Thank you, Minister. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 15 is deemed to have first reading and is ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 15, Northwest Territories Indigenous-Led Conservation Fund Establishment Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The Minister is asking consent to bring forward Bill 15 to the second reading. All those in favour? Sorry, there we go. Oh, those guys wanted to say nay up there. Seeing no nays, you may proceed.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member from Hay River North, that Bill 15, Northwest Territories Indigenous-Led Conservation Fund Establishment Act, be read for the second time.

The proposed Northwest Territories Indigenous-Led Conservation Fund Establishment Act establishes a non-profit body corporate called the Our Land for the Future Trust. Our Land for the Future Trust will manage the initial $375 million fund and any future contributions in accordance with the Our Land For the Future agreement. The fund will be used to support Indigenous-led conservation, stewardship, and related economic diversification activities in the Northwest Territories, including the establishment and management of Indigenous protected and conserved areas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion passed. The motion is carried. Bill 15 now has been read for a second time and is referred to the standing committee of the Assembly for further consideration.

---Carried

Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and have Bill 15 referred directly to Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister is asking for unanimous consent to move the bill to Committee of the Whole. Any nays -- or I guess all in favour? Any nays? They want to see it there. No nays. It is moved to Committee of the Whole.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Bill 15, CR 17-20(1), CR 18-20(1), Tabled Document 193-20(1), with the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh in the chair.

Colleagues, by the authority given to me by the Speaker under Rule 2.2(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider the business of the House.

Calling committee to order. I now call the Committee of the Whole to order. I'm going to go to the Premier.

Mr. Chair, we wish to deal with Tabled Document 193-20(1), 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, to conclude consideration of all departments, and Bill 15. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Committee, we have agreed to considered Tabled Document 193-20(1), 2025-2026 Capital Estimates. Does the Minister of Finance have any remarks?

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.

Thank you, Minister. Does the Minister of Finance wish to bring witnesses into the chamber?

No, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. Minister, please -- sorry, Members, I will now call the Department of -- departments that have been deferred into the order -- sorry, in the order they are presented in the tabled documents. Members may pose questions but please keep in mind that the activity summaries have been concluded and we are only considering department totals at this time.

The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Is the committee agreed to proceed with the details contained in the tabled document? Committee?

Thank you. We will begin with Education, Culture and Employment. Please turn to the departmental summary on page 19. Department of Education, Culture and Employment, 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, $2,330,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Committee, we will now consider the document of Environment and Climate Change. Please turn to the department summary on page 23.

Department of Environment and Climate Change, 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, $25,096,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. We will now consider the Department of Finance. Please turn to the departmental summary on page 33.

Department of Finance, 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, $5,068,000. Does the committee agree?