I'd like to thank Jonas Sangris for tiding words and blessing this morning.

Members, before we start, I'd just like to reiterate when you're talking when other people are speaking, sometimes it becomes a distraction. So if you guys wish to have conversations, please go into the Members' lounge or pass notes and be respectful of everybody. So thank you very much.

Ministers' statements. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, in recent years employers have faced challenges in recruiting the employees they need to succeed. The Northwest Territories, and Canada as a whole, are currently experiencing a tight labour market, which means we have more jobs than available workers.

Mr. Speaker, we must act now to ensure that our residents have the training, education and supports they need to participate and be fulfilled in our labour market. Equipping residents to pursue career opportunities also ensures that our businesses have access to a skilled workforce. The goals of strengthening our workforce, enhancing skills, and building our economy are woven through three government strategies:

• The Immigration Strategy;
• The Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Strategy; and,
• Skills 4 Success.

The immigration and apprenticeship strategies concluded in 2022, and the government is now looking to extend these strategies into 2025 informed by public and stakeholder engagement that began last month.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we have skilled and ambitious workers and employers across the territory. From carpenters and electricians, to plumbers, heavy equipment technicians, housing maintainers, and every career in between, the services that apprentices and tradespeople provide have a real impact on Northerners. These skilled workers guarantee that the lights go on, that roofs go over heads, that plumbing works, heating systems operate, and roads are built.

Under the Apprenticeship, Trades, and Occupational Certification Strategy, there was a notable rise in Indigenous and female apprentices. From 2016 to 2022, there were eight percent more Indigenous apprentices and 6 percent more female apprentices. Additionally, there was a substantial increase in participation in the Schools North Apprenticeship Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, which expanded from no students in 2016 to 37 students as of January 2024. These are positive signs as demand for these skills is soaring. As we extend the apprenticeship strategy, we intend to build on these successes and identify new measurable actions for the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, there is also a need to attract new skilled workers and investment from outside the territory. Since the immigration strategy was launched, we have seen growth of over 240 percent in the number of approved applications under the employer-driven stream. Over 500 individuals made the NWT their permanent home, including approved nominees and their family members. Through the business stream, $4.5 million was invested in the NWT. We also saw 6 percent more Francophone applications that were approved by the end of the strategy. With the launch of the new Francophone stream in 2022, we hope to see further growth in Francophone immigration.

Mr. Speaker, we know that labour markets are tight across the country. It is vital that the NWT be creative and competitive to develop and attract skilled workers. The government will continue to analyze our progress and improve upon our work. I would like to thank those who have taken the time to participate in our engagement sessions to date. Your input and ideas strengthen these important economic and employment-driven strategies that guide our work.

Over the coming months, the Government of the Northwest Territories will report on our engagement to extend each of these strategies. I look forward to sharing what we heard with Members, the NWT business community, the public, and other partners. Together we can build on past successes by growing and strengthening our labour market that is vital to our continued success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, transportation infrastructure plays a crucial role in connecting people, ensuring effective supply chains, and creating opportunities for economic growth. Today I would like to highlight recent successes in our continued efforts to improve the transportation networks towards to improving accessibility and road safety across the territory. For example, in 2023 the Department of Infrastructure completed 158 kilometres of chip seal overlay on Highways No. 2, 4, and 5 as well as along the Dettah Access Road. Highways No. 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 also saw rehabilitation work such as embankment widening and drainage improvement. The Fort Good Hope bridge deck replacement was successful, and the first phase of rehabilitation work was completed on the Whati Access Road.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to improving the existing highway system, the Department of Infrastructure is also working on advancing new road projects. In the Sahtu region, the construction of phase one of the Prohibition Creek Access Road was substantially completed in the fall of 2023 and forms part of the future Mackenzie Valley Highway. Total completion of this 6.7-kilometre all-season-road, located just south of Norman Wells along the existing Mackenzie Valley Winter Road alignment, is anticipated this fall. In October of last year, we achieved a significant milestone in the environmental assessment process for the Mackenzie Valley Highway when we submitted our developer's assessment report to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. This report, which is now undergoing a public review process led by the board, is a comprehensive collection of several years of environmental and socio-economic data and public engagement. Phase one of the proposed Slave Geological Province Corridor project is also underway. To support planning for the proposed Lockhart All-Season Road, the GNWT has acquired a Type A land use permit through the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. This permit allows the GNWT to conduct geotechnical investigations from Tibbitt Lake to Lockhart Lake which will help inform routing discussions associated with this project.

