiated that review. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, in 1999, the Yukon government created the Commanding Officer's (Yukon) First Nation Advisory Committee. It was created to foster a healthy and positive relationship between First Nations and the RCMP. That committee meets twice a year.

Has the Department of Justice ever considered or attempted to work with the Indigenous groups in the NWT to create a similar committee for the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The commanding officer of G-division also has an Indigenous advisory committee, and they meet biannually. It's made up of community members and elders.

Of course, people may remember the RCMP is also working with the Dene Nation on an innovative program that is well underway, that was announced last year. And the GNWT, the RCMP, and Salt River First Nation are working together to address some of the outstanding issues out of that jurisdiction. So there's lots of work underway. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, I would have questions for the Premier.

Can the Premier explain how the GNWT liaisons with the national defence in security efforts? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Canada takes the lead on international security and defence, including Arctic security. The Department of National Defence will respond to any military threat in the Arctic. Canada is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which supports security of member nations. Canada and the United States partner in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) with the goal of defending North America and protecting critical infrastructure in Canada and the States.

Last summer, they committed to modernizing our north warning system, of which we have seven in the Inuvialuit region.

Our security is a priority for the GNWT and for our Indigenous partners. It's a priority in our NWT chapter of the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, in fact. So we meet regularly with the joint task force here in the North. They regularly conduct exercises throughout the North that many of us are aware of. It includes the Canadian Armed Forces and Reserve members, including our Canadian Rangers.

We also participate in the Arctic Security Working Group where we share information and cooperation among federal and territorial government departments, including the national defence, the coast guard, the Canadian space agency, the RCMP, the United States military, as well as nongovernment organizations, academics, private sector, and other stakeholders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding of the Arctic Council, that Russia has now been made the chair on the last time that they met. So what role does the Arctic Council, which Russia currently is the chair, have in Arctic security and what tables are GNWT at in this or where any conversations taking place in this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Arctic Council is actually a forum for cooperation and collaboration on critical issues affecting the Arctic, but it doesn't include defence and security.

However, based on what's going on in the Ukraine, member countries, including Canada, have raised concerns about Russia's leadership of the Arctic Council and they're pausing participation on all meetings of the council at this time.

I also want to say that since this has been going on, I've met with the northern Premiers across the three territories. We all have concerns, and we've written a letter to our prime minister to request a meeting with him to discuss the Arctic security.

We've also requested that Arctic sovereignty be included in our next Council of Federation meeting, which happens this summer, and we want to be an agenda -- it needs to be a priority for all jurisdictions across Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I think in this House when it was raised yesterday that there was a Russian plane landing, you know, everybody kind of gets excited and we think for a while there, we're just watching it on TV but, you know, it's just over the ocean for us. It's just across the road or, some may say.

So does the Premier expect an increase of military presence in the NWT, especially around the coast in Inuvik now or in the near future, or is any of that discussion been happening? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's no doubt that our waters are opening up. We've known that for a while; we're watching it. Canada does acknowledge that the Arctic is becoming an international interest, and we've been having discussions on that and those will continue.

Right now in our discussions with Canada, there's no clear threat. The threat is on Ukraine. But we're going to continue to have the discussions, including the one with the prime minister that we've asked to meet with now. We need to ensure the security of Northerners.

But I also want to reinforce to the people of the Northwest Territories that we're going to have Russian tourists. We're going to have researchers. We're going to have explorers. We possibly will have family members of Russian residents that live in the NWT. The civilians of Russia are not the threat. So people need to realize that.

