Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Mr. Speaker, as housing Minister, one of my main goals was to strengthen and develop partnerships and relationships. Now, as we come to the end of this Legislative Assembly, it is evident that partnerships have played a crucial role in our success. One of our most important relationships, of course, is with the Government of Canada. We have a number of programs and new projects that would not be possible without this partnership.

Mr. Speaker, in the past four years I have met with federal Minister Hussen, Minister responsible for Housing, Diversity and Inclusion; and Minister Vandal, Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, on several occasions, most recently with the new Minister responsible for Housing, Diversity and Inclusion, Minister Sean Fraser. I have also engaged on several occasions with the Northwest Territories Member of Parliament Michael McLeod and Member of Parliament, Mr. Chad Collins who is the chair of the national housing caucus.

Mr. Speaker, it is through these engagements with federal officials that we have the opportunity to outline and highlight the need for federal support to improve the housing situation.

Housing NWT staff have also been very engaged with their colleagues in the federal government, and it is through these partnerships that we have been very successful in securing resources for the North.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister responsible for Housing NWT, I am proud to say that through our partnership and relationships over the life of the 19th Legislative Assembly, over $600 million in federal funding has been announced to support housing priorities across the Northwest Territories.

We recently announced another partnership project with the City of Yellowknife at the Aspen Apartments. Through this partnership with the city and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Housing NWT has a budget of approximately $5 million under the cities stream of CMHC's Rapid Housing 3 Initiative for safety upgrades and other required renovations. This project allows Housing NWT to acquire and modernize the Aspen Apartments, a 36-unit building, which will further increase our number of owned public housing units in Yellowknife while freeing up leased units for private market rental needs.

Approximately a year ago, Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT assumed full ownership of the Nordic Arms apartment building in Yellowknife. With assistance from Canada, we were able to complete necessary upgrades and other renovations for the building so that public housing tenants could move in safely.

Housing NWT has worked hard over the life of this government to increase its stock of quality, energy-efficient, and affordable housing for those most in need. With the Aspen Apartments and Nordic Arms, these buildings, Housing NWT is delivering its commitment to be innovative and provide sustainability.

In addition to these projects, we are also supporting the low-income households through the Canada-NWT's housing benefit, a monthly subsidy up to $800 for families to cover rental costs. Any household paying more than 30 percent of their gross income on rent can receive this benefit with the eligibility being able to stay in the program for up to two years.

Mr. Speaker, the Canada-NWT housing benefit is entering its third year, and I cannot speak highly enough of this program. Housing NWT's mandate is to increase the well-being of individuals and communities by providing fair access to quality housing supports for people who need it the most. The Canada-NWT housing benefit just does this by providing much-needed financial assistance to house people who are otherwise unable to afford it. Our staff have heard very positive feedback from community members who have accessed this funding. It is programming that allows residents to breathe at ease and save a little bit more.

Mr. Speaker, the accomplishments outlined today are only some of the most recent announcements of federal investment made over the life of this government. I am encouraged that through both mine and the department's partnership with the federal government and our colleagues throughout Canada, we have prioritized the Northwest Territories' housing needs and delivered by approving a wide range of projects under the National Co-investment Program, the Rapid Housing Program, and the Reaching Home Program.

Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT acknowledges and celebrates how much this government and the Government of Canada has prioritized our housing needs as we continue to advocate for further supports through our recommendations to enhance and allocate funding through the national housing strategy and the urban renewal and northern Indigenous housing strategies that are being led by the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, during my conversations with the federal Ministers, I have made it clear that we would also be in support of funding going directly to Indigenous governments to support Indigenous housing for the North. And as outlined previously this session, this was indeed a huge success.

Mr. Speaker, this is significant federal funding that will continue to support and to increase affordable housing units throughout the North, additional market housing units, and repair opportunities also for private homeowners. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, substance abuse continues to challenge residents, family, friends and communities in the Northwest Territories. The health and social services system has a range of options to help Northerners recover their health and well-being. I am going to summarize a few of those options that have taken shape in the 19th Assembly.

An approach called Stepped Care 2.0 has transformed the community counselling program by offering same-day or drop-in support, resulting in a 79 percent decrease in wait times. Community counsellors can also help residents gain access to more specialized services such as facility-based addictions treatment.

Mr. Speaker, we now have six facility-based addictions treatment programs. The department has recently contracted Sunrise Healing Lodge in Calgary to provide culturally-safe, recovery-oriented, and person and family-centered services. Sunrise Lodge responds to the request from residents for an Indigenous-led treatment option.

