Good afternoon, colleagues. Today, I am pleased to announce the addition of the Tlicho language to the self-guided Legislative Assembly audio tour in celebration of Indigenous Languages Month. The Tlicho audio tour was translated and narrated by elder and Legislative Assembly interpreter Maro Sundberg. This is a first step in having the tour being translated in all Indigenous languages and marks a significant step towards language revitalization and advancing reconciliation here at the Assembly. Members of the public can take the self-guided tour anytime the building is open in English, French, and now Tlicho. Thank you, colleagues.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the 19th Legislative Assembly, this government established its mandate of 22 priorities set by all Members and based on what they've heard from their constituents. Two of these mandate priorities are to increase employment in small communities and to make strategic infrastructure investments.

Mr. Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to travel the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road and I witnessed progress toward meeting these two priorities. I am referring to the construction of the Prohibition Creek Access Road, which is currently well underway. We have divided this project into two phases. Phase one, construction began in November and includes building 6.7-kilometre all-season road just south of Norman Wells between Canyon Creek and Christina Creek along the existing Mackenzie Valley Winter Road alignment. By replacing this portion of the existing winter road with an all-season road, we are making our transportation system more resilient to climate change, increasing reliability for the shipment of goods and supplies in the region, and enhancing intercommunity mobility. This phase will also make it easier to access recreational and traditional harvest areas. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2023. Mr. Speaker, phase two would see construction of a 6.3-kilometre all-season road from Christina Creek to Prohibition Creek. This phase is contingent on completing additional design work at the Christina Creek crossing, regulatory authorizations, and securing additional funding.

The GNWT has worked closely with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations in the Sahtu to move this project forward and to continue to advance the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells. The Memorandum of Understanding the GNWT has signed with the Sahtu Secretariat is evidence of this.

The Prohibition Creek Access Road project is creating valuable employment opportunities in the Sahtu region. As of January 2023, 20 workers from the Sahtu have been hired as laborers, truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, drillers and blasters, and supervisory staff. Five workers from other regions in the NWT were also hired as heavy equipment operators. As part of this project, Northerners are receiving training that will enhance their skills for future job opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, the investment in this all-season road by the GNWT and the Government of Canada, is strategic. The Prohibition Creek Access Road Project is a capacity-building project to help prepare businesses, workers, and residents to make the most of opportunities provided by the eventual construction of the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway.

This project has not been without challenges. It is one of several infrastructure projects that has experienced cost escalations recently associated with supply chain issues, inflation, material and labour shortages, and rising fuel prices. Mr. Speaker, I continue to lobby for the needed additional funding with my federal counterparts and my department is also working on advancing these files at a bureaucratic level. The federal government is a valuable partner in meeting the infrastructure and transportation needs of Northerners and seem to be appreciative of these challenges we face and are receptive to making their funding programs to meet our northern realities. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Mr. Speaker, Northerners should be able to expect to return home at the end of each workday uninjured and healthy. In 2022, the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission received 1,722 reports of injury from workers. This represents a 2.1 percent decrease from the previous year. Awareness of the workplace hazards and safety trends in the Northwest Territories can help ensure that workers return home safe and healthy every day.

In support of their vision to eliminate workplace disease and injuries, I would like to highlight some of the steps that WSCC is taking to achieve that outcome.

The most at-risk demographic for workplace injuries in 2022 were individuals aged 25-34, representing 26 percent of all claims. Positive, safe behaviours must be supported as soon as one enters the workforce in order to make safety second nature. WSCC continues to develop their young workers program and resources for workers under 25 so that they could take the knowledge and awareness they develop as young workers and continue to apply it to their working environment throughout their careers.

Mr. Speaker, the most commonly injured body parts last year included both the back and hands, representing 24 percent of all injuries; Sprains, strains, and tears continue to be one of the most frequently reported injury types; and, being struck by an object is one of the most frequent types of accident. Over the last year, the WSCC produced four seasonal campaigns designed to raise awareness on specific occupational health and safety trends. These campaigns were focused on lifting safely, hand injuries, sprains and strains, and being struck by an object. All campaigns, which are accessible on the WSCC website, provides further resources to learn more about common risks and injuries in the workplace and how to prevent them. In 2022, trades laborers and heavy equipment operators were injured more frequently than other occupations. Ahead of the construction season, WSCC ran a campaign highlighting the process of how to submit notifications on high hazard work sites. As a result of these efforts, WSCC received a higher number of notifications compared to the previous years which enabled occupational health and safety inspectors to prioritize high hazard inspections. WSCC continues to keep a close eye on the northern workplace safety trends to better determine where resources and support are needed to help workers return home safely every night. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. I have closely followed and participated in the review of resource management legislation and regulations in the 18th and 19th Assemblies and have been reflecting on my experiences to date.

I sent a detailed seven-page letter with my thoughts to the Premier and Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources; Lands; and Industry,

Tourism and Investment. I tabled it in the House and the less-than-enthusiastic reply too.

I commend Cabinet and this government for its progressive and innovative approach to the co-development of resource management legislation and regulations with Indigenous governments. This is an accomplishment that we should all be proud of and a true expression of reconciliation and co-management that all NWT residents have come to expect. I support this co-development approach and want to make sure it has the time and resources necessary to do its work. From every report of recent activities, this process appears to be working well. There is still a need to provide more information and work with those Indigenous governments that are not part of this process.

I acknowledge that there has been some improvements since the 18th Assembly in terms of public engagement in post-devolution resource management legislation and regulations. However, the extent of information being shared by departments and timelines for public engagement have varied substantially and shown little consistency. In particular, I am alarmed and dismayed that GNWT has failed to embrace and implement an approach to resource management that includes meaningful public participation in both the development of resource management legislation and regulations, and in modifying and establishing new processes for decision-making about resources.

Public participation in these two significant aspects of resource management does not come at the expense of relationships with Indigenous governments but rather should be seen as an essential part of co-management. Public participation opportunities are what NWT residents have come to expect from responsible resource development and co-management itself.

It is not clear to me, whether GNWT continues to endorse and implement its own Open Government policy as signed by the Premier on January 8th, 2018. I offered other specific suggestions and it is not clear anything is going to change. I'll have questions later today for the Premier. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by wishing my daughter Keelan a belated Happy Birthday which was earlier this month while she was in Florida.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government's National Disaster Mitigation Program is a program that provides access to financial support for risk assessment, flood mapping, mitigation planning, and investments in nonstructural and small-scale mitigation projects. Municipal and local governments, public sector bodies, private sector bodies, Indigenous governments, and nongovernmental organizations can make applications to this program.

Mr. Speaker, apart from raising the road along Riverview Drive in Hay River, building up a short berm in the downtown area, and asking residents to take mitigation measures as outlined in the engineering reports each received, I ask what has been done to address overall mitigation for the West Channel, Old Town, New Town, Corridor, and Paradise Valley, because residents are concerned and are asking the question and wanting answers.

Mr. Speaker, the flood damage to Paradise was extensive. The only access road was compromised and the temporary one was constructed with no proper drainage. The embankment between the access road and the river had vegetation removed which diminished the stability of an already unstable bank. Residents are asking when the access road will be restored with proper drainage and when the bank stabilization measures will be undertaken.

Mr. Speaker, sections of the corridor were not spared from flooding and will require some form of berm and vegetation between the river and homes. The downtown core and Cranberry Crescent areas will also require some form of berm for flood protection. The West Channel area, situated along the lake, requires repairs to a berm between the airport and the residential area. In addition, there is an issue with the water course known as the Oxbow, which also allows water to flow inland from the lake during high water levels which results in flooding. A flood gate should be installed as a preventive measure.

The Old Town itself has minimal flood protection. Consideration must be given to raising the road running along the perimeter of the island. Mr. Speaker, throughout the winter, this government has been silent on what the overall flood mitigation plan is for Hay River. I understand, or am hoping, that this government is working with the Town of Hay River and Indigenous governments but any discussion, barriers, and solutions concerning flood mitigation is not being replayed to the general public. Communication and transparency is needed otherwise we may well be asking ourselves, once again, what went wrong, what are the lessons learned, and who is responsible for future costs. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement from yesterday, I am going to carry on with the same subject with focus on Breynat Hall at Aurora College.