Mr. Speaker, airports are also an essential part of our transportation system. Communities across the territory depend on air travel for the movement of goods and people, as well as air ambulances, search and rescue, forest fire response and much more. I am pleased to share that the Inuvik runway extension is well underway, with material extraction almost 90 percent complete and runway widening nearing the 80 percent completion mark.

Mr. Speaker, maintaining and enhancing our transportation network as we face the impacts from a changing climate is challenging. In addition to longstanding obstacles like remote locations and high cost of construction, we must also consider factors like degrading permafrost in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of our transportation projects. The department continues to work in partnership with universities and other research organizations to find solutions using more sustainable design and construction techniques. Several research projects are ongoing on Highway No. 3 where emerging road design technologies and innovative materials were put in place in 2012 for testing, and their performance continues to be monitored. The ongoing results inform how we complete maintenance and upgrades on that technically difficult stretch of highway. I look forward to continuing bring successful improvement projects updates forward in later sessions to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Jay MacDonald will be absent from the House today to meet with federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Indigenous leaders on the project Finance for Permanence in Ottawa, Ontario.

Thank you, Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, here in this Assembly, we are under no illusions that we face some tough problems in the territory, from homelessness to addictions to gendered violence and poverty. Thankfully, though, our government does not need to work toward the solutions alone. The Northwest Territories is home to a vast network of vital non-government organizations, and they have done incredible work on their respective issues. Each NGO fulfills a crucial role in the North and let me tell you they are all led by some incredible advocates who are taking action to make our territory a better place to live every day. Unfortunately, while these NGOs present the GNWT with a wealth of knowledge and dedication to tap into, they remain unsupported and unheard by decision-makers. They struggle with year to year funding that prevents them from planning their operations in the long term. The support they do get is often only enough to keep the lights on. I've heard time and time again that non-profit red tape is over-incumbering, wasting time and resources that could be better spent towards the services they provide. Most of all, they feel frustrated because they care so deeply about their communities but are held back from reaching their true potential. They just want to get to work but poor relations with the government that funds them has stretched them thin. This government needs to support NGOs, Mr. Speaker. It's not just enough to recognize and celebrate their work. The government must create stronger working relationships with them. That means treating them fairly, accepting their knowledge, and providing them with the resources they need. This kind of partnership is what they are lacking. Only through cooperation with civil society can the government achieve all that it is set out to accomplish in its ambitious priorities. This is how we get the North moving together in the same direction of positive change and meaningful progress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Boot Lake.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.

Mr. Speaker, Some MLAs have met the Executive Director of the NWT Disabilities Council. And all 19 of us heard from this organization as a group together right after we were elected. The council continues to have serious concerns regarding the extended health benefits policy which was originally scheduled to change on April 1 of this year. As announced at the end of January, it's now slated for roll out in September.

I'm happy that the department took the direction to ensure access to extended health benefits for folks of limited means, but I have concerns with the knock-on impacts to residents who might be negatively affected by this policy change. The last government noted in October 2023 that 2,200 people in our territory are likely eligible for EHB under this new policy. There is a concern that some of those 2,200 people may make enough money to not be eligible for coverage but also not have adequate coverage through their place of work. What will that then mean for maintaining a healthy workforce across the spectrum of opportunities in the North? There are concerns that folks will only want to work where there is extensive workplace health insurance if indeed they can get those jobs. There is the possible implication of increases in emergency room usage as people who lose part or all of their coverage under the old policy due to changes may feel compelled to attend the ER to deal with chronic issues where it is free to do so. Those are just two big picture examples that were shared with us as concerns from the council. And so, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Before I go on to the next person, the interpreters are asking people to slow down. Please slow down. Thank you. Members' statements. Member from Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a follow-up on my statement of last week there. Mr. Speaker, my question today is a carryover from last week's Great Bear River Bridge application's birthday. 18 years ago, the original application permit was submitted. This original data is very helpful to avoid duplications and costs for this government's resubmission. On the issue of Sahtu determination, my understanding the hamlet of Tulita recently issued their support for the upcoming application. Later I'll have questions for the appropriate Minister. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad we could come together and agree that housing is one of the four key priorities of the mandate of the 20th Assembly. Now that we've made this commitment, it is time to turn our words into action. Fixing up so many homes will be a difficult task, but I know where we could start - by evaluating all the homes in the communities of Tu Nedhe so that we can take those estimates to the federal Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs so that they can make the investment necessary to get the work done. However, those investments have to go directly to the First Nations. Only through the federal government working together and with Indigenous governments will we see a real progress on housing apprenticeship and training in my communities. The federal government has the resources we need to get these homes renovated. The Indigenous governments just need to secure those resources and ensure that it goes directly to Indigenous governments and that it is where the need -- sorry, and that is where we need the GNWT in partnership to secure funding so that we are able to do homeownership inspections and to help put a proposal together to CIRNAC. We're not asking for much from the territory government, just a commitment to work with Indigenous governments as equals and backing up their case in Ottawa. I know the Premier last year spoke of a future with collaboration with Indigenous governments that shares powers. Why not start working together in a collaborative approach for future now by helping Indigenous governments secure this vital funding? It is not just a Premier vision that supports a greater role of Indigenous governments, it's also the law. The last Assembly passed the United Nation Declaration of Indigenous people, UNDRIP, and the mandates of equal relationship between the GNWT and the Indigenous governments. The GNWT must work to improve housing in accordance with this law so it must respect Indigenous governments want to take the lead. This is a goal. We must start working together soon as possible as people are living in homes that are rapidly aging. Some of them are living in houses that are upwards to 50 years old. If we start now and get these costs in writing, we can get the ball rolling and get these homes repaired and modernized as quickly as possible with federal investment. I look forward to the Minister's response to my proposal when I bring my questions forward later today. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Monfwi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [Translation] I'm talking about the community. I want to talk about the municipal government that they have lack of funding [Translation ends] and a lot of discussion in this House about the gap in funding for communities.