Even before individuals return from addictions treatment, the community counselling program offers aftercare planning and support. This is part of our response to the 2022 Auditor General's recommendations to improve addictions services.

Mr. Speaker, we understand that the availability of safe, sober, housing close to home is another important component of support to individuals in their recovery. The department is taking steps to establish community-based transitional housing options in four different communities. Work is progressing well in Inuvik and Yellowknife. The next step is to work program delivery costs into the next budget.

The department also continues to support the delivery of a managed alcohol program in Yellowknife. This program began during the pandemic as part of a comprehensive system of support for people living with addictions. This program takes a harm reduction approach by providing participants with a set dose of beverage alcohol in a safe setting, limiting intoxication levels and the consumption of non-beverage alcohol. The program is delivered in combination with housing, health care, counselling, and life skills.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the leadership role Indigenous governments and community organizations have in delivering addictions recovery supports. Following a request from them, the department recently merged three existing funds into one. This combined fund will help reduce the administrative burden on Indigenous governments while providing them with more flexibility in determining the types of programs needed in their communities and how they will be funded.

I am pleased with the direction that our work is taking and the supports available to NWT residents, yet I recognize there is still more to do.

We are planning for a combined community counselling satisfaction and addictions recovery survey for early next year. This combined survey will seek feedback on people's experiences with all the available NWT addictions recovery supports and services, including the types of supports they used, any challenges or barriers they encountered, and what needs to be improved.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by discussing the ongoing dialogues initiated between myself, the department, and Indigenous governments. Our primary objective has been to enhance our collective efforts in addressing the addiction recovery requirements of NWT residents. I deeply appreciate these exchanges and their influence on shaping our course of action. Our shared goal is to help residents, and I firmly believe that the most effective solutions can be achieved through working together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I want to focus on the Government of the Northwest Territories' in accomplishments in road, air, and marine transportation during this 19th Assembly.

Enhancing our all-season highway system has been a top priority. In November 2021, the GNWT opened the Tlicho Highway for traffic for the first time, adding to the territory's roster of all-season highways. This 97 kilometre all-season road was advanced in partnership with the Tlicho government and will reduce the cost of living in the region.

The GNWT is also nearing completion of the phase 1 of the Prohibition Creek Access Road just south of Norman Wells. This 6.7 kilometre all-season road along the existing Mackenzie Valley winter road alignment is expected to be substantially complete in the fall of 2023. Not only is the construction of this all-season road making our transportation system more resilient to climate change and providing access to recreational opportunities, it is also providing employment and training opportunities for Sahtu residents in advance of the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway Project.

Advancing the Mackenzie Valley Highway and the Slave Geological Province Corridor are two projects that are at the forefront of our mandate commitment to make strategic infrastructure investments. We have established partnerships with the Indigenous governments and the Indigenous organizations and have undertaken significant work to prepare the developer's assessment report which is required for this Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment. We continue to be on track for submission of the report during the life of this government.

As for the Slave Geological Province Corridor, we have also established relationships with Indigenous governments and undertaken work required to inform the future regulatory application of the proposed Lockhart All-Season Road, the first segment of this corridor.

Along with building new roads, the GNWT continually invests in existing highway infrastructure. This fiscal year, we have invested $62.8 million in highway, bridge, culvert planning, design and construction, to more than 195 kilometres of highways, bridges, culverts, and access roads.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is responsible for operating and maintaining 27 public airports in the territory, especially vital in our communities without year-round road access. In this fiscal year alone, we are investing $40 million in airport improvement projects, including several improvements to the Mike Zubko Airport in Inuvik. At our busiest and largest airport, we continue to advance Yellowknife's 20-year master plan, which will guide the airport's growth and development.

In 2022, we also selected a new board for the revitalization of the Yellowknife Airport Economic Advisory Committee, which provides strategic advice on the issues and future business decisions to the airport's management, GNWT senior management, and Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, waterways like the Mackenzie River and Great Slave Lake have long been essential transportation routes to move people along and essential goods to the North. Marine Transportation Services and fuel service division staff did a tremendous amount of planning this year to give us the best chance for a successful sailing season. Even with the best laid plans, significant challenges arose across the season, including two evacuations of staff and contractors from Hay River and low water levels across the Mackenzie River. These low water levels have caused us to adjust our sailing schedules, regrettably cancel the third and final supply trip to Norman Wells and Tulita, and pivot to a hybrid model to move cargo and fuel to the communities. Marine Transportation Services staff have been quick to problem solve in support of the essential supply to northern communities.

Speaking of marine accomplishments made by this government, I am happy to say work on the Hay River Harbour Restoration Project is ongoing. To create an emergency navigational channel for vessels, the GNWT is removing approximately 84,000 cubic metres of sediment from the Hay River harbour. Work is expected to be complete on October 7th.