As I said yesterday, Breynat Hall is a structure in Fort Smith that has a heavy history of colonialism and abuse, and that's because Breynat Hall is a former residential school. And, again, the structure is one of the last remaining former residential school buildings that is still in active use in the Northwest Territories today.

Mr. Speaker, Breynat Hall was built in 1958 and was run by the Catholic Church as a residential school until 1975. And according to the National Centre For Truth and Reconciliation, at least one student died there in 1960. From 1975 onward, Breynat Hall has been use by Aurora College as a single student residence in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear about this, and I know the Minister of education is already on side with this, but Breynat Hall must not continue to be used when Aurora College transitions into a polytechnic university. There is far too much historical baggage attached to that building. Therefore, it must be inappropriate for it to be continued to be used for the future headquarters of the polytechnic university. And it appears that the need to dispose of Breynat Hall is understood by the university transition team because it was stated in the polytechnic university master plan released in September 2022 that Breynat Hall would be removed and replaced with a new student residence.

Also I strongly hope that the future student residence building will have Indigenous accents built into its architecture.

Mr. Speaker, during its time as a residential school, Breynat Hall was used by students from various NWT communities including Lutselk'e, Behchoko and Fort Res, among others, and over the years numerous constituents have told me that they feel uncomfortable and even disturbed by the continued use and existence of Breynat Hall at Aurora College in Fort Smith. There has also been several former NWT politicians who attended Breynat Hall, and most have all agreed that it has had a very troubled past and it must go. I am sure there are even some students attending Aurora College in Fort Smith today who are descendants of former residential school survivors who attended Breynat Hall in the past. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

In closing, Mr. Speaker, for these reasons it is essential that the new headquarters of the future polytechnic university in Fort Smith be built without Breynat Hall on its grounds. I think it also might be a good idea to have a memorial placed near or on its former site to act as a permanent reminder about the history that occurred there. I will have questions for the ECE Minister later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every year students walk across NWT graduation stages with a spectrum of stories of what it took to accomplish this milestone. In my graduating class, a handful of my peers who walked the graduation stage just a few blocks from here had the most special dates to honour the effort they made to get there. Mr. Speaker, their dates were their babies.

Since 2016, an average of roughly 36 babies are born to teen parents in the Northwest Territories. That is 36 young parents potentially working to achieve a pivotal milestone with their peers. Pursuing education as a parent at any age is an accomplishment but doing it as a teen is a monumental accomplishment, Mr. Speaker. While there are champions that helped keep the doors to education open for those parents I graduated with, barriers to their success that existed then persist today.

Mr. Speaker, supporting the education of teen parents is not a foreign concept in schools. Here in Yellowknife, before my time, Ecole St. Patrick High School had an in-care daycare where students could drop off their child as they ran to class. Paired with child care, parents took family life health, a full credit class that provided support, financial literacy, and healthy family learning to teen parents. Decades ago, Inuvik's Samuel Hearne Secondary School, now East 3 Secondary School, also had an in-school child care and supports.

Today, decades after these programs have disappeared, Sir John Franklin High School has revived some programming for young parents. Thursday afternoons, the school hosts a support group for moms, dads, and parents-to-be who are continuing their high school education. Here, people can access peer and experience supports, public health visits, cooking classes, and guest speakers. But access to education for young parents relies on a parent's ability to access both the space and funding for child care. Space is a big barrier especially in today's child care landscape and given the short turnaround between birth and return to school. But accessing the child care funding is a barrier this government can address today.

Funding through income assistance requires that a person be an NWT resident and over 19 years of age. This criteria closes the door for teen parents. The second funding option is a voluntary service agreement with child and family services. The historical stigma closes this door for so many parents. For some youth, child care is a significant barrier to education. Today I am asking education to create a safe, accessible door where teen parents can get funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to address you today on the issue that is a critical to the well-being of our society. As well, all known Indigenous elders in the Northwest Territories are an integral part of our culture and heritage. They have contributed significantly to the development and growth of our communities over the years, passing down their traditions, traditional knowledge and customs and values, from generation to generation. However, in recent years many of these elders have found themselves in a difficult situation due to various reasons such as substance abuse, mental health issues, or other social problems. Some parents are unable to take care of their children. In these situations, grandparents have to step in to raise their grandchildren often without necessary financial resources.

This has become a critical issue in the Northwest Territories where many Indigenous elders are living on poverty and struggling to make ends meet on a fixed elders' monthly income and, in some cases, a single fixed income. They may lack access to necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, let alone the resources needed to provide for their grandchildren's education, healthcare, and other needs. As a society, we have responsibility to ensure that our elders are taken care of in their later years of their life, especially when they are providing care and support to the next generation. It is not just a matter of compassion or respect but also an investment in our collective future. These children will be the future leaders of our community, and it is essential that they receive support and guidance they need to succeed. Therefore, I urge all of you to consider what we can do to support these elders who are raising their grandchildren. This could involve providing financial assistance, access to healthcare, social services funding support, or simply offering emotional support and recognition for their invaluable role they are playing.

In conclusion, let us remember the importance of the role Indigenous elders play in our society and the challenges they face raising their grandchildren. We owe it to them and to the future of our communities to provide them with support they need and deserve. I would have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every year the Aurora College heavy equipment operator program graduates, on average, 16 new students per year. Many of the graduates dream of a job working with the various machinery that they were trained on, such as a dump truck, loader, grader, excavator, and caterpillar. The AGO training only allows students to choose two pieces of machinery and most times there are no other options but only a dump and a loader combination.

Many Northerners went through the AGO program and went on to full-time employment and, if lucky, to get a GNWT position and they can work until retirement, which is typically 30 years. Mr. Speaker, a lot of times newly graduated heavy equipment operators do not have the required number of years of experience on certain pieces of heavy equipment and therefore are usually never hired.

Mr. Speaker, when I see road construction, whether new construction or resurfacing, I typically see our trained heavy equipment operators operating a packer. If they're not driving the packer, then they are used as flaggers. All the AGO trainees come out with air brakes endorsements and a class 3 driver's license. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the infrastructure Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I was lucky to participate in Grow NWT, an agri-food industry conference hosted by the Territorial Agri-food Association here in Yellowknife. The conference kicked off Thursday afternoon with the blue sky brainstorming session on how to foster the agri-food sector for the future. This event saw roundtables of growers, processors, chefs, government, subject matter experts, big thinkers, and others interested in tackling the barriers and issues facing food production and food security north of 60. The conference got into full swing on Friday with opening remarks by MP McLeod and Minister Wawzonek, as well as by Kevin Wallington, president of the association. What followed was likely one of the most inspiring conferences I've ever attended. The passion in the room was palpable and the air of excitement contagious.

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the day it became evident to me what a large role the agri-food industry can play in the future of our territory. Growing our food locally will pay economic dividends by creating a robust new industry to help with our diversification mandate. Items would cost less to transport, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our carbon footprint. But what struck me most about the presentations and discussions from last week was how much this sector could play in our mental well-being and physical health. When I have personally dealt with depression, one of the things my doctor always said to me is to get out in nature, that this was the best medicine I was going to find. If we could create an industry that allows people to be outside, with their hands in the dirt, while also paying them a living wage, I am sure we would see a drop in stress and depression affecting our communities. We would see people reconnecting with the land and we would see the land healing them in return.

One of the barriers raised by the entire group was the idea that there needs to be a shift in how we look at the food sector industry. We need to create agricultural land designations and all levels of government must return land to the people. Not only is this necessary for reconciliation, it will give residents of this territory control over their own future. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, I was never so worried as when I sat on the agricultural federal/provincial/territorial table as Minister during the pandemic and realized just how far at the end of the supply food chain we really are. I never want to have that worry again, Mr. Speaker, so now is the time to get behind our food growers and agri-industry and start taking food security back into our own hands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. $20.1 million a year. That is the amount of money we provide every year to Northview, more than we spend on community water and sewer services. According to Northview's own 2020 prospectus, the funds, they own approximately 50 percent of the rental market in Yellowknife. 50 percent of our town, Mr. Speaker, is owned by one company and we are their single largest landlord. You think this might be a problem we would like to address. However, Mr. Speaker, during the life of this Assembly, that number has grown every single year as we add more and more office space to one landlord. And, Mr. Speaker, this is not a hard problem to solve. Step one, remove them from BIP. They no longer need to be a BIP'd company, Mr. Speaker. This company is a pinnacle of everything that is wrong with GNWT procurement.

