Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back in April, the Legislative Assembly was host to 19 youth from across the Northwest Territories for our Annual Youth Parliament. There is starting to be a trend amongst the youth who have represented Yellowknife South. When they are given the opportunity to speak in this House, to deliver their message to us as MLAs and to the people of the Northwest Territories, they have chosen to speak to the action plan to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGEBTQIA+ people.

Mr. Speaker, today is the 2nd Anniversary of the delivery of the final report of the national inquiry. So, Mr. Speaker, I have chosen to take this opportunity to share the words of the latest youth to stand in this spot who spoke to the action plan.

The following words are those that were written and read in this legislature by Nico Morin, who represented Yellowknife South as the Minster responsible for the Status of Women in the 2023 Youth Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, for many years now, Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGEBTQIA+ people have been found victims of numerous violence and abuse cases around the North, but rarely is there enough support for the survivors or their families. Survivors are left with a great deal of trauma to work through which not only affects them but has repercussions on family members who are left with a deep-rooted fear of that certain event happening again. This is even more so for families of victims who did not make it, as they are left to deal with that grief as well. As we know, this trauma is especially hard for Indigenous people who are also still dealing with the intergenerational trauma of historical and modem colonial practices.

Missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGEBTQIA+, Call to Action 81, calls on the government to enhance the holistic approach of support to survivors, their families, and friends. This is important because it provides a diverse range of healing methods while also keeping a strong connection to Indigenous culture and medicinal practices.

Mr. Speaker, in the GNWT's action plan in response to the MMIWG Calls to Action, the government plans to provide the Indigenous governments, hamlets, councils, and local organizations, with funding to put in place a comprehensive community-based victim services program to help provide much-needed support to survivors of crime and their families. These services are being offered at a community level because communities are best able to identify the uniqueness of their residents.

Today I want to acknowledge that just because a person survives abuse or acts of violence does not mean that their pain is over and that they should be expected to return to a normal life. As the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, MMIWG is very relevant to my portfolio. Creating programs to help victims and their families heal from the traumatic events they had to endure will be greatly beneficial for women, girls, and 2SLGEBTQIA+.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize we need to move on many more calls to action. By addressing the actions one at a time, we can ensure a well thought out response and approach to the Calls to Action and give them the much-needed attention they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to Ms. Morin for those words and for reminding me of some of reasons and motivations that lead me to run for office - the passion that we should never cease to bring to this job and to her courage to take on a topic, one that can seem overwhelming but which will only be solved by each of us giving voice to social change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you all are aware the community of Sambaa K'e was the third community that had to evacuate this fire season. I can tell you that the community leadership and the band administration did a great job in following their community evacuation plan. I had the opportunity to speak with the band manager and she explain that the community was registering everybody evacuate at that time. As she and Chief Jumbo explained to me, they were being proactive as there was a potential for the fire to impact the communities based on anticipated smoke that could close the local airport.

Mr. Speaker, there is a likelihood of smoke closing the airport in a few days because of the planned ignition operation adjacent to the community. As well, they are having conversations with ECC and MACA and factored in the weather and wind for the next few days while they make this decision.

Mr. Speaker, I can advise you when the community did call the evacuation order, they asked that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs regional EMO not to sound the alert until they had the opportunity to tell the residents. They did not want to cause more stress with the evacuees. As you can imagine, this is a very scary thing to happen.

In speaking with the chief, he explained to me a part of the plan was to get 75 evacuees to Fort Simpson and this was done in a timely manner. I can also advise you that 13 residents stayed behind as essential staff. Evacuees were scheduled to stay in the Fort Simpson recreation centre in the gym and arena. The village had set up the evacuation centre full of cots. However, almost all evacuees have found other places to stay with family, friends, or other locations in the community.

Mr. Speaker, the village will be providing meals at the evacuation centre for the evacuees. There will be meals provided three times a day. As well, there are tables set up in case anybody wants to play cards, visit, and there's a projection screen where people can watch TV.

Mr. Speaker, residents and businesses of Fort Simpson have been amazing hosts. I have heard of businesses providing a pallet of water, another business going into the community to bring their pets out, and people donating baking goods and food. They are doing what they can to help out.

Mr. Speaker, I realize it is a scary time for the residents of Sambaa K'e, and I hope that they get home soon. As well as you imagine, we are hoping we see some rain soon. Mr. Speaker, I would like unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Sambaa K'e leadership, their staff, the regional EMO team and ECC staff on the work they are doing, as well to the people and businesses of Fort Simpson. Thank you for being caring neighbours.

And Mr. Speaker, I'd like to just close and encourage everybody to be very cautious about the fire season we're in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the grads in the Sahtu this morning. I am quite excited about this grad class as they started their education in grade 9, 2019, when we all got elected. They have too seen us through the pandemic. They have too seen us through the floods and the fires. They continued their education as well. I am proud to say that in the Sahtu, we've got 26 grads this year, and I'd like to name them off and congratulate:

For Norman Wells - Cameron Barney, Reece Harley, Briseis Kenny, Izac McKay, Summer Rose, Sommer Wiley, Airiyanna Kakfwi, Danielle Kochon.

And for Colville Lake - Jaylene Kochon, Adriana Stewart.

And for Deline - Madison Baton Beyonnie, Yehdza MacKeinzo, Tayla Tutcho, Nikki Tutcho, Darrian Tutcho, Isaiah Kelly, Corbin Takazo, Presley Tetso.

And for Fort Good Hope - Gwyneth Amos, Joy Kakfwi, Marcus Proctor, Marilyn McNeely, Mason Laffery, Tessa Grandjambe.

In Fort Tulita - Mason MacCauley-Bayha, and Makhla Antoine.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the former leadership in my riding and also the teachers who continue to provide opportunity in the Sahtu for the students to become successful. I would also like to highlight the achievements of my riding of Steve Kakfwi and Ethel Blondin who, through their legacy, inspired the Sahtu and the students to become high achievers.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have a story of how I got here to the North. I've been here all my life, and I'm with all of you here today and we continue that legacy in this House. We continue to inspire students coming forward. We inspire them together with their dreams, their ambitions, and their hearts, and soon they will be filling our seats here at the Legislative Assembly. Congratulations to the class of 2023. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's not too many times I get to stand up and welcome people in the Assembly. But I'd like to welcome Manitoulin vice-president of operations, Mr. Kevin Ramsay, into the House today. And welcome, Kevin, and thank you for all the work that he is doing and all the donations that he does in the Beaufort Delta for all communities. And it doesn't go unnoticed. Thank you very much.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife South.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this whole session I've had two very hardworking pages from Yellowknife South, Mesha Leonce and Morgyn Martiniuk. I was hoping to catch a day when I knew they were both in the room, but I don't know I quite caught that. They're in the building, they've been doing this all week, and thank you very much for their hard work.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the interpreters as well too who have been with me since 2019. I appreciate their work, I appreciate their broadcasting and interpreting with our proceedings here in the North Slavey language, Ms. Sarah Cleary and Ms. Theresa Etchinelle. Your work is very much appreciated. Mahsi.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Monfwi.