Over the 19th Legislative Assembly, the GNWT increased funding by $5 million to NWT communities; however, with the cost of inflation we know this funding does not near close the gap. Even with the additional $5 million, the gap for municipal funding continues to grow.

I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, how the funding gap impacts employees of municipalities and communities. In my region, lately the community government have been hiring women in nontraditional jobs. There are some women who drive trucks that deliver water, that collect garbage, empty sewage, and maintain roads. Not only are these women able to learn new skills, but they are also able to maintain a secure job at home with their children in their communities. I hear from community government workers in my region they love their jobs. They love working in their communities and providing essential services for their people, but the salary is a struggle.

Mr. Speaker, if this is how workers in my region are feeling, what about the communities further north with even higher operating costs?

Mr. Speaker, we know that municipalities and communities are underfunded so they struggle to provide the essential community services and balance their books at the end of the day. How does this impact workers? How is this impacting NWT residents in communities who want to live and work in their community? I will have question for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to bring up the concern that has been circulated on social media and on territory news in the past couple of weeks - the displeasure of our patients being housed in the Quality Inn establishment.

There have been countless stories of how unpleasant of an experience it has been for the patients to stay in this hotel. Mr. Speaker, I myself can confirm these stories because I was a patient who was referred to this establishment because the boarding home was full. The noted hotel is not a suitable place for anyone to stay, let alone patients. The hotel does not have adequate heating. Most windows are screwed shut. There's mold in the washrooms and inadequate housekeeping services.

Due to the boarding home being full, I had no choice but to stay at the hotel. I stayed there one night, and the next day I pleaded with the staff at the boarding home to get me a room as soon as one becomes available. Later that morning, I received a call stating a room is available and I moved there for the remainder of my stay. There are others who are not that fortunate and have to stay in the hotel for a few days - a few days too long.

Mr. Speaker, during my time in Yellowknife I've been contacted by a number of constituents who pleaded for help in finding a different place to stay. I did not have a place of my own at the time so I myself felt helpless in assisting these people. Today I have a place of my own, and if someone calls for help with a place to stay and I have the room, I will not turn them away. There are others who are able to afford a room at their own expense and do so without being reimbursed.

Mr. Speaker, these people vary from dental patients to cancer patients. No matter the severity of their medical condition, no one should be subject to stay at this hotel. I will have questions for the Minister of health at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about cost of living and how it impacts all Northerners, especially from the side of this particular House, my colleagues and I, where we work together and we share in some of the collective burden talking about these issues and sharing them with the government about what Northerners struggle.

Mr. Speaker, cost of living isn't just an individual issue, it's a territorial issue. And if anything, I'd certainly identify it as a crisis that needs to be a hallmark of this Assembly where we chip away and find ways to make lives not only better but just certainly more affordable. Mr. Speaker, you know, if you live in Yellowknife as an example, you're paying at least 30 cents per kilowatt. You know, you can say, well our tax burden is different than other places like Ontario. But when you're paying 10 or 12 cents a kilowatt, you know, there is a huge disparity in the sense of the challenges Northerners get through day to day. So our tax burden may not be the same but that said, our burden on getting through the day to day is certainly not comparable to anywhere else in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this touches the lives and families of everyday Northerners. So whether you live in Tsiigehtchic or you live in a Tu Nedhe riding, trying to put food on the table and you're always worrying about the shrinking dollar to reach that goal of feeding your family, taking care of them, or even simply buying birthday presents and, you know, kitchen table economics may not seem a lot or it may not be on the attention of this government, but the fact is it's on the attention and the eye of every one of our community members here working together.