It started in the '80s by a former deputy minister who went and got a handful of sole source contracts from the government and made themselves rich. And here we are continuing to line the pockets of now southern and foreign billionaires, Mr. Speaker.

Second, change the leasing of improved real property, which has not seen any change since 1998 and is, in fact, the policy that is responsible for growing this company. Follow our own policies conduct a lease to own analysis of all of our buildings.

Third, commit to publicly tendering all of our leases. You can trace many of our leases back all the way to 1998 when they were originally sole sourced. They have not been tendered in any meaningful way since. Many we inherited from the feds on devolution and we did not publicly tender them.

Finish the procurement review, Mr. Speaker. We have spent three and a half years reviewing procurement and not one penny that has gone out this door has changed with regards to procurement because we will not finish this review, Mr. Speaker.

Secondly, let's approach some local developers and some local people with this $20 million a year we spend and get a little creative. See if someone will build us some buildings, build us some housing, anything other than giving this money to Northview. I'll have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure on whether she is going to accomplish anything at all in regards to this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ariel Mary Lynne Duntra was born at Fort Liard Health Centre on March 25th, 1991 to Jimmy Deneron and Molly Duntra. Ariel was the middle child, right between her sister Angeline and brother Jamie.

Ariel attended the Echo Dene School where she was active in sports. This is where I got to meet her. She was very competitive and at the same time being a sportsman-like athlete. Other athletes liked to play against her. Beside school, she enjoyed traditional activities, especially participating in ecology camps throughout the Deh Cho.

Ariel was never afraid to roll up her shelves and get to work. She started working in the oil and gas field and in the construction industry as a cook's helper and camp attendant. As well, she worked at the Liard Hot Springs as a cashier and gas attendant. On top of this, she took the introduction to mine training course.

Ariel was very close to her siblings and especially her two nephews Maddox and Xander. She enjoyed spending time together cooking, watching movies, and barbecuing outside in the gazebo with them. As a good auntie, she bought Xander his first bike last year and then bought Maddox one. I can tell you she enjoyed hanging out with her family and friends, especially when it came to being out on the land and enjoying a traditional meal cooked over the open fire.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that Ariel had a heart of gold and an awesome sense of humour. Because of these attributes, she had many many nicknames that she cherished.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately Ariel passed away on September 8. Ariel was a shining star to everybody that knew her and was a very special person. I can tell you her parents, siblings, extended family, and friends will sadly miss her dearly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community.

Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we know in this House that the overwhelming majority of children within the child and family services systems are Indigenous. Our system for income support then further disadvantage Indigenous youth as they try to advance their education and career. Many communities do not have supports, such as Home Base seen in Yellowknife, to help children access programs and services. There has been an acknowledgement that the child and family services system is not working for Indigenous population as reflected in the recent federal legislation on child and family services.

This federal legislation acknowledges that Indigenous governments have the right to create their own laws to regulate child and family services. However, our own government has challenged this federal law and the work of partners such as the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in federal court. Mr. Speaker, our system is not talking to one another. We are making sole policy decisions which are negatively impacting Indigenous youth in the NWT. Our youth have pride and should be supported in their effort to receive education, housing, and employment opportunities. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North.

Mr. Speaker, Your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, received second reading on November 2, 2022 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The Official Languages Act recognizes the "official" status of eleven languages in the NWT. The Act sets out the rights, rules, and responsibilities for using these languages in different parts of government.

Bill 63 updates the Act for the first time in twenty years. Many of the proposed changes were recommended by committee in early 2022. Specifically, Bill 63:

• Clarifies and strengthens the role of the Languages Commissioner;
• Merges the two languages boards; and
• Updates the preamble to recognize:
• The impact of colonialism;
• The relevance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
• The government's commitment to fair access to services for residents who speak Indigenous languages.

This report describes how committee engaged with the Minister before Bill 63 was introduced. It also summarizes how different stakeholders responded to the proposed changes and what committee decided on key issues.

This report is separate from committee's upcoming report on our statutory review of the Official Languages Act. That second report will touch on some of the larger changes committee wants to see. Committee will present this report before the end of the February/March 2023 sitting.

Committee Welcomes Changes During the 19^th Assembly

The Official Languages Act needs to be reviewed about every five years - with the last review happening in 2014. Committee started a new review in early 2020, but it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee was unable to travel to communities and consult the public because of public health orders, local outbreaks, and the Members' desire to avoid spreading the virus. As a result, many plans had to be postponed.

In December 2021, committee decided that the review of the Official Languages Act could not be finished in time to make changes to the law before the 19th Assembly's term ended. However, it had been almost twenty years since the Act was last updated and, during that time, many important and straightforward amendments had been suggested. Therefore, committee urged the Minister to work with us to create and propose new legislation before the Assembly's term ended. The Minister agreed and welcomed Committee's input for a bill.

I will now pass the reading over to the Member for Kam Lake.

One second, please. Okay, colleagues, let's try this again. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 67, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act, as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Member for Yellowknife North.

Right from the start? Here we go again.

Mr. Speaker, Your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, received second reading on November 2, 2022 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The Official Languages Act recognizes the "official" status of eleven languages in the NWT. The Act sets out the rights, rules, and responsibilities for using these languages in different parts of government.

Bill 63 updates the Act for the first time in twenty years. Many of the proposed changes were recommended by committee in early 2022. Specifically, Bill 63:

• Clarifies and strengthens the role of the Languages Commissioner;
• Merges the two languages boards; and
• Updates the preamble to recognize:
• The impact of colonialism;
• The relevance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
• The government's commitment to fair access to services for residents who speak Indigenous languages.

This report describes how committee engaged with the Minister before Bill 63 was introduced. It also summarizes how different stakeholders responded to the proposed changes and what committee decided on key issues.

This report is separate from committee's upcoming report on our statutory review of the Official Languages Act. That second report will touch on some of the larger changes committee wishes to see. Committee will present this report before the end of the February/March 2023 sitting.

COMMITTEE WELCOMES CHANGES DURING 19th ASSEMBLY

The Official Languages Act needs to be reviewed about every five years - with the last review happening in 2014. Committee started a new review in early 2020, but it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee was unable to travel to communities and consult the public because of public health orders, local outbreaks, and the Members' desire to avoid spreading the virus. As a result, many plans had to be postponed.

In December 2021, committee decided that the review of the Official Languages Act could not be finished in time to make changes to the law before the 19th Assembly's term ended. However, it had been almost twenty years since the Act was last updated and, during that time, many important and straightforward amendments had been suggested. Therefore, committee urged the Minister to work with us to create and propose new legislation before the Assembly's term ended. The Minister agreed and welcomed Committee's input for a bill.

I will now pass it over to the Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

HALF OF COMMITTEE'S PRIORITIES ADDED TO THE BILL.

Committee set out to provide its priorities for changes to the Official Languages Act. To do that, committee looked at all recommendations made since the law was last changed, in 2003. Committee looked only at recommendations that were legislative in nature that came from:

• The Languages Commissioner's annual reports;
• Committee's previous two reviews of the Act; and
• Public meetings held in Inuvik in June 2021 and virtually in January 2022.

Committee identified close to 50 past recommendations in total, which are documented in an appendix to this report. While most of these recommendations had merit and continued relevance, they could not all be put forward due to the limited time available. Committee therefore provided the Minister with the 12 changes that we thought were most important. Those changes were to:

1. Update the preamble to acknowledge the impact of residential schools and colonial policies on official language communities, and affirm Indigenous Peoples' language rights according to UNDRIP;
2. Strengthen the Languages Commissioner's ability to get information from public bodies;
3. Impose response requirements on public bodies for recommendations from the Languages Commissioner;
4. Empower the Languages Commissioner with alternative dispute resolution mechanisms;
5. Require the Languages Commissioner to reside in the territory;
6. Ensure housing authorities are bound by Official Languages Act;
7. Make the Act flexible and open to creative solutions from communities;
8. Recognize Michif as an official language;
9. Broaden concepts of "significant demand" and "nature of the office" and work toward accessibility of services in all official languages in all areas;
10. Establish a mechanism to address violations of the Act;
11. Provide a bilingual bonus to all government employees who speak an Indigenous official language; and
12. Clarify the role of the Languages Commissioner in raising concerns and making recommendations to the Minister.