As evidenced in the recent evacuations and re-entries of the NWT communities, the importance of access and transport by air, road, and water is paramount. The GNWT continues to invest in our road, air, and marine transportation infrastructure to improve the quality of life, lower the cost of living for residents, and support the expansion and diversification of the economy. But our success hinges on the hard work of the staff across the territory, including those involved in the safe evacuation and return of residents this month. Their efforts are greatly appreciated. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, when we started the 19th Legislative Assembly, Members put forward, as one of its priorities, ensuring that government procurement maximizes benefits for Northwest Territories' residents and businesses. We knew that procurement policies had not been meaningfully updated for several years, and we wanted to make sure we were getting as much value out of every dollar as we could.

In January 2021, I appointed an independent advisory panel to engage with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, elected leaders, the business community, stakeholders and residents, on government procurement. In June 2021, the panel completed its engagement and provided a comprehensive report including 50 recommendations. The panel's report, as well as our discussions since with Members of the Legislative Assembly, residents, businesses, and Indigenous governments, has informed work by the departments of Industry, Tourism and Investment; Finance; and Executive and Indigenous Affairs, to fulfill our mandate commitment.

The report on the review of GNWT procurement policies and practices, including the Business Incentive Policy , P3 projects, and the Northern Manufactured Products Policy, the report presents a carefully formulated plan for improving government procurement to maximize benefits for Northwest Territories residents and businesses. Additionally, the report includes data that demonstrates that the number of government contracts awarded to Northwest Territories businesses has increased over the past three years.

Mr. Speaker, government procurement and contracting is a major source of economic activity throughout the territory, and our residents and businesses should benefit from this as much as possible while balancing the need to ensure projects are undertaken in a timely and fiscally responsible manner. One key tool to try and achieve that balance is by incentivizing contractors who commit to using local and Northwest Territories labour and buying Northwest Territories goods with a benefit in the form of an adjustment to the bidding process, which is why we have introduced a Vendor Performance Management Policy that holds contractors accountable for these commitments.

The policy provides that Government of the Northwest Territories, with tools needed to accurately assess, monitor, and enforce vendor performance consistently across all government departments and Housing NWT. This will first start with the monitoring and enforcement of obligations made under the Business Incentive Policy.

Mr. Speaker, we must also find and put into practice real practical solutions and give Indigenous businesses support to maximize their opportunities for growth. We are working with Indigenous governments through the modern treaty and self-government partners and the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders so the Northwest Territories can become a leading example of how to achieve economic growth amongst one of the fastest growing cohorts of business in Canada, that of Indigenous-led businesses.

With a unified set of modernized procurement objectives and principles, and a framework to monitor and enforce refreshed procurement tools, we are now set to capitalize on this stronger foundation. These ongoing efforts will help make government procurement more transparent and better able to maximize benefits for Northwest Territories companies while ensuring a balance between value for public dollars and maintaining as much public money as possible stays in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've spoken in this House many times about the vital importance of equitable and accessible health care provided by supported health care workers. Canadians en masse are working to access health care. They are waiting for elective surgeries, access to specialists, testing, and treatment requirements of cancers, chronic disease, and STIs, and a surge in addiction and mental health support needs. In addition, special treatment programs like audiology, speech pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy appointments put off over the pandemic further bottleneck our already fragile health care system. The catch-up, Mr. Speaker, will take years, and some national experts speculate that the Canadian health care system may never catch up under its status quo approach.

Here in the NWT, we're even farther behind with reliance on Alberta's health care system and the fact that many of our existing health care workers are practicing through a scope much more narrow than their southern colleagues.

Pharmacists in southern provinces can prescribe some medications or adapt a prescription to suit the needs and reactions of a patient, give injections like vaccines or flu shots, or work with patients to sort out medication amounts, or recommend alternatives. My concerns about the limitation of dental hygienists are long-documented in this Assembly as well as their importance to preventative care and long-term impacts on the health and wellness of residents. And, third, Mr. Speaker, many Northerners are still delivering babies far from home and without their support system. Many families stop work early to leave their home community to travel for the arrival of a little one. This means less income, removal from the safety of their community and support system where they will potentially deliver without their partner, potentially be left with no support for older children, and then expected to travel home with a brandnew baby. Work on implementing the midwifery program and expanding access to doulas need to continue.

Mr. Speaker, our health care system has a regulatory backlog, and I believe that by working to expand the scope of some health care professionals, we can alleviate even some of the demand on our system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for my statement today I want to revisit a topic that I have spoken about many times during the 19th Assembly, and that subject is the Affirmative Action Policy.