Mr. Speaker, I hear whether you're in Inuvik that power bills are outrageous. I hear that whether you're in a Tlicho community that they have to make strong burdensome choices that families should not have to face by themselves. But there's also the hidden costs of the cost of living that we tend not to spend a lot of time on. You know, such as not being able to participate in curling or hockey, which we all know is certainly a pride of most Northerners here, or being able to afford to buy skis for their kids so they can get out and do these types of things or, heck, engage in other types of social activities that mean so much.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of living affects us more than just the power bill. It affects us as who we are and who we identify as people of the North. Mr. Speaker, I'll have questions for the Premier on this particular subject. Now, he'll have the idea of maybe or the excitement of passing it on to the Finance Minister, but my questions will be more about what type of general government policy he's going to extend to his Ministers to make sure that they are working as hard as they can on this burden to help support all Northerners on this crisis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in March of 2023 the government released an alcohol strategy for the Northwest Territories with the goal to reduce alcohol-related harms and improve wellness for all NWT residents.

This is not just an addictions issue. Heavy drinking and binge drinking are common in this territory, and this impacts everything from people's finances, people's relationships, and safety that could be accidents while operating vehicles, boats, ATVs while under the influence, and there's also a link to acts of violence, including family and gender-based violence. Of course alcohol consumption also increases the risk of diseases, including several types of cancers as well as tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and liver disease. It can also cause birth defects. A 2022 report by the NWT chief coroner's office noted that suicide in the NWT, especially amongst males in their 20s, are often related to alcohol or drug use. Beyond that, alcohol is a huge cost burden. The NWT is the second highest in Canada for per person costs related to substance use, including costs to health care, justice, and lost productivity. The number of hospitalizations caused by alcohol in the NWT have been six times the Canadian average. So alcohol is often used as a coping mechanism as people experience intergenerational and ongoing trauma, and it's worth putting into perspective that systemic racism has led to Indigenous peoples having more interactions with the justice system when they do drink heavily simply because they may be less able to hide it due to their living situation, such as overcrowded housing or homelessness or living in rental units. Indigenous peoples have also experienced discrimination within the health care system sometimes assumed to be intoxicated when they're actually in medical distress.

But the alcohol strategy tries to chart a path forward. It proposes 15 actions and builds upon the recommendations that came out of the Minister's forum from 2012 to 2013 on addiction and community wellness. The actions fall under communications, policy, prevention, public safety, and treatment. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to touch on a few of the actions that came out of the alcohol strategy. That includes supporting greater community control over liquor sales, prevention, including more education about substance use beginning at a younger age, more healthy recreational activities for youth, hiring more staff to support clinicians and patients, trying to navigate the health and mental health systems, and building more capacity in communities for harm reduction programs. So I'll have questions for the Premier later on today. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Translation unavailable] Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about public health and safety resources for our residents produced by our government.

Mr. Speaker, in the past our government used to regularly produce and widely share high quality northern-based content in health and safety and education campaign to encourage positive healthy choices and keep residents informed through positive health promotion. Prior to being elected, there were numerous occasions of people coming to me in search of northern created materials they could use to access to educate themselves on certain health hazards for a general understanding of what resources are available to help them.

Mr. Speaker, there was one example last year where I called the government department on behalf of someone who was struggling who wanted some assistance to navigate their situation. I asked if there was any northern-based content produced by the government that I could use to share with the individual. And to my surprise, the government -- a worker said to me the government doesn't share those resources anymore.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that our government continue doing its part to safeguard the health and safety of our communities with positive health promotion and anti-smoking and drug campaigns, safety, sexual health resources, or even river and safety -- lake safety campaigns. It is vital that our government be proactive and carry out preventative measures by producing and promoting content that ensures our residents will be healthy and will make safe, informed decisions regarding their health and well-being.

Mr. Speaker, our government has lacked in this area in recent years, yet our communities continue to face many health and social issues such as alcohol and drug addiction, chronic disease like diabetes, cancer, the spread of sexual transmitted infections to name to a few.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, as a pillar of our public health system, our government must continue to produce northern content and engage in positive health promotion across the NWT. I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the pleasure to check out the snow castle down on Yellowknife Bay. And I'm very excited about this year's festival. I had fun riding the slides with some of my colleagues. Two of our Ministers were posting on social media about that the other day.