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment included about half of these changes in Bill 63. Changes number 1 through 5 were accepted and included in the bill, while change 6 can be pursued through a change to the government institution regulations. In correspondence with committee, the Minister committed to making this change in the regulations. Unfortunately, changes 7 through 12 were not included in the bill.

Committee is pleased with the changes that ECE included in the bill and commends the Minister for working together with committee to introduce changes to the Act.

However, committee is disappointed that Bill 63 did not include more changes and was not more ambitious. Other governments in Canada have recently implemented more significant changes to bolster official and Indigenous languages. Committee hopes that the government will introduce additional legislation to protect, promote, and revitalize official languages with the same level of ambition in the 20th Assembly.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations therefore recommends:

Recommendation 1: That the Government of the Northwest Territories commit to a second phase of legislative changes to protect, promote, and revitalize official and Indigenous languages in the 20th Assembly. This new legislation should be based on past recommendations, suggestions arising during the review of Bill 63, and the advice in the committee's upcoming report on its statutory review of the Official Languages Act.

The new legislation should also seek to implement Articles 13 and 14 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous governments should be invited to co-develop the legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to pass the reading of the report over to the MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

STAKEHOLDERS OFFERED THOUGHTFUL SUGGESTIONS TO STRENGTHEN LANGUAGE RIGHTS AND COMMUNITIES

Committee sought public feedback on Bill 63 with a public notice and targeted engagement letters to those who may have had an interest in the bill. Committee received written submissions from:

• Collège Nordique;
• La Fédération franco-ténoise;
• The Languages Commissioner; and
• The Northwest Territory Metis Nation.

All written submissions are included in an appendix to this report.

Committee also held a public review of Bill 63 on January 18, 2023. At that meeting, committee received oral comments from the Minister, Collège Nordique, the FFT, and a member of the public. Committee also met with the Metis Nation to hear their input on January 30, 2023.

Committee appreciates everyone who offered their feedback and ideas for the review of Bill 63. Their participation demonstrates a passion to protect, maintain, and enhance the vitality of official language communities in the territory.

Updating the preamble

All participants agree that it was a good idea to add language about colonialism, UNDRIP, and fair access to services for residents who speak an Indigenous official language into the preamble. However, the Metis Nation thought that this change should not just be in the preamble of the Act but throughout the whole Act so that the GNWT is fully committed to UNDRIP and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action. Committee agrees with the Metis Nation and hopes that the GNWT will make bigger and more transformative changes to the Official Languages Act in the 20th Assembly to reflect these commitments.

Clarifying and strengthening the Languages Commissioner's role

Eligibility requirements

Bill 63 would require the Languages Commissioner to live in the NWT and forbid them from being a member of the public service. Participants agreed with these changes. Committee agrees that the Commissioner must be connected to the people they serve.

Alternative dispute resolution

Bill 63 would also allow the Languages Commissioner to refer matters to alternative dispute resolution. Participants supported this change but wanted to see the bill provide more tools to deal with complaints. The FFT suggested setting up a language rights tribunal to adjudicate on language rights violations. Committee thought this could be a good idea but was outside of the scope of the bill. A future review should study how this idea could work. The Languages Commissioner wanted to have the option to resolve a complaint without doing a full investigation. Committee found that the Act does not currently provide her that power. Committee thinks it might be good for the Languages Commissioner to have a way to solve problems informally, but there are important policy questions to think about first. Committee encourages the Languages Commissioner to explain more about her recommendation for informal resolutions, perhaps in an annual report. Committee also wants to see how alternative dispute resolution works before adding another mechanism.

Deadlines for information requests

Bill 63 would require public bodies to answer information requests from the Languages Commissioner within 60 days. Participants agreed with this change but thought more could be done to ensure the Commissioner gets the information she needs. The Languages Commissioner wanted to be able to set the deadline herself, based on each situation. Committee was worried this power would give too much discretion to the Commissioner and too little predictability to the public bodies. Fixed timelines written into law is also the approach taken for other statutory officers, like the Ombud and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The Languages Commissioner was also concerned that the part of the Act dealing with information requests, section 22, stops her from requesting information without doing a formal investigation. Committee asked the law clerk for advice and believes the Commissioner can ask for and receive information without doing a formal investigation. Given this information, committee does not think the Act needs to be changed. The FFT wanted to give the Languages Commissioner the power to force anyone to answer a complaint. This change would significantly expand the authority of the Commissioner, who right now has very specific powers in investigations. A future study should review this suggestion.

Supreme Court orders

Bill 63 would allow the Languages Commissioner to go to court and get an order when a public body has not acted on a recommendation. Participants agreed with this change, but the FFT wanted to see some additional changes. The FFT wanted to place a three-month time limit for public bodies to act on a recommendation, failing which the Commissioner could get a court order. Committee was concerned that more complex language rights cases could take more than three months, so we preferred the more flexible approach in the current bill. The FFT also suggested that the law enable the Languages Commissioner to collect damages and costs from the public body in question at the Supreme Court. Committee notes that the Court can already award damages and costs, so this change is not needed.

Merging the Languages Boards

Bill 63 would combine two Boards: the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board. Most participants agreed with this change but suggested some improvements. The Metis Nation questioned the name of the merged board, suggesting that the name should explicitly include the word "Indigenous" to reflect Indigenous participation on the board. The FFT suggested that the government delay the merger and was worried whether the combined board could focus on French and Indigenous languages at the same time. Collège Nordique supported the change and thought the government could go farther to ensure greater transparency from the merged board.

Committee notes that this change has already been delayed, as it was first recommended in 2009. Committee has heard that the two boards already mostly function as a single entity though it is not yet reflected in the Act. The Boards themselves would prefer to be a combined entity to improve efficiency. Committee is confident the new board will fulfill its mandate with respect to each official language and their distinct needs.

Committee agrees that the public should know more about what the board does. Separately, committee has heard that, in practice, the current boards are organized by the Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat, which might make them less independent. Since the combined board will give advice and recommendations to the Minister and evaluate language programs, the board independence is important.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations therefore recommends:

Recommendation 2: That the Department of Education, Culture and Employment ensure independence and transparency at the merged languages board. The department should provide a proper framework and resources for the board to fulfill its mandate, including timely appointments when vacancies arise. The board should disclose meeting agendas, minutes, and other documents of public interest. The board should also release an annual report that summarizes recommendations to the Minister, the Minister's response, progress on implementation, and the findings of program and initiative evaluations.

I will now ask, Mr. Speaker, to turn it over to the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Scheduling statutory reviews

Bill 63 would match the timing of statutory reviews of the Act with the schedule of the Legislative Assembly. This means a review would happen within the first two years of every other Assembly rather than every five years.

Several stakeholders were worried about the change. The FFT believed it could delay a review indefinitely if the Assembly sat indefinitely. However, the territory's Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act says the Assembly can only last for four years so a review would still happen regularly, about every eight years.

The Languages Commissioner was concerned that waiting so long between the reviews might not give enough chances to improve the law. But committee believes that doing the review in the first two years of an Assembly will help make sure any changes suggested during the review can become law in the remaining two years of the Assembly. Committee does not want to repeat the experience of the last two reviews, neither of which led to legislative changes.

Other suggestions to support official languages

Committee heard several other ideas to improve the Official Languages Act including:

1. Ensuring the Languages Commissioner, the Minister, and the Languages Board develop policies collaboratively;
2. Requiring government to take steps to support official languages communities;
3. Requiring each public body to have performance measures on how well they are following the Act; and
4. Making the Premier, rather than the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, responsible for the Official Languages Act.

Committee also received a suggestion that would not necessarily require legislative change. A member of the public recommended that the government to set up a language resource center in the large communities. These centers would document and preserve each Indigenous official language, and such resources for future generations to revitalize the language.

While these suggestions were out of scope for the review of Bill 63, committee hopes they will be studied the next time the Act is reviewed.