I've been watching the news, we've all been watching, and many Russian people are also not liking what's going on in the Ukraine. So don't blame all people. But I do want to reassure the residents, again, that the GNWT and our sister territories are aware of what's going on. We're watching closely, and we're working closely with the federal government to make sure that we protect our Arctic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for that. You know, I just wanted to bring it up in the House so that way, you know, our residents know kind of where we are as a territory in discussions or what's the threat and, as you said, there's no threat at this time, which is great news. And I'm glad that you mentioned the part where, you know, we don't -- we will have Russian families and tourists and people coming here. And, you know, I know better than a lot of people, like Indigenous people being targeted for just of who they are. And with COVID we found out -- you know, with COVID, we noticed that Asian-descent people were being targeted, you know, so more of just a thank you for your information, and I'm glad that -- you know, I'm glad I'm Canadian. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. I take that as a comment. Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

What are the ramifications of the six-month gap in the contractors for the sober centre? For example, will there be additional expense incurred by the GNWT? Is the department going to retain the dozens of employees from the centre to minimize the disruption to clients? Any information that we can get would be very helpful so I can reassure my constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member raising this issue so that I can provide some additional information.

The NWT Disabilities Council has been our partner in operating the day shelter and sobering centre for the last three years, since the centre opened in the fall of 2018. And they gave us notice on February the 24th that they did not want to take the six-month extension that we offered, and so they then went through the process of notifying their staff that they would be laid off.

The NTHSSA has already announced that they will be operating the day shelter and sobering centre from April the 1st onwards. There will be a change in a services where the downtown day shelter, the one that's on 50th Street, will be for sobering, particularly overnight, and that the other day shelter, the one that's located at the visitor centre site, will be for daytime use. So we don't expect any disruption in services there. There will be people to provide it. We're interested in providing opportunities to the disability council staff to work with us if they're interested in doing that. So our priority, of course, is to ensure that the homeless population has seamless services from us during the day and then over to the shelters at night, and that will continue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I actually think that's going to help some of my constituents at Norseman who complain of people leaving the day shelter and then wandering into their apartment building at night. So I'm happy to hear that.

Next, can the Minister -- or tell me if her and her department are willing to engage with the past and present employees of the sobering centre to ensure that their experience and their knowledge is being captured and retained in order to inform future operations but also to help with the award of the RFP? I think these are the people that are the most situated to know what maybe didn't work in the last contract, and perhaps they could help to inform the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the day shelter services were evaluated in 2019, and we learned a lot at that point and we were able to implement some of the changes before COVID arrived and turned everything upside down. The disabilities council was able to provide some innovative services, especially in the early going, where they provided a place for people to stay 24 hours a day, and that was very well received.

The employer here is the NWT Disabilities Council on contract with the NTHSSA, and I can certainly mention to the staff that it might be a good idea to connect with the staff generally. But we have to respect the fact that in this situation, the disability council is the employer so we can't just barge in there and start talking to people without their consent. But we are, of course, interested in the knowledge that the disability council and its staff have acquired in the last three years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister herself said that being in 2019 was pre-COVID, so I do think there is definitely some lessons to be learned and knowledge to be captured by following through on that, and I would ask that hopefully the Disabilities Council would work with the Minister and the department to provide some feedback.

My next question is it would only seem to me to be a retaliatory measure, why did the Minister ask the RCMP to investigate the whistleblowers? The Safety Act enshrines a worker's right to a safe workplace. How can this be honoured if workers are afraid to speak out for fear of RCMP investigations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I didn't review the information that was released, but I understand that it breached the privacy of the people about whom the information was collected and as a result of that breach of privacy, the matter was referred to the RCMP. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm concerned if -- or confused, actually. If the Minister is open to hearing feedback and response, then I'm quite surprised to hear that she never actually read what the whistleblowers had to say about the sobering centre. I did, and I actually spoke with them, and what was said to me was quite concerning.

So does the Minister commit to ensuring that her colleagues with WSCC have a more proactive inspection going forward with the new contractors such that we're not in this situation again in a year? Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the service provider going forward until the summer, when the new RFP will be awarded and a contractor in place, is the GNWT. So certainly Members are welcome to hold the GNWT to account for the operation, both of the temporary day shelter at the visitor centre site, and the one that's downtown. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of the Housing Corporation. I'm wondering if the Minister of the Housing Corporation will remove the community residency policy? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And currently with our strategy and our renewal and the review of the whole Housing Corporation, we will be looking at all policies within the corporation.