So every year the dedicated crew of passionate artisans bring magic to our northern winter by creating a northern work of art. This year will be the 29th edition of this amazing event that celebrates our northern winter creating a month-long arts festival which provides a venue to countless northern artists and invites kids of all ages to come play in the snow. The festival punches way above its weight in terms of the funding it brings in and the different benefits it brings to our community, Mr. Speaker. It's great for tourism. It's great for the arts. It's great for community spirit. It's a fun thing for kids to do. It brings a lot of hope and kind of -- it's something to look forward to at the end of a long winter every year. So I know it's become a beloved event in the community.

So this year's design has been inspired by Spanish architect Anthony Gaudi, and I can say, having taken a little tour through it, it is absolutely stunning this year. It is a beautiful work of art. It's also a lot of fun. So it's kind of a combination of all those things. And it's really great.

The festival runs during the whole month of March. I highly recommend everyone get out to see it. Opening ceremony is this Saturday, March 4th. That will be open with a performance of the Yellowknife Dene Drummers and Norway dance troupe Nordting, and Dene spoken word artist Kiera-Dawn Kolson, among others. The international snow carving symposium runs from March 1st to 3rd with carvers coming from as far as Korea.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to contributions from our group of Yellowknife MLAs on March 8th, which is the first day of March break for students of Yellowknife, admission will be free for everyone. I highly recommend everyone get down to the castle and check it out on this fun day when it'll be free to attend. Everybody needs to embrace the magic of Snow King. Go down and try the slide. It's a lot of fun. And thank you to this festival for the many, many, many years of community spirit you've brought to Yellowknife. It's really wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements.

Colleagues, Darcy Lafferty was born on August 12, 1968. Unfortunately, on November 19, 2023, we said goodbye to Darcy Lafferty who lost his battle with cancer. It was a battle that we were unaware of because he was always putting other people's needs first. In the 18th Assembly, I had the privilege of doing a Member statement about his willingness to help people, especially those on medical travel that needed a non-medical escort.

Colleagues, Darcy was always accommodating and ready to help, whether it was helping my constituent assistant carry things into the office, or countless trips volunteering as a non-medical escort. Some would say he found his calling after being a non-medical escort for his father. It was quickly recognized that Darcy was an invaluable asset to the medical system in the Deh Cho region. I can recall many days Darcy would come into our office to share a coffee and tell us about his latest trip or the ones that were coming up. Listening to Darcy speak about these trips was amazing to say the least. Whether it was about his constant travel schedule or his ability to navigate the logistics of these many trips for his patients.

I remember one of those visits, where he spoke about two upcoming trip to Yellowknife and Edmonton for different people. He talked about having to come home to Fort Simpson, quickly wash his clothes, repack, and head off the next day with the other patient. Darcy would tell us that he always had a bag packed by the door and was ready should he be called upon to help someone needing assistance as a non-medical escort.

Darcy treated it like a job, always on time, prepared, and always willing to ensure the patient was calm and comfortable. He never expected anything in return. You can tell how much it made him happy to do what he was doing. There is not enough words or thanks that can account for all the time, dedication, and compassion Darcy shared with others during his time with us. When we think about Darcy and the impact he left on our life, it's an honour to say we had the opportunity to see and chat with Darcy on a regular basis. We have never met someone as self-sacrificing, unselfish, and kind as he was.

The family would like to thank the following: The Fort Simpson Health Centre, YK Stanton staff, LKFN, and many, many community and family members that were there for them during this difficult time. He will be sadly missed by us all.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Folks, I'd like to recognize a number of people in the gallery. I had the opportunity meeting the Ontario interns this morning and then I had the privilege of going to lunch with them. They all agreed that I could call them Shane 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 so I don't get the names wrong but I'm going to try. And I apologize now. Razan Akiba, Mielna Basciano, Steffi Burgi, Evan Cameron, Bridget Carter-Whitney, Olivia Collver, Kaitlin Gallant, Astrid Krueger, Taylor Pizzirusso, Rhea Saini.

As well, I would like to recognize Denise Mckie, the executive director for the NWT Disabilities Council. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize two constituents in the gallery. Ms. Denise Mckie, thank you for joining us. And Mr. Ollie Williams. It's a pleasure to have you both here.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your Chambers. I hope you enjoy the proceedings. It's always nice to see people in the gallery.

Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, MLAs met with NGOs in December of last year wherein we were presented with a letter, Common Priorities Presented to the 20th Legislative Assembly by Non-Government Organizations Collective Voices. I'll be tabling that letter today. I'm going to ask questions that they wanted asked on the floor to the Premier. Will the Premier provide core annual funding to NGOs linked to the timely release of funding to NGOs to prevent interruptions of service? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that there are some NGOs that do receive core funding; however, obviously not all NGOs receive core funding. And to the Member's question, we won't be extending core funding to every single NGO in the territory. That being said, we are looking at the core services that are offered by the GNWT. And if an NGO is offering those core services, then we can look at core funding. So there is an opportunity to expand core funding in recognition of the fact that these NGOs are delivering core services of the government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Premier. Will the Premier ensure that operational funding to NGOs reflects a clear understanding of programs being delivered and the actual costs of doing business taking into account human resources, inflation, infrastructure, clientele, and northern costs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have to look at what is being offered, what is needed, and what funding we have available. So it's a combination of those three things. It's not just what the NGO is offering and what services they're providing, it's also whether or not it is a priority for this Assembly and the government to fund those services and what exactly is being delivered. So there's more factors than the Member is putting into the question that we need to consider. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier is right. We have limited resources. We need them to align. I think when -- that there's a bunch of NGOs who are doing this work and who are offering these things. So will the Premier commit to equitable communications so he can better understand those services and work with them directly on their terms using their expertise to understand what they do for Northerners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Communication -- bad communication is the cause of 80 percent of the problems. That's been my experience in this role or as an MLA over the past eight years. And so I'm always looking towards ways to improve communication, and I'll have that conversation with the departments on how we communicate with NGOs. Oftentimes it's a resourcing issue on our end. We just don't have the people to just spend the time having the conversations that need to be had. And so if that's the case, we need to figure out how to have those conversations differently. So yes, I am committed to improving the conversations and the communication between NGOs and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's great news. I am pleased to hear that, and I'm sure our NGOs will be pleased to hear it as well.

Finally, reporting requirements are often quite onerous for NGOs. Will the Premier cut the red tape, allow easier reporting requirements, streamline the process so they can get to work providing services to our residents sooner and more effectively? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm always looking to cut red tape. I know there have been improvements made in reporting for at least some of the contribution agreements that we have. But, again, we can always do more. And, again, it is a balancing act. These are public dollars, and we do need to account for those dollars and ensure that we're spending them in a way that this Assembly agrees with and the public is happy with. So there's always going to be a need for some reporting requirements, but a lack of trust really slows things down. And so if we can strengthen that relationship, build the trust between the GNWT and the NGOs, then I'm sure that we can streamline those requirements and make life easier for everyone, for the government, for the NGOs, and for the residents who ultimately we are both serving. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the communities in my region need housing investments, and they need money from CIRNAC to go directly to the Indigenous governments in partnership with Housing NWT. Mr. Speaker, my questions to Minister Lucy Kuptana on housing.

Does the Minister agree that Indigenous governments have a greater role to play in the building and also in the homeownership repairs for their people in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh riding? Thank you.

Colleagues, please just titles, not names. Thank you. Minister of Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I am happy to see the increasing role played by Indigenous governments across the Northwest Territories in building and maintaining homes for their members. Housing NWT has worked increasingly over the last several years to partner and collaborate with Indigenous governments on their housing priorities through the NWT Housing forum and bilateral agreements to maximize our collective impact on the housing crisis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. Will the Minister agree to commit funding needed to help do the evaluation and the proposal cost to CIRNAC on every home in the community of my riding so we know at least where the money's going to be going so that we could develop a program so we could look at apprenticeship training and training? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT performs unit condition ratings in every public housing unit to determine maintenance. The goal is to achieve a unit condition rating every couple of years, so every two years. I understand that a number of the Indigenous governments had taken on the evaluation of private homes as part of their home repair programs. I cannot commit at this moment to an evaluation of every private home in the Member's riding, but I can commit to working with Indigenous governments to do this type of work. This could include sharing expertise and resources for Indigenous governments to conduct such an evaluation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. And I'm happy to hear that she's willing to work with us.

Will the Minister also commit to advocating to the federal government to get these federal investments to the Indigenous governments to fix up housing in the communities on homeownership repairs once we start working together on this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can commit to continuing to advocate for federal investments in housing, including funding directly to NWT Indigenous governments for their housing priorities. We've already seen some of the successes in the Northwest Territories, and we want that to continue. We expect that further detail of the federal government's urban role in northern Indigenous housing strategy, also known as URN, will soon be announced. That will provide for the investment of a further $4 billion in housing investment across Canada for Indigenous housing priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. I'll be sending a letter to the Minister on my priorities for the Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, and one of the four priorities of the GNWT is housing. And what I'll do, though, is I'm looking forward to put a letter together to the Minister and see how we could work together on this issue. So it's just a statement. There's no question. Thank you.