Committee Amended one Clause

Clause 10 of Bill 63 requires the Languages Commissioner to provide more information on her annual report. The goal of the clause is to ensure useful information is available to the public. One subclause, as originally drafted, would have required the annual report to disclose "what recommendations, requests and applications were made by the Languages Commissioner respecting each complaint."

The Languages Commissioner was concerned that this wording could cause a complainant to be identified in an annual report and, if so, discourage residents from making formal complaints. Committee was also worried that the Languages Commissioner could be led to make her recommendations more broadly worded to protect the complainants' privacy. Committee felt this was not a desirable outcome, potentially undermining the effectiveness of the recommendations.

Committee therefore agreed to and passed a motion to amend the subclause. The amendment required a summary of recommendations, requests, and applications, rather than the exact text respecting each complaint. Committee believes this change will allow the Commissioner to make specific recommendations but then summarize those in the annual report, reducing the possibility that a complainant might be identified.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to hand this over to the MLA for Yellowknife North. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Member for Yellowknife North.

Conclusion

On February 15th, 2023, committee held a clause-by-clause review. Committee passed a motion to report Bill 63, as amended, to the Legislative Assembly for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the Standing Committee on Government Operations' review of Bill 63.

Recommendation 3: The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Reports of standing and special committees. Member for Yellowknife North. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Mr. Speaker --

Did he read his motion? I didn't catch him.

The motion is in order. To the motion?

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Committee Report 43-19(2) has been received and will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.

Reports of standing and special committees. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs is pleased to provide its Final Report: A Northwest Territories Approach to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Negotiating Agreements, and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs committee was created on October 29, 2020 after the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly unanimously passed Motion 21-19(2). The Assembly tasked the special committee to seek and encourage discussion and recommendations on opportunities and challenges in meeting the Assembly's priorities. Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a commitment in the Government of the Northwest Territories 2019-2023 Mandate.

Much has happened since. At the same time, when committee began its work in December 2020, Canada released a proposal for legislation to implement the UNDRIP. When in June 2021, Canada's United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was passed into law, committee was in the midst of hearing from witnesses to learn about the different perspectives on UNDRIP and land negotiations and self-government agreements in the Northwest Territories.

Committee acknowledges the policies driving Canada's new approach to recognizing and implementing Indigenous rights. Following British Columbia's Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in British Columbia, Canada replaced the Comprehensive Land Claims Policy with the paradigm of co-development for Crown-Indigenous dialogue.

Canada aims to increase flexibility in negotiations and respond to Indigenous nations' unique rights, needs and interests. The federal government indicates it is removing final settlement language and replacing rights extinguishment clauses with flexible agreements. The process for negotiation is agreed upon in advance in co-developed memoranda of understanding and framework agreements.

Committee acknowledges the actions taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories and Indigenous leaders in creating new meeting tables and working on advancing work on implementing UNDRIP. The NWT Council of Leaders forum formed an officials' working group to advance UNDRIP in the NWT. This working group has prepared a Memorandum of Understanding to collaboratively move forward with legislative framework discussions (NWT UNDRIP MOU).

The committee is pleased to present this final report, which was developed following the committee's mandate as determined by the terms of reference. This final report recommends actions to the Assembly and the GNWT based on submissions and recommendations the committee received from witnesses.

I'll now ask, Mr. Speaker, if we could turn it over to the Member for Hay River North. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Member for Hay River North.

HON. R.J. SIMPSON: Background

The special committee began work on December 4, 2020 and heard from legal experts, scholars, researchers, Indigenous governments and nations, and the GNWT. On March 30, 2022, the committee published the interim report: "what we heard" about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Negotiating Agreements, summarizing the comments, issues and outlooks expressed by experts, scholars, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the GNWT. Throughout the process, we respected the confidentiality requirements of ongoing negotiations and the confidentiality commitments of the Indigenous governments and nations. The interim report is attached to this report as Appendix A. Public presentations were recorded and are available on the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly YouTube Channel.

This Report

As a result of the committee's deliberations during the past two years, committee is making a series of recommendations aimed at:

• Ensuring informed governance.
• Enabling an NWT constitutional framework.
• Monitoring UNDRIP implementation.
• Making GNWT policies consistent with UNDRIP, and
• Moving land agreements to a conclusion.

ENSURING INFORMED GOVERNANCE

Most legislatures, including the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, provide orientation programs to new Members. The information generally focuses on the functioning of the NWT legislature, consensus government principles and process conventions, rules and procedures, Caucus, Cabinet and committees, budget process, legislature services and issue briefings.

In Caucus, all Members develop the priorities at the beginning of the term for a Legislative Assembly. The committee heard that educating Members in Caucus on Indigenous negotiation tables and current mechanisms for collaboration would be an excellent opportunity to share the perspectives of Indigenous governments. In addition, presentations to Caucus would show the different ways to view UNDRIP.

Committee agrees that it is an excellent opportunity to inform Members at the beginning of a new Assembly on the jurisdictions of all governments and the mechanisms for discussion and finding solutions.

Committee impresses on the Assembly and the GNWT not to underestimate the significance of existing mechanisms in their role of moving reconciliation forward and preparing the implementation of UNDRIP.

Consequently, committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation 1: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that

1. the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly includes in all transition and orientation material for all MLAs post-election, and
2. the Office of the Secretary to Cabinet of the Government of the Northwest Territories includes in post-election materials specific to Cabinet

an introduction to the history and role of each of the following:

1. NWT Council of Leaders
2. Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum
3. Intergovernmental Council and Intergovernmental Council Secretariat
4. The jurisdictions of public government, exclusive and inclusive Indigenous governments
5. NWT Council of Leaders UNDRIP Memorandum of Understanding.

I would like to pass the reading on to the MLA for Yellowknife South. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River North. Member for Yellowknife South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Enabling an NWT Constitutional Framework

Committee heard that an approach is needed to accommodate the rights of each Indigenous nation in the NWT in relation to the Canadian Constitution and consideration of the distinct circumstances of each nation's path to self-determination. Witnesses told committee that there is a need to reconcile the distinction between "the public" and "Indigenous peoples" because most of the NWT's public is Indigenous.

The need to reassess the relationship between public and Indigenous governments was felt by many. Witnesses told committee that together, we need to look at how the declaration is informed by the Constitution, on the one hand, and by the governance models used in the Northwest Territories on the other.

The Northwest Territories Act, a federal statute, creates the Northwest Territories Assembly and defines its legislative powers. This Canadian law may also need to be reviewed for consistency with the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples at a federal level.

UNDRIP does not override existing laws in Canada. Canada and British Columbia require their laws to be "consistent" with the declaration. UNDRIP can be seen as informing the Constitution. Committee heard that making Canada's legislation consistent with the declaration may require amending Land Claims Agreements. This concern refers to the federal resource management legislation governing the regulation of resources in the Northwest Territories, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

UNDRIP has at its core the right to self-determination, which in turn requires a system that allows the diversity of political communities. UNDRIP also formulates Indigenous peoples not as a minority but as "peoples." A constitutional arrangement amongst all nations in the Northwest Territories would redefine our relationship with each other. As such, UNDRIP would help to strengthen existing co-governance and co-management approaches between the Northwest Territories and Indigenous governments.

The goal of shared decision-making means to advance the building of Indigenous nations and governments, to avoid the past "top-down" approach taken by public governments and to acknowledge that approximately half of the Northwest Territories population is Indigenous. Rebuilding our relationships will move us forward to agree on policies that will resolve conflict, encourage collaboration, and establish long-term working processes. Collaboration is the foundation to reach agreements for all groups and may include facilitated collaboration to re-establish, strengthen and maintain effective working relations and mutual trust.

The current forums and tables create relationships, enable the Members to respect each other's unique positions and accommodate the Northwest Territories diversity. The existing Northwest Territories tables are suitable for a Northwest Territories-specific approach. The Northwest Territories Council of Leaders, the Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum, and the existing Intergovernmental Council are three separate places for exchange. The Legislative Development Protocol, established in December 2020, is an effective model of attaining UNDRIP objectives and respecting the political realities of the Northwest Territories.

