Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to pause the garnishment of elders and Indian residential school survivors' pension to pay for Housing NWT arrears immediately;

And further, Housing NWT identify all elders aged 60 and over and consenting Indian residential school survivors in public housing who currently owe arrears or who are having their pension garnished;

And further, Housing NWT implement the principles of the collections policy and develop a strategy by the 2023 fiscal year to determine the feasibility and reasonableness of collecting arrears from elders and Indian residential school survivors;

And further, in an act of reconciliation, Housing NWT forgive arrears that cannot be collected despite demonstrated effort for elders and Indian residential school survivors;

And further, the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, I will present Bill 74, Forest Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Government House Leader.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, I will present Bill 75, Council of Women and Gender Diversity Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 72, Opioid Damages and Healthcare Costs Recovery Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. First reading of bills. Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 73, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 4, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Bill 73 has had first reading and is ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 23, Bill 29, Bill 60, Bill 61, Bill 62, Bill 66, 67, and 68, Committee Report 40-19(2), Committee Report 43-19(2), Committee Report 44-19(2), Committee Report 45-19(2), Minister's Statement 264-19(2), Tabled Document 681-19(2), Tabled Document 649-19(2), Tabled Document 813-19(2).

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. By the authority given to me as Speaker under Rule 2.2(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider business before the House, with Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes in the chair.

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

Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 813-19(2), 2023-2024 Main Estimates, Health and Social Services. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 813-19(2), Main Estimates 2023-2024. We will now consider the Department of Health and Social Services. Does the Minister of Health and Social Services have any opening remarks?

Madam Chair, I am here to present the Department of Health and Social Services' main estimates for the fiscal year 2023-2024. Overall, the department's estimates propose a net increase of $15.5 million or 2.6 percent over the 2022-2023 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Health and Social Services while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed main estimates include:

• $21 million for initiatives, including:
• Resources to fund operations at the Stanton Legacy Facility to provide for more extended care beds and support the new long-term care beds; and
• Funding to support changes to the health care system to manage COVID as an endemic disease, including increased vaccination capacity and to ensure that sufficient resources are in place to continue to protect and treat NWT residents from more serious health outcomes due to the virus;
• $9.983 million to address forced growth; and,
• $9.4 million for other adjustments, the most significant being an increase in physician funding and the implementation of a labour market supplement.

There is a $11.6 million decrease in the budget reflecting the wind up of the COVID Secretariat. The remaining decrease represents sunsetting agreements with funding partners and 2022-2023 one-time budget allocations.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly and vision of Budget 2023 by:

• Improving early childhood development indicators through the continued expansion of the Healthy Family Program to support expecting parents and those with young children;
• Continued support for the ongoing health human resources workforce to meet increased demands through the delivery of the Practical Nurse and Personal Support Worker programs through 2024-2025; and,
• Increasing the stability and representation of the workforce through recruitment and retention initiatives.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, please, Madam Chair.

All right. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Elizabeth Johnson, director of finance. And on my right is Jo-Anne Cecchetto, deputy minister of health and social services.

Thank you. Welcome. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

Thank you. Committee, we will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity summary beginning with administrative and support services starting on page 190, with information items on page 191 to 192. Questions? Member for Yellowknife North.