But looking at removing the residency requirements, I want to say that, you know, we have 33 local housing authorities that are operated by community members. Most of the hires are from the community as well too. They do have the authority within those local housing organizations, the boards, and the chair, to look at lifting those residency requirements depending on if they see that as an issue in their community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the opportunity to go and talk to all of the different LHOs and let them know how this policy is inadvertently affecting residents of the Northwest Territories. So will the Minister have that conversation with LHOs and remove the community residency policy from the Housing Corporation's policy network? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, in respect to the local housing authorities and how they manage our service contracts at the ground level, I'm in full support of whatever they decide. Myself coming from a smaller community, I see that, you know, residency does become an issue. I've had where I've experienced some residents moving back into the community that were out of the community for X number of years that decided to return. I've had people within -- that were sitting on the waitlist for seven years, three years, and the number goes on. We need to maintain fairness and consistency when delivering our programming. We also see the effects with our students returning back to the communities, incarcerated people returning back to the communities, and we have to be fair when we're allocating these units. But in respect, we do have residents that have been sitting on that waitlist for quite some time that end up with -- that do have medical issues as well. The applicants come with different needs throughout the Northwest Territories, and we try to work within the local housing authorities and supporting them when making these decisions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd love the opportunity to respond to each of those points, but I think you'd cut me off.

It sounds to me like what needs to happen is a reassessment of the priority point system that's allocated to residents whose names are on the waitlist so that all of these issues, that the Minister is stating that add to fairness, are the ones actually being evaluated.

So will the Minister remove the community residency policy and instead look at revising the point system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm open to a lot of different changes throughout the corporation. The Member has raised an issue that I see throughout the territory as well. And it could be something that's brought back. I'd like to bring that back to my department and look at that as well because we are under review of all policies throughout the territory. But like I had said, we need to maintain the fairness and consistency in our smaller communities respecting our service agreements that the boards and the chair people do provide for us on our behalf. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Kam Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I've been bringing this policy up in this House since February of 2020, and so I appreciate that the Minister's willing to go back and talk to the department and bring it back to me but after two years, my patience is wearing thin. So I just want the policy, really, to be reevaluated for what it is, because it isn't fair.

So I guess my next question for the Minister is how is it fair, then, if the Housing Corporation cannot stipulate how a waitlist is used however ECE can stipulate that anybody who wants access to income assistance must put their name on a housing waitlist even if they don't need housing? So I'm wondering why the discrepancy and when Housing Corporation can step in and when they can't. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have the conversation with my colleague as well in looking at that waitlist for income support. But I really want to stress that, you know, I hear what the Member is speaking about and it is an issue throughout the territory. But we have 2600 units throughout the Northwest Territories. We have a significant waitlist. The last number that I got a couple of years ago was 900 people on our waitlist. We don't have enough units to house every single person in the territory. That is why we need to maintain fairness and consistency with the policies that we do have.

But I will have this conversation with my department and really look at that point rating system as well too and how we could further accommodate people of the Northwest Territories. But I really want to emphasize one community, we could have 25 people on that waitlist, an additional 10 people coming back into the community -- I will bring that back to the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure who has lead responsibility for the 2030 Energy Strategy, and her department commissioned a recent research on biofuels in the NWT.

Now that we know the promise and the challenges that biofuels present, I'd like to know from the Minister what are the next steps and proposed timeline? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT recently commissioned a study on liquid biofuels, such as ethanol, bio diesel, and renewable diesel. The study found that there are significant challenges with ethanol and bio diesel in our old climate and our long-term storage requirements. The study did find that renewable diesel could be used as a diesel substitute in the Northwest Territories if the formula is right. However, right now, there is a limited international production of renewable diesel, and what is being produced is being sold under a contract and cannot be brought into open market. Once we get the renewable diesel that meets our cold climate requirements, we will attempt to get some -- perhaps to do a trial study. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. It's my understanding that there's quite a bit of unallocated money remaining from the federal Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund but that there's some conditions that prevent its use to fund trials.