Recommendation 2: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that the 20th Assembly establish a special committee on UNDRIP implementation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And over to the MLA for Thebacha.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Member for Thebacha.

Monitoring UNDRIP Implementation

Most witnesses favoured legislation as the mechanism to implement UNDRIP in the NWT. Committee heard that the Government of the Northwest Territories should pass a law to implement UNDRIP to adopt the declaration as the minimum standard for how the survival, dignity, and well-being of Indigenous peoples in the NWT will be upheld in Government of the Northwest Territories law and policy.

In other words, implementing UNDRIP in NWT law offers a solution that initiates the process of harmonizing and aligning Government of the Northwest Territories laws, policies, and practices with the declaration's minimum standards for recognizing and respecting Indigenous peoples' rights.

Choosing to implement a law obligates the Government of the Northwest Territories to work in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous governments and organizations when addressing legal and policy issues. The consequence would be that of the government is working under the same standards. Choosing a law to implement UNDRIP may create obligations for an action plan, independent monitoring and implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

• Action Plan: An action plan, committee notes, needs to be mandated so that the responsible Ministers collaborate with Indigenous governments in bringing existing laws and policies in compliance with UNDRIP. The NWT UNDRIP MOU in process under the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders UNDRIP working group could require the Government of the Northwest Territories to prepare a joint action plan in collaboration with Indigenous partners.
• Monitoring: An action plan can provide for accountability in the implementation through reporting against key indicators. The law must include a mechanism that will monitor how the law is being implemented so that we can work together to adjust if needed. For example, Ombuds are created to hold the respective government accountable and Auditor Generals exist in provinces for the same purpose.

In Canada, no independent bodies are tasked to monitor how governments implement and apply the declaration. It has been said that this absence may lead to interpretation gaps in UNDRIP implementation.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission asked for an independent agency to hold the government accountable for its commitment to implementing the UNDRIP. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Calls to Action 43 and 44).

• FPIC: Operationalizing consent is the most important mechanism for implementing UNDRIP and realizing reconciliation. Any UNDRIP legislation and attached action plan should enable shared decision-making and delegation between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Indigenous governments in areas of shared responsibilities. Consent would be built into policy and legislation, as is the case with the NWT Mineral Resources Act and Protected Areas Act. The principle of consent must permeate and apply to all activities.

The Government of the Northwest Territories may choose to adopt the approach taken by Canada and BC and require its existing laws to be consistent with the principles and objectives of UNDRIP to strengthen the ongoing co-governance.

The goal is to enable innovative, consensus-based modes of collaborative governance, where Indigenous and public governments operate cooperatively and in a spirit of consensus to confront shared problems and address shared interests.

Committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop its approach, including identified measures for progress and begin at the very start by including performance measurement principles in the UNDRIP work plan proposal of the NWT UNDRIP MOU for developing the UNDRIP law.

Recommendation 3: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that the work plan proposals to be suggested by the Government of the Northwest Territories under the NWT Council of Leaders UNDRIP Memorandum of Understanding should include:

1. Description of who or what entity will monitor progress.
2. Identification of who or what entity will be accountable for progress.
3. A dispute resolution mechanism other than the Government of the Northwest Territories for disputes between Indigenous governments over the implementation of UNDRIP, land access, land exclusivity and other inter-jurisdictional disputes.
4. An established process or determined place to ensure the implementation of existing self-government agreements or land claim agreements is consistent with the principles and objectives of UNDRIP.

I will now turn it over to Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Making GNWT Policies Consistent with UNDRIP

The committee has received multiple recommendations that the GNWT must systematically review existing policies to ensure compliance with UNDRIP and that policies are consistent.

Harmonizing and aligning GNWT laws, policies, and practices with the declaration's minimum standards for recognizing and respecting Indigenous peoples' rights is crucial to the reconciliation process. Some urged to expedite the harmonization process, seeing the need to ensure policies are consistent and effective for the timely completion of land agreements. Others want to see opportunities for interim and incremental measures.

The benefits of updating and aligning policies with UNDRIP principles mentioned include:

• Facilitating the finalization of land claim agreements.
• Empowering the public service to act in accordance with UNDRIP.
• Facilitating the implementation of UNDRIP.
• Advancing reconciliation.
• Establishing, maintaining, and improving government-to-government relationships.

Committee agrees that advancing reconciliation requires ensuring all GNWT policies are consistent with UNDRIP principles and suggests a systematic review of the GNWT policies issued on the authority of the Executive Council and ministerial policies. The Executive Council is responsible for the overall management and direction of the GNWT and authorizes long-term policies and policies guiding the establishment of departments. Currently, 49 policies are under the authority of the Executive Council, and 43 are ministerial policies.

Committee suggests that the GNWT establish a process for the systematic review that includes Indigenous governments and Members of the Legislative Assembly in the review cycle.

Committee suggests starting with GNWT "Policy 11.51 - Aboriginal Land Claims" (effective May 16, 1998).

Committee suggests the GNWT consider the objectives of the NWT UNDRIP MOU on implementing UNDRIP in legislation in its systematic policy review.

Recommendation 4: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that the GNWT systematically review GNWT policies against the principles of UNDRIP and in consideration of purposes and objectives established by the NWT Council of Leaders UNDRIP Memorandum of Understanding,

1. Beginning with the review of policy 11.51 "Aboriginal Land Claims;"
2. Continuing with the review of the policies listed under the authority of the Executive Council and ministerial policies;
3. While at the same time, establishing an understood process to ensure a "check in" with Indigenous governments and Members of the Legislative Assembly before final versions are concluded.

I will now pass it over to the MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Moving Agreements to Conclusion

Repeatedly, committee heard from Indigenous nations the desire to develop mechanisms and processes to move land and self-government agreements forward. We also heard that change is needed immediately and that, at the same time, agreements need to work on the ground and also have legal complexities that require more time for the negotiation process.

Finding innovative ways to meet practical goals requires the parties to have exploratory discussions with each other. The current negotiation tables are where all parties meet: The Government of Canada, the GNWT, and the Indigenous nation. The negotiation tables offer an opportunity to encourage brainstorming and identification of new ideas to build solutions. All parties can take this opportunity to be informed to the same degree, work together and co-develop a rights-based approach to negotiation.

The need for policies encouraging approaches to negotiating and concluding land and self-government agreements is imminent. The GNWT provides some guidance with the NWT Core Principles and Objectives; however, to address the concerns that have troubled NWT negotiation processes, a co-developed policy framework would open paths for a renewed relationship.

An example of activities overhauling an outdated Canadian negotiation approach is British Columbia's 2019 treaty negotiation policy, co-developed by the federal and provincial governments and the First Nations Summit. The policy replaces the previous settlement language with a rights-based negotiation approach and removes extinguishment clauses. Canada changed the federal negotiation approach by adopting the British Columbia negotiation policy principles, established Discussion Tables for negotiations and created the Collaborative Self-Government Fiscal Policy. The federal government put forward the realization that it requires flexibility to not only complete agreements but also to provide the means so that Indigenous parties strive for self-determination. Canada acknowledges that the concept of the 1980s and 1990s agreements is entirely different from today and that the needs have evolved since then.

Changing the status quo of the NWT negotiation process may require co-developing a process that will allow specific mechanisms borne out of the self-determination of Indigenous nations without land agreements. Canada's Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA) established a regulatory regime in the NWT's Mackenzie Valley that resulted from negotiations of comprehensive land agreements. Committee heard the MVRMA was considered the basis of governments' resource management regime for all NWT, including areas without completed land agreements.

Committee suggests the GNWT take the existing negotiation tables as an opportunity to co-develop a policy framework for negotiating and concluding land agreements and potentially other agreement processes.

This GNWT policy framework would:

• Commit governments to co-develop a land agreement and self-government policy framework.
• Ensure that the negotiation process respects the inherent rights of all Indigenous nations.
• Develop approaches recognizing the rights of participating Indigenous nations to choose different paths to resolve land, water and resources issues.
• Ensure that governments remain connected and equally informed at the negotiation tables.
• Facilitate alignment of policies.

