Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I do have some closing remarks with respect to the consideration of the capital estimates. Mr. Chair, I would obviously like to support the 2025-2026 Capital Estimates that are still currently under review by this committee. These estimates outline a significant investment of over $339 million in the Northwest Territories to support essential infrastructure. They advance several key projects across the Northwest Territories, and they provide procurement opportunities for businesses around the Northwest Territories.

These proposed capital estimates, Mr. Chair, they are not flashy nor showy. These estimates advance key projects, including

• The fire centre in Fort Smith which is replacing a facility completely unsuited to support functionality in an increasingly critical area of need;
• Supports the Frank Channel bridge that is past due for a replacement and is a key connector for the Northwest Territories on Tlicho lands; and,
• Support projects that continue to advance the work towards a desperately needed all-season road up the Mackenzie Valley.

These estimates also advance necessary planning work that can include work such as engagement and design for projects such as the long-term care facilities in Fort Simpson and Inuvik. Besides the ongoing pressure to see the Mackenzie Valley Highway advanced, there is money in these estimates to keep two other major projects alive and progressing; namely, the Taltson hydro expansion collaborative project, collaborative with Indigenous governments from the watershed region; and, the Slave Geological Project. Both these projects have significant federal dollars that we want to leverage, not lose, and both are key opportunities to bring large-scale economic growth to the territory.

That said, Mr. Chair, this is consensus government and passing of any budget through the House is an opportunity for discussion and negotiation as a Legislative Assembly as a whole.

At the start of this session, MLA colleagues made it very clear they were dissatisfied with the status of ongoing work, direction of policies, and pace of change in health and social services, the health authorities, and the housing authority, from Housing NWT. We've benefitted as a collective from many conversations over the past two weeks. And in the course of those conversations, Mr. Chair, we have committed to renewed leadership within these key areas of priority that were set by the 20th Legislative Assembly.

Those commitments from leadership are coming at a key moment in the life of the Assembly as Ministers are nearing the one-year mark in their roles. It is difficult in the course of brief remarks to summarize an intangible commitment such as this, but I am reaffirming to our MLA colleagues the commitment from their Cabinet colleagues to follow through on these discussions, follow through on the critical need for leadership in these key areas.

I must also acknowledge Members' concerns around resource allocation within these estimates and specifically the question of whether we need to shift our allocation towards more public housing. Mr. Chair, it is extremely challenging to shift already insufficient resources in a budget that is built from a risk-analysis where almost every project has a substantiation that speaks to the need to address infrastructure that is old or lacking, and where there was strong interconnection between so many of our needs such as between new housing districts and the roads to get to them. As well, these investments in capital projects, whether it's road work or otherwise, provide ongoing opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses across the Northwest Territories. And while it is challenging to meet all of the infrastructure needs of the territory with the limited funding available, I am confident in our ability to continue our work with Members to ensure that our resources are directed in a manner that reflects all of the Legislative Assembly's priorities.

Mr. Chair, as part of the discussions I am referencing and in addition to those discussions around strong leadership and priority direction, we have agreed to the following to support some of those shared discussions and shared priorities:

• Firstly would be the prioritizing and removal of at least 100 derelict housing units from across the Northwest Territories over the life of this government to free up the land and improve communities;
• Conducting a rent scale review of core need income threshold values as well as reviewing the rent for both market and public housing units to ensure market units are competitive and to ensure that rent calculations are updated regularly to minimize hardship on clients and address barriers to homeownership such as income thresholds and outstanding arrears from the housing corporation;
• Also, providing a three-year notional investment plan for housing which details a minimum funding level of $50 million per year, and that will also outline the operating funds associated to support any new builds;
• Completing a review of core programs and services in the health and social services system to ensure equitable and sustainable delivery of health and social services programming;
• Conduct a review of the leave policies and their implementation for health care professionals; and
• Solve the challenges faced in engagement with employees at all levels in the health and social services system.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This concludes my remarks.