Can the Minister tell us how much money is left to be allocated and whether her department will ask the federal government to permit use of these funds for trials of biofuels? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, and this is subject to change as we have our yearend numbers, there's approximately $2.7 million available under the GHG grant program for buildings and industry until March 2024.

Under our federal rules, LCELF funding cannot be used for operational expenses such as biofuels. We have asked the federal government if there's any flexibility, and they have responded that there is not.

We do track federal funding programs, and we will continue to look for a program that might find funding for this type of project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I'm happy to work with her to put some pressure on the feds.

So a significant portion of the carbon tax paid by large emitters goes to fund installation of greenhouse gas reduction infrastructure but switching to biofuels doesn't really require any infrastructure. And it's not clear what -- whether the retained carbon tax money set aside for GHG reductions can be used to purchase biofuels.

Can the Minister confirm whether any of the GNWT-retained carbon taxes and/or the large emitter trust funds can be used to purchase biofuels for testing and use in the NWT? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Finance administers the Large Emitter Grant Program. However, I do want to perhaps, with my colleague's permission, speak a bit about the program.

It is an application-based program that allows large emitters to receive grants up to the amount in their individual account for projects that reduce their GHG emissions at least 5 percent from the baseline business as usual. If a switch to biofuels from regular diesel will reduce GHG emissions by 5 percent on an ongoing basis, then the large emitter may apply for a grant for those costs of the switch. The cost of the liquid biofuels itself would not be an eligible cost.

The Large Emitter Grant Program does not include grants for research. However, if the research is applied and produces a 5 percent reduction in GHG emissions from the baseline, then large emitter may apply for a large emitter grant.

Retained carbon taxes going to general revenues and are allocated based on government priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. That's probably some of the best reasons I've ever heard to change the large emitter trust account and the policy around that. I talked to the Minister of Finance about it. She committed to review it. Nothing's changed. Nothing.

But I want to turn to the report on biofuels identified that 75 percent of the territory's emissions come from industry. I understand that De Beers is a large emitter, as a corporation has committed to carbon neutral by 2030. Yukon government is relying on biofuels as part of its climate change work. The feds are working on clean standards. There's a lot of things working together here. We just need to get our own government on board.

So can the Minister tell us whether there are any plans to partner with industry or other governments to conduct a trial of biofuels in the NWT? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We would gladly partner with industry for such a project. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, the availability of Arctic-grade product is a challenge. We understand that there are several renewable diesel refinery projects that are under development in Canada, and we hope this will lead to Arctic-grade renewable diesel becoming available for purchase soon. You know, when this happens, we'll be able to look to partners to be able to trial this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last minimum wage report was never made public, and I understand the Minister's position and he told the committee that the work they would do would remain confidential. But I understand that we're now looking at reviewing the minimum wage again. And I just don't want to be standing here at that time asking that question once again.

So can the Minister speak to what the process is going forward for the next minimum wage review? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Generally what happens is every two years the minimum wage committee is struck, and it does a review of the environment in the territory and produces some recommendations for the Minister in regards to the minimum wage. The department mentioned to me that they were embarking on that process again and I said, just wait. I'm not sure if that's the route I want to go.

The committee does a lot of great work, and I appreciate the work the members put in but, you know, given the criticism by the Members about that process, I might be taking a different approach. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm sure the Minister will keep us apprised of his different approach.