To ensure that mechanisms and processes will move land and self-government agreements toward conclusion, committee recommends the following:

Recommendation 5: The Special committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories work toward establishing a shared framework with the Government of Canada and Indigenous governments and organizations for the resolution of outstanding land and self-government agreements;

And further,

That the Government of the Northwest Territories make the option of an independent facilitator available to all negotiation tables.

Conclusion

It has been committee's privilege to be tasked to raise discussions on reconciliation, the UNDRIP, and the work on concluding land agreements in the NWT. Much has changed since the committee began work in December 2020, and committee members are hopeful that the collaborative efforts underway will continue and conclude with the desired outcomes. Committee found sincerity in the Government of Canada's new approach to negotiations and commitment to keep the flexibility to address the current needs.

Committee has learned of the Indigenous leaders' profound commitment, tirelessly representing their communities' interests over decades and persuading governments of the need for reconciliation just as tirelessly and long.

A collaborative approach looks at the interests of all parties, understands that it is about balancing rights and interests, and aims at crafting solutions that meet the groups' interests. Challenges may include overlaps and intergovernmental issues but must be dealt with. Getting better at collaborating will help overcome the obstacles.

Recommendation 6: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories respond to the recommendations contained in this report within 120 days.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife North, that Committee Report 44-19(2), Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs Final Report: A Northwest Territories Approach to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and Negotiating Agreements, be received by the Assembly and referred to Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. The motion is in order. To the motion?

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Committee Report 44-19(2) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.

---Carried

Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister responsible for MACA tell me if funding has been accessed by this government, the Town of Hay River, or Indigenous governments, to the National Disaster Mitigation Program, or other programs, to address flood mitigation assessment planning and projects? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the past the department has accessed national disaster mitigation funding. Example is the Tuk remediation community mitigation plan. Unfortunately in 2021-2022, that program got sunsetted and so it's not available. However, in saying that, MACA is working closely with leadership and administration of the Town of Hay River and the K'atlodeeche First Nation Reserve on community level mitigation. MACA's working closely with the town, the reserve, and the federal government to determine which mitigation options are eligible for federal funding, government funding.

Public Safety Canada's conducted an eligibility review of the town's Hay River list. And the Member talked about a number of items, and I believe the town submitted the majority of them, if not all. The intent is to provide certainty in the Town of Hay River on what projects will be funded through the DFA and other programs available. So we are working through this process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've had a number of floods over the last two years, and the Minister had mentioned on various occasions about lessons learned. So will the Minister tell me where the department is in developing a “lessons learned” report on flooding and when can we expect to receive it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs started working on the first phase of the afteraction review for the 2022 flood, which is focused on preparedness and response. Feedback was sought through online surveys, which was open to the public from January 9th to the 23rd. MACA consultants held public engagement session in Hay River on January 19th. Consultants complied target interviews -- or going to interview key regional and territorial emergency management organizations in community, people in the community. We expect a summary of the final report of phase one on the after-action program to be available this summer. Then phase two will be after the completion of the recovery phase and it will undertake this winter -- or coming up winter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we'll never be able to completely stop flooding, so we have to find a way to mitigate it and mitigate the damage it does. It's important that we keep our residents safe.

So will the Minister tell me what supports his department has provided to the Town of Hay River and surrounding communities to ensure an emergency preparedness and evacuation plan is in place prior to the upcoming spring breakup on the Hay River? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This might be a little bit of a longer answer, and I apologize. Municipal and Community Affairs is reaching out to all community governments to offer updated community plan templates and community flood preparedness packages, community emergency planning workshops, tabletop exercises to practice and validate emergency plans. Municipal and Community Affairs has worked with the Hamlet of Enterprise to deliver a community emergency planning workshop. A workshop is scheduled for the reserve for early March. MACA's ongoing discussions with the town to provide support in updating the community emergency plan. The Be Ready for Flood campaign is being rolled out to residents and community governments of the importance of planning and prepared for flooding. We've also hired five regional staff that are working with all the impacted communities, or potential impacted communities, to work on their preparedness for this. And we have increased our staff at headquarters as well. So we've started working on this -- or enhancing our services to the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, advanced warning of potential flooding is instrumental in keeping people safe. Any break in the warning system could result in damage to property or, worse, loss of life.

Will the Minister tell me what, if any, work has been done to ensure that there is an early flood warning, flood alert, and imminent flood warning system in place for this spring breakup along the Hay River? Because I know in the past some of the instruments that were on the river were damaged. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for these questions. Mr. Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs will issue alerts on communities' requests and working with them on developing the process. We have also offered to work with the Town of Hay River, the reserve, and Enterprise to develop templates for alerts to assist with assistance of alerts required on urgency basis. We've also worked with ENR as well to get that information out to the residents as and when needed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI who is responsible for the agriculture sector. As I said in my statement, it was really exciting to be at the conference last week and I noted that ITI was there. Not only was there a tourism component but there was also people attending the conference. So could the Minister speak a little bit about what she plans to get from her staff that attended, what sort of feedback were they giving, and how is that going to be incorporated into the department's work? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was a pleasure to also be at that conference albeit in my case very briefly. I have, however, already received a summary from the department about their attendance. And immediately on my arrival on the Friday, I was very pleased to hear from them that they had been at the visioning exercise that took place the day before. I would share the comments earlier. There was a distinct sense of excitement and interest in the room because it did stretch across the entire food value chain from production and growing, harvesting, through to the commercial aspects of the food chain.

So with respect to some next steps, Mr. Speaker, there is a report coming back from the executive director of the agri-food organization, and I am quite confident that when we receive that, we'll be able to work with her and action some of the items that came through. I know they'll be -- I've also spoken to their president of the board, and he is also looking to sit down with myself and the department to see and map out where we can all work better and work together to move forward following this conference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for her response. And I'm actually not surprised to hear that she's already gotten a summary report because I did note that the people that were there from the department also seemed to be very keen and excited by the conference.

Mr. Speaker, I note that there has been an agricultural strategy for the Northwest Territories that ranged up to 2022. Can the Minister speak about the next step for that strategy and whether or not there's going to be a report on how well the last five years did? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point the next steps are to ensure that we have continuous funding and availability of funding. And I can say that the Canadian agricultural partnership, which is one of the most significant funding sources available, has been renegotiated between the federal government and all provinces and territories. It is seeing a 25 percent increase over the next five years. And with that now in place, that puts us in a good position to look forward and determine where the GNWT can and how we can actually look at our growing sector. I would also note there's other funding opportunities, often working with CanNor, often working with other federal pots. So, again, having had this conference with a viable organization and association they're running, we're in a much better place to look forward to what the next five years should bring. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad to hear the Minister acknowledge that there is more than just a food conversation and that it does span a lot of the different sectors. I'm interested to know a little bit more about that renegotiated federal pot of funding. Glad to hear it's 25 percent, however is there the ability to be flexible with that money and not have it go towards directly agricultural products like seeds? The reason I ask is that one of the number one cited barriers are things like fuel, power, heat, and transportation so I'm wondering if we have flexibility with that money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the specific implementation of the federal funds is being negotiated literally right now. What I can say is that there are five priority areas that were negotiated between the provinces, territories, and federal government. And they are reflective of priorities that I think we have here in the North. One, climate change and environment and looking to adapt. Another one, market development and trade, again recognizing the breadth of opportunities here in the Northwest Territories. Building sector capacity, growth, and competitiveness, which certainly will speak to the higher cost that we have here. And science research and innovation, again looking for ways to adapt to northern realities and northern opportunities I would say. So it certainly would be my hope that we'll be able to, you know, find what we need within those priorities and make that therefore a workable program.

Mr. Speaker, at the risk of going on a little bit too long, there's one more thing I really should add.

We've also signed on to agri-vest and agri-stability. Never been in this before, Mr. Speaker. We have signed on to this program now, and it's going to give more stability and another opportunity for our local industry to see themselves have some risk prevention opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad to hear that the Minister -- this seems timely, she can take my thoughts back to that negotiation and hopefully make them aware that what works in the south does not work for us here in the North generally.