Mr. Speaker, I know That the Minister of finance just tabled a What We Heard report last week regarding the government's review of the Affirmative Action Policy. I understand that the report concluded that the Government of the Northwest Territories should repeal affirmative action and replace it with a new policy that prioritizes the hiring of Indigenous people connected to the NWT first; and, then priorities all Indigenous Canadians at large.

Well, Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to state plainly and clearly that I welcome all Indigenous people that were not born in the NWT but are living and working across the territory today. These individuals are most welcome. The point I am getting at here, Mr. Speaker, is that with any repeal and replacement of the Affirmative Action Policy, the government must keep in mind several key aspects of the policy as well as the original intent on whom the policy was meant to serve. Those were Priority 1s, 2s and 3s.

Mr. Speaker, I have always cared deeply about the health and well-being and advancement of Indigenous people, but I also care about non-Indigenous people. And within the existing Affirmative Action Policy, non-Indigenous people who were either born within the NWT and who live in the NWT more than half of their life will qualify under the policy. That is an aspect of the policy I have always been in favour of and will continue to be in favour of. However, in the future when a policy is initiated and made official, I hope it will consider any person who has lived at least ten years or more within the Northwest Territories and that secondary priority hiring will be provided to them.

Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, priority hiring in the NWT comes down to human resources doing their job right. Managers and hiring teams cannot continue to hire their friends or their family members. The appeal board also needs to be a neutral, fair, ethical, and transparent body that is approachable by the average person.

I could go on, Mr. Speaker, but I will leave it at that for now and hopefully the next Assembly, if I do return to this House, I will continue to address this topic down the road. I will have questions for the Minister of finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, on August 28th, 2023, the day of our emergency sitting among the wildfire crisis, I introduced a Private Member's public bill, An Act to Amend the Emergency Management Act. The bill passed second reading that day and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations. The purpose of the bill is to require the GNWT coordinate its emergency response activities with Indigenous governments affected by the emergency.

Mr. Speaker, requiring the GNWT to coordinate its emergency response with Indigenous governments should not require a law. It should be a given. Unfortunately, this has not been the experience of Indigenous governments. Due to a lack of coordination by the Government of the Northwest Territories with Indigenous governments during the evacuation of Yellowknife, Indigenous people, many with language barriers and unique needs, were uprooted to cities in the south in which no one knew their language or knew how best to help them with their unique needs. This has led to our most vulnerable populations at risk, such as elders, the homeless, and those struggling with addictions. This does not reflect well on this government.

Indigenous governments and organizations asked to be involved from the start and were told no. This has to change. Decisions about Indigenous people must be made by the Indigenous people, not by the Government of the Northwest Territories alone.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a letter from the Standing Committee on Government Operations. They stated they recognize there are many problems with the Emergency Management Act. They also shared my dismay at the gap in support for some Indigenous evacuees and disruption of essential services for non-evacuated communities. The committee believes Indigenous government needs to be engaged as true partners in emergency management at all stages. I agree. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Sorry about that; I thought I had enough time to just conclude. But while I am disappointed that committee has not to proceed with the bill because they said there is not enough time to study the bill, they indicated this work should be a priority for the 20th Legislative Assembly. I call on all my colleagues in the next Legislative Assembly to support this important work to ensure this avoidable tragedy never happens again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few observations of Housing NWT that I would like to share with the House, and it helps to ease my mind for the time being.

Housing of residents is a major issue for all communities in the Northwest Territories, whether it be in the city, regional centres, or the smaller communities. Equally, and perhaps more important, are the isolated communities in the Beaufort region - Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk.

I can only imagine the mental health of a tenant when they are evicted from a housing rental unit, have no place to stay, and most of these people have families. This is prevalent across the vast Northwest Territories. Yet, the housing minister has not reached out nor visited these communities enough to truly understand their housing issues and to offer some kind of comfort and possible concrete solutions.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government offers the housing program with 100 percent dollars for Indigenous housing. That program is the Rapid Housing initiative. When this program rolled out in November 2021, there was a very short window to get the applications in. 30 days. I guess many of the communities in the territory didn't have the capacity to fill in the applications and to do it within that very short time period. Many communities were challenged with human resources and missed the golden opportunity for free housing. On top of it all, the federal government kept silent and sent out letters rather than make a huge announcement of an initiative that would have, at the very least, solved most housing shortages, including to the Beaufort region.

The Central Mortgage and Housing corporation, CMHC, has an office in Yellowknife but may as well be back in this Ottawa since no one knows of their existence in the North and what role they can play in addressing our dire housing needs.