Okay, colleagues, to the questions I don't want concluding statements on it. So just, please, follow the process.

Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Folks living with chronic health issues and disabilities are often living within limited means. Can the Minister of health say if extended health benefits for those with limited income can be expedited before September? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the new EHB policy which expands the benefits coverage for residents with low income does not take in effect until September 1st, 2024 and so, unfortunately, this can't be expedited. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How much does the Minister expect that the new policy will cost to initiate and implement in addition to year-over-year costs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's difficult to estimate the cost because it depends on how much people use the service. Various factors will contribute to the costing, such as not all eligible residents accessing all benefit areas and the introduction of the cost sharing for those who can afford it. Overall, we anticipate that the ongoing incremental costs of providing the benefits to those who previously didn't have them will be offset by cost sharing component and the department's efforts in managing drip costs effectively. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I will follow up with her office for more detail on that.

Can the Minister speak to how much the previous EHB policy cost annually on average over the last decade? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that detail. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll follow up with the Minister on that.

If folks who were previously covered under the specific condition list make too much money for full coverage under the new policy, what is the department's plan to assist them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, under the new policy, eligible residents will be required to contribute up to 4 percent of their net income for their prescription drugs, and the remainder will be covered. For medical supplies and equipment, there will be a cost sharing agreement with a maximum limit of $1,500 per year based on their income. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement here earlier, my question to the Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, critical to project execution is permitting. This Great Bear River Bridge is the same design, same location as it was in 2006 when it was applied for and permitted.

My first question to the Minister, has the Department of Infrastructure completed the necessary updated studies to accompany the Great Bear River Bridge application resubmission? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to answer the question. Some of the information from back in 2006 was able to be utilized for these -- the current submissions but not all, and we really can't afford to have any lack of attention on this. We can't be in a situation where we're wanting to have to go back again and again. So at this point, yes, necessary studies are complete. Infrastructure is in the process of finalizing the regulatory submission. The developer's report has already been submitted, and that process is currently available on the board's website and I would certainly encourage people to have a look at it, to participate in the public engagement that's going to be happening this year. Thank you

Mr. Speaker, my second question to the Minister is when will the developer or the Department of Infrastructure issue the bridge application to the Sahtu Land and Water Board? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So again, Mr. Speaker, there is already the process underway with the DAR that's happening but with respect to specifically the Sahtu Land and Water Board and that application, we're anticipating being ready for the spring or summer of this year. But, Mr. Speaker, we're also re-engaging and reinvigorating the memorandum of understanding with the Sahtu Secretariat to have more ongoing conversations about this project as a whole and the Mackenzie Valley Highway project as a whole to make sure that there's really -- that there's no delays this time and that we are all working together towards the same outcomes and same goals. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll share some information there with the Minister that might help expedite the submission process. The DAR report is separate from the actual bridge application. The bridge application, as I said submitted and approved in 2006, did not accompany a DAR report. The DAR report is for the Mackenzie Valley Highway which triggers the EA and so the application itself for the bridge would be a standalone. It's more of a I want to help the department suggestion -- a statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Please keep your statements and commitments -- stick to the question, please and thank you.

Oral questions. Member from the Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is for Health and Social Services. I know that the Minister of today has inherited the concern from the previous government, but will the Minister commit to making things right and look at alternative accommodations for future patients coming to Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the occupancy at the boarding home here has increased about 50 percent since April 2023. Recently an increased demand on medical travel related to dental is a huge factor. And the Health and Social Services will continue to monitor the increased demand for the boarding home services alongside the lack of commercial capacity of hotel accommodations in Yellowknife and work with our current partner, Keskorie, on options to minimize the accommodation issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the department is currently bound by a contract. Can the Minister tell me and the rest of the Northwest Territories when is this contract up with the Quality Inn? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the contract for medical boarding in Yellowknife is currently with the Det'on Cho Corporation, and it's not with any local hotels. It is -- and the contract for them expires in 2024. But part to have that agreement Keskorie is tasked with is contracting alternative commercial accommodations, including hotels for guests when the demand exceeds capacity at the boarding home. And so they -- like, they collaborate with all of the local hotels to try and find any rooms for patients coming in for medical. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister know if there's any clauses within the contract due to health violations that can terminate the existing contract? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the contract does have standards for client safety and cleanliness, and they are monitored and discussed with the contractor regularly if there is an issue. Regarding the cleanliness concern, the NTHSSA has followed up with Keskorie Boarding Home, which they contract the hotels and with any complaints that they have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Has there been any interest from Indigenous governments to build a boarding home to accommodate future patients? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that there is interest from both private companies and Indigenous governments to develop plans to meet the NWT's medical travel boarding home needs. We hope for a successful request for proposal for the new Yellowknife-based boarding home contract in the coming fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier today. So the alcohol strategy includes actions that involve various departments, so not just Health and Social Services but, for example, Department of Finance and the liquor commission have actions around policy and communications on alcohol sales and pricing. The Department of Infrastructure and Justice around issues around drunk driving and mechanisms to combat that. So will the government take a whole-of-government approach to implementing the alcohol strategy, or will this fall under one department to lead? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All-of-government approach. Thank you.