My last question is just around one area that hasn't been touched on that I think is unique to us, that our southern counterparts may not have, and that is the food tourism industry. The Northwest Territories has a lot of interesting unique foods as from your region and others. So can the Minister speak a bit to how the department is promoting and supporting the food tourism industry? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is likely an area where more work can be done, and there's no harm in acknowledging that. It's a good year to do that. This July there will be the first -- I'm going to get the name wrong; I'll have to get it right later. But it's an opportunity in July to celebrate food and celebrate gastronomy here in the Northwest Territories. Chefs are coming in. There will be opportunities for foraging and harvesting. It's a first of its kind, Mr. Speaker. So acknowledging that there's work to be done here. There's opportunities here. And as I've said, this July we'll be getting underway, the food organization's putting that on. So looking forward to seeing where that goes in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Merci, Monsieur le President. My mouth is watering, but my questions are for the Premier who is responsible for the implementation of the open government policy. Can the Premier tell us whether this government still accepts and endorses the 2018 Open Government policy? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the open government policy continues to be a guiding policy for the GNWT. This policy establishes a roadmap for how the GNWT shares information and data with the public and the way we engage with residents on government decisions. It includes principles in encouraging the transparency of data and information in a way for citizens to become informed so they can participate meaningfully in potential government decisions, respecting however any privacy and information collection concerns as per the NWT access to information and protection of privacy legislation. We also continue to advance the implementation of the open government policy through several initiatives in that increasing transparency and accountability, such as our recently launched open data portal, our public engagement portal, and the GNWT's public engagement employee guide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier for that. In my January 13th letter to the Premier and resource Ministers, I compared and contrasted some of the ongoing development of resource regulations that have left the public to the very end of the process with little time and limited access to information.

Can the Premier tell us how the open government policy is applied to these processes for developing resource regulations and if that work is documented somewhere other than my letter? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The open government policy is overarching and continues to shape our government's direction. Under this policy, the GNWT encourages citizen participation in GNWT decision-making where appropriate. One of the principles of open government is that citizen participation in potential government decisions should be encouraged. During this Legislative Assembly, Cabinet endorsed a guideline for the publishing of draft regulations online for public input. This pre-publication process allows residents to directly shape the context of regulations, including resource regulations, in an open and transparent manner. While regulations are ultimately delegated legislation, we appreciate and recognize the public's role in shaping their content and continue to review the process and progress to ensure our legislation and regulations best serve the residents of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier again for that. The other place where our resource management legislation regulations have largely fallen down is public participation in actual decision-making. That requires public registries where information can be accessed, and stakeholders can have a say during decisions and appeals. Members of the public and committees have to propose amendments as departments seem to forget about the public or don't have access to resources to do the work.

So can the Premier tell us how the open government policy is applied in drafting legislation and regulations to ensure there's public participation in decision-making? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the drafting of legislation, departments engage in open government policy which captures the wide range of interactive engagement activities that occur throughout the legislative development process. Over the course of the 19th Legislative Assembly, this government has made significant improvements to ensure that legislation and regulations are developed collaboratively with Indigenous governments through the legislative development protocol. The GNWT also launched a public engagement portal and put in place communication guidelines to standardize how we engage with the public. Regular Members and standing committees play a crucial role in the legislative process, including seeking public feedback on bills, proposing amendments, and holding public hearings. I believe ensuring that the public has the ability to participate in the development of legislation is a task that's shared by all Members of the Legislative Assembly. This government is committed to improving how all departments engage with all partners and residents, how decisions are made, and how information and data is shared. This is important and ongoing work that will extend beyond the life of this government. It's something that we'll always have to continue to work at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. There's a huge difference though in resourcing of departments to develop new legislation and regulations around resource management. ITI has been tremendously successful in securing millions of dollars for the Mineral Resources Act implementation, while Environment and Natural Resources and Lands have got nothing. It's not clear whether these other departments even ask for additional resources.

So can the Premier tell us how the open government policy is applied to the budgets of departments as they develop resource management legislation and regulations? Merci, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Each department is a little bit different. As the priorities are developed at the beginning of each Legislative Assembly and ongoing, the departments develop and they implement work plans. Departments may consider where there will be significant legislative work, and they may consider making requests for additional funding to support those efforts. They may also decide that they can do it internally. Each Minister is individually responsible for the implementation of the open government policy and for ensuring that their respective departments and agencies follow the principles of the policy when carrying out their mandates. This includes ensuring that the departments are appropriately resourced to carry out engagement activities related to legislative projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you know, it takes a community to raise a child. And, Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement earlier talks about elders in our community. The social phenomenon of grandparents providing primary care to grandchildren is all too commonplace in our society.

Can the Minister speak to this phenomenon and what his department has done to recognize the support elders providing this type of support to their families? This question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister R.J. Simpson. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this is something that I think most people in the territory are familiar with. The most recent stats I could find show that we are second in Canada when it comes to grandparents raising their grandchildren, after Nunavut. It's quite a big margin, right. It is quite common here. I'm sure that all of us have relatives who are doing this. Maybe they were raised by their grandparents. I'm sure Members have raised some of their grandkids here, so it is quite common. The department acknowledges this. Through the income assistance program, we do provide assistance to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. And, you know, while some benefits outside of the income assistance program require the grandparent to have custody of the child, the income assistance program doesn't do that. So if a child -- grandchild is dependent upon the grandparents, they're living with the grandparents and they're raising them, then we consider that a dependent of that grandparent and so we fund that accordingly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Our elders have spent their entire lives supporting themselves and their communities. Many haven't needed government assistance but now -- or financial support in their children and grandchildren and don't know where to go to get much needed assistance.

Can the Minister help get the word out on programs that could provide financial support to these elders on fixed income and the monthly pensions for elders? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I can speak to what ECE is doing; of course the department of health has a number of programs as well. But we have our income assistance program, and I know that there's some stigma around that but it really is there to help the residents who need that help. And we want residents to access that. We of course also have the seniors home heating subsidy which we've increased during this government, and we had a one-time top-up last year as well. And we have the -- we also have the senior citizens supplementary benefit which is administered by the Government of Canada on our behalf that low-income seniors receive automatically. So if someone comes to ECE looking for that type of support, those are some of the options they have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Would the Minister consider developing a special grant-based program to provide no strings attached cash to elders providing support to their grandchildren? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we don't have a plan to develop a standalone program such as the Member is talking about. But we have been undertaking a review of the income assistance program, and in this budget, there is $5 million for some significant changes. So seniors can expect to get some more support in that area. As well, there's other avenues. There's Jordan's Principle, Inuit Child First Initiative, Canada Child Benefit, and things like that as well. Again health and social services does also provide support when it's needed. But we are taking significant steps in this government to better support our elders. Thank you.

Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, elders do not need to undertake productive choices, mandates attached to the income support funding. Can the Minister waive these requirements for elders living in poverty? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it was just yesterday in this House that I made an announcement about the changes to our income assistance program. I'm sure it's all over the news right now, and everyone is reading about it. But part of those changes is to remove the productive choice. So I can say yes to the Member. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of education tell us what dialogue or community outreach has taken place with Fort Smith to date regarding the replacement student residence for Breynat Hall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as Members may be aware, we've recently, in partnership with Aurora College, released a facilities master plan. And that is a plan that outlines potential infrastructure developments for the college for the next 10, 20, 30 years. As part of that work, a team travelled to Fort Smith in September and they met with Indigenous government leadership. They met with Town of Fort Smith staff and leadership. They met with Aurora College staff. They met with Aurora College students as well. There is also -- there was also an online survey that was open to the general public. What we heard back from Fort Smith was primarily focused on the expansion of the trade spaces, office and meeting spaces, and integration of family supported spaces on campus as well as student housing and, of course, the future of Breynat Hall. This information can be found in a "what we heard" report that was released last year. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain how constituents of Thebacha can provide their direct input of potential ideas for the future student residence that will replace Breynat Hall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And in my last response, I believe I said the team travelled to Fort Smith in September but that was actually when the master plan was released. So it was earlier than that, and I know from my discussions with Indigenous government leadership in that community that they did appreciate that consultation and they felt it was valuable. The master plan is a plan, and it requires money to be implemented. And so we are currently looking for some funds to start that work, undertake a planning study. And once we do that, then we can start engaging with groups in the Member's community, so Indigenous governments, other interested stakeholders, and we can start talking about what the school will look like, how we're going to work together, and the college may decide as well to undertake some public consultation on their own but I can't speak on their behalf. Thank you.