When I had conversations with the CMHC representative regarding the initiative, they would not provide me with any information as they state it is all confidential. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi, colleagues. It is ironic the Rapid Housing initiative is a confidential program while spending public dollars.

I also had conversations with the Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, CIRNAC, regional director which, like the conversation with CMHC, went nowhere.

Mr. Speaker, that was my experience with the federal government representatives stationed here in the North and in Yellowknife. Many of our residents don't have easy access to these representatives. Mr. Speaker, the housing minister and staff should have played a crucial role in ensuring all communities have access to the Rapid Housing Initiative Program. Mahsi.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. I have been waiting patiently for about 20 years for GNWT to finally review its arsenic remediation guidelines. Yesterday I talked about the flawed environmental guideline for contaminated site remediation with its very short public comment period.

Buried in one of the appendices are new arsenic remediation guidelines that significantly lower the acceptable limits for arsenic in soils for various land uses. This appears to be based on new research and background studies. The research shows the background levels of arsenic are significantly lower than what was originally set and, also, that most of the arsenic contamination in the Yellowknife area is a direct result of mining activities. The background studies were only recently made public following my request on August the 7th to the Minister.

The new arsenic remediation guidelines would significantly lower the acceptable limits for all land uses from what was set in 2003. A few examples, residential land use is lowered from 160 to 120 parts per million arsenic, and industrial use has gone from 340 to 163 parts per million with no explanation. The most alarming part is that areas outside Yellowknife have much lower limits, at 47 parts per million for residential use and 90 parts per million for industrial use. It's not clear why it is okay to expose Yellowknife residents to three times more arsenic than those who live outside.

Perhaps the detail are in those documents that were only recently released. I tried to look at them last night, Mr. Speaker, but way over my head. But it is not explained in the guideline itself anywhere. I always thought that arsenic soil remediation guidelines were set far too high to protect human health. The new proposed guidelines seem to bear that out. The biggest implication may be for the Giant Mine Remediation Project that used the old 2003 arsenic soil remediation levels which may no longer be safe for human health. So of course the rhetorical question, Mr. Speaker, is will Giant Mine remediation now adopt the new lower arsenic levels? I will have questions later today for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the new proposed arsenic soil remediation levels. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I stand before you and this Assembly with a crucial matter that I have spoken of before and demand immediate attention. It is an issue that pertains to the rights and well-being of our Indigenous people who have attended schools under the purview of the Government of the Northwest Territories after April 1st, 1969.

As many of you are aware, a landmark battle was fought by Indigenous survivors who attended the federally-run day school. This battle resulted in the federal day school class action lawsuit wherein compensation was made available to those who had suffered mistreatment, culture alienation, and during this time in these institutions.

While this is a significant step in addressing historical injustice, there is a grave troubling admission that cannot be ignored. The GNWT, during the period under question, continued to operate schools, some of which were residential boarding schools and day schools. Many of these institutions were run by religious organizations, organizations notably by the Anglican Church, Catholic Church. It is crucial to emphasize that the GNWT received funding from the Government of Canada to support the operation of these schools after April 1st, 1969 - the cutoff date for the federal day school class action lawsuit.

This funding was acknowledged by the federal Government of Canada of its responsibility to support the education of Indigenous children in the Northwest Territories. Therefore, it is only just and fair that the Indigenous students who attended these GNWT-operated schools after April 1st, 1969, be allowed to seek compensation through the federal day school compensation program. It is a matter of quality and justice that we cannot afford to overlook.

To provide specific examples, the chief Jimmy Bruneau School, residential boarding school, St. Patrick's School, a day school, operated within our jurisdiction during this period. Students who attended these schools, like their counterparts in federally-run institutions, experienced the same systematic issues and culture erosion. Therefore, I call upon this government to recognize the urgent need to get ahead of this issue and extend a list of eligible institutions under the federal day school compensation program to include those GNWT-operated schools that received federal funding. These students should be given the opportunity to seek the redress and compensation that is rightfully theirs from their government. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Our commitment to the truth and reconciliation requires us to correct this oversight and ensure that no Indigenous students who suffered the consequences of attending these schools is left behind. We have a moral obligation to pursue justice for all regardless of where these injustices occurred. Not to mention there is continued risks from similar class action lawsuits if the government continues to do nothing. It should not take the courts to make this government act and do the right thing.

I implore my honourable colleagues to support this crucial endeavour and join hands in advocating for the inclusion of these students in the federal day school compensation program. Let's stand together in the pursuit of justice, healing, and reconciliation for the Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll have questions for the Premier shortly. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

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