Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee's report was read into the record yesterday, Tuesday, March 29th, 2022.

For the past year, the Standing Committee on Social Development has been conducting our statutory review of the Child and Family Services Act. This has been very difficult, personal and emotional work, Mr. Chair, but it is also very important work, vital work, and work I am proud to have been a part of.

I want to thank all Members of the Standing Committee and all other Members who contributed to our work. We are stronger when we work together, and I believe we have achieved much more than any of us could have achieved working alone.

More importantly, Mr. Chair, I want to thank the residents who took the time and made the effort to share their raw-lived experience and insight with us. By listening to their stories, experiences and expertise, we, as a committee and as individuals, were able to better understand the impacts of our child and family services system on those who are most affected by it.

NWT children and youth are talented, unique, and powerful. It was important to committee that the voices of residents with lived-experience, especially children and youth, be center in this work. Their words, alongside committee recommendations, can be found throughout the final report. If, as a government, we want to do better, we must commit to hearing from and acting on behalf of those most affected by our decisions and actions.

Finally, and most importantly, Mr. Chair, I want to thank the children and youth in the territory who shared courageously with the committee. We hear you. We respect you. We value you. From you, we learn and take your lead. We hope you see your thoughts, insights, and brilliance reflected within the report and its recommendations.

Mr. Chair, when the committee began its review of the Child and Family Services Act, we focused the scope of our review on prevention strategies. This is only a small part of the overall child and family services system. And even though many of our recommendations are rooted in programs and services, we felt prevention was the strongest route for change to keep NWT families together.

The recommendations of the report, which we will have the opportunity to discuss today, focus on prevention, early intervention and targeted supports, and are informed by feedback provided to committee through our engagement process.

Mr. Chair, all children are sacred. Over 98 percent of children and youth in care in the NWT are Indigenous, even though just 57 percent of the population of children and youth are Indigenous in the territory.

The committee dedicated a significant portion of its discussions to cultural continuity and the vital role culture plays in individual and community wellness in every one of our 33 communities.

As a committee, we recognize that true change is dependent on more than one government department. So we call on champions at all levels of governments, Indigenous governments and groups, non-governmental organizations and allies, to work together to provide a broader continuum of care, including supports and resources for all children and youth across the NWT.

Individual Members may have comments on the report, and I would like to thank the committee for their intimate and passionate work on this report. Thank you, Mr. Chair.