One of the things I would really like the Minister to look into is tieing our minimum wage to inflation. I know we have the second highest right now, but we're kind of in a tie with Yukon and BC and it looks like Yukon's going to pass us on April 1 when inflation goes up. And so we're kind of in this constant battle where we have a political choice to raise the minimum wage as opposed to many jurisdictions who just automatically raise it with inflation. Is pegging the minimum wage to the consumer price index or an inflationary measure something the Minister is willing to do? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven't done that in the past, and I don't want to speak for the previous Ministers, but when I was elected, that year minimum wage was $10. I've only been here six years. So it went from $10 up to $15.20 in a relatively short amount of time. So we far outstripped the rises to CPI or inflation. And so we haven't been in a position where we would want to do that. You know, if this is seen as adequate right now, this minimum wage, then it would make sense to tie it to the CPI. But I'm not sure if this is adequate. You know, there needs to be a bit more analysis. So am I willing to look at that? Yes, we always look at that. The minimum wage committee has traditionally looked at that. But it's just one factor that we have to consider. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier that we lost the wage top-up program which brought many workers up to $18 an hour, and then I think this year we are going to see one of the highest inflations Canadians have seen in years, and the cost of living is not getting any cheaper in the North. I just worry that, you know, we in the NWT are heading down a path where making a living wage is just getting harder and harder for other people.

Can the Minister speak to what plans the department has to ensure that NWT workers are making a decent wage that, you know, keeps the pace of the cost of living and inflation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that responsibility is not mine alone. That is -- really all of government needs to work to ensuring that. We need to ensure that we have an adequate housing stock so that the rents are affordable. We need to ensure that, you know, our economy is robust so people can find jobs. So the minimum wage, people have to remember, it's a minimum standard. You know, this is an employee's market in the Northwest Territories. Our wages, on average, are much higher than the minimum wage. It's a very small proportion of the population, and a young portion of the population, that is making minimum wage. So minimum wage is not the tool to get to a living wage. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table Sharing Common Ground - Review of Yukon's Police Force - Final Report on Implementation, May 2014. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 23, 29, and 38; Minister's Statement 202-19(2); Tabled Document 561, 567, 578, 579-19(2), with Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes in the chair.

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I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023, with Education, Culture and Employment and Justice. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and start with the first, ECE.

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I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023, and we are on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Does the Minister wish to bring witnesses in?

Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. I do wish to bring in my witnesses.

Okay. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses in to the Chamber. Thank you.

Welcome back, deputy minister MacDonald and ADM Mr. Saturnino. And we are going to continue on where we left off yesterday under income security.

Member for Monfwi, I had cut you off due to the time. You still have five minutes left. Did you have questions under income security, or? You did, okay; I just got to fix the clock. There. You ready?

Member for Monfwi, you can continue on under income security.

Okay, yesterday I was saying about the income support and, okay, the Indigenous students, they get -- they're eligible for basic and supplementary. And I was saying there, I said a lot of students are saying that the funding that they get, it's not enough. So a lot of them are saying they're going -- they're applying for the repayable loan. And so when they do that, they are -- they were told that they have to pay, like the full amount. And it's not -- they don't like it. They would like -- some of them were saying that it would be nice if it was the same as the remissible loan where they can pay half, because a lot of them live in outlying communities, in the small communities. And if they don't get a job right away, then what SFA or the ECE does is they send their file to the collection, to the collection department. They didn't even start their life or doesn't even have a job, now right away at the beginning when they're just starting their credit is already ruined because of the collections. So lot of them -- is there any way that we can change that within the policy or the SFA can -- the department look into that by, you know, part of the renewal policy?

Thank you, Member. Minister of ECE.

Yes, thank you. Yes, as we look at SFA and, you know, how we want to improve the program, we can look at things like that. You know, there's always considerations. You know, we have to follow the rules in other legislation and there's other financial-related legislation that might be requiring us to do certain things but, you know, with the review, I want to ensure that we are developing a program that is responsive to the needs and the circumstances of all residents. And if those residents are in small communities and they have different circumstances that require perhaps some -- a different way of doing things, then we want to look at that. So I appreciate the Member bringing it to my attention. Thank you.