Thank you for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So has this government costed out the actions that were listed in the work plan of the alcohol strategy?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to answer all of the government questions but the alcohol strategy does lie with the Department of Health and Social Services, and so the Minister of Health and Social Services would be best positioned to respond to this question. So I'd like to defer it to her. Thank you.

That would be a second set of questions if it started with you and then transferring to the other Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must be confused on the rules; I thought I could defer the question at any time. Okay, thank you.

Minister from Health and Social Services to her question.

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I don't have a level of that, the information the Member is question as the pricing or any of that. I'll have to discuss that with the department and get back to the Member.

Thank you, Member. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So certainly I wasn't expecting cost to come out today; I was just asking whether or not the government has costed the actions. But if all to that, is there an intention to put money starting in the 2024-2025 budget to implement some of these actions in the alcohol strategy?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of different things within the next budget that will be attributing to some of the actions within the alcohol strategy. But to break it down to further detail, I'll have to get back to the Member on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the alcohol strategy aims to have all actions completed by March 31st, 2028. Is this government going to strive to create a plan that will allow all actions to be completed by March 31st, 2028? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the action and, you know, if this is something that we will all decide, you know, in this House, operations of and breaking these different areas down. We have to remember that it's not only government that will be providing these services. So, additionally, it's important to remember that there are Indigenous governments and organizations who offer a variety of addiction-focused services and are developing this capacity as well. So, you know, I talked about last week about the Weaving Our Wisdom conference gathering that was here. That is a huge component of addictions and, you know, and will -- may target a lot of those areas within the alcohol strategy but it's working in partnership with, you know, NGOs, with Indigenous governments, and this government. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So when we talk about efficiencies, that is one of the things that I wanted to focus on coming into this role, ensuring that we are doing what we need to do as a government, not doing things that we don't need to be doing. So ensuring that we spend every dollar, every public dollar, in the best possible way which would allow us to support residents where they need it the most. And so by saving money on unnecessary expenditures, we can then go to addressing issues like the cost of living. Of course, we've been working as a Cabinet on our fiscal sustainability strategy, and that is to ensure that we are fiscally sustainable and can best support residents. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I welcome that answer because that now leads -- or I should say dovetails into the next one is part of that efficiency in revisiting the work that they do and examining the overall cost of government, we also have to think about the burden on the taxpayer hence the question is are they looking at eliminating the fees of particular services where it costs more to provide the service than it actually does in the sense of the process of what the fee is worth? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we are -- you know, we're a new Assembly. We just released the fiscal strategy. We just set our priorities as an Assembly. And we are now working on the mandate. And so we are looking at all of those -- all of the fees that we charge, services for which we don't charge fees where fees are charged in other jurisdictions. So everything is currently on the table. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't want to drill down too deep because, of course, the Premier did say it's early, but is the Premier open to some examples? And the simple examples I would provide in a simple statement would be is there is costs to running the driver's license renewal, the license plate renewal. Is the Premier -- I'm giving him time. Is the Premier able to look at those services and examine them and maybe make them free given the consideration that it probably costs more to run those services than we actually charge for them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm happy to look into that. If we are doing something and it's costing us more than it's worth, then we need to look at why we are spending that much money. Oftentimes there are practical reasons why we have to do something, even if it does cost us more than it's worth, or there could be legal requirements. But I'm happy to look at any fees that we're charging and determine whether or not they are appropriate for that service. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A pragmatic and practical answer was exactly what I was looking for. Mr. Speaker, how could the Premier report this information back in the context of what they're looking at, how they're developing it, and how are they considering it so the public could hear how the government is examining how it's doing business and how it could make it more affordable for Northerners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so once we are done this sitting, we are going to go right into developing a mandate which will then inform the upcoming budget and so it's through that process that Members will see what is being considered. It is where we will get that input back from Members. I won't speak too much to the budgeting process. That is, of course, the Minister of Finance's department, but I know that she is keen on getting feedback as well from the Members and from the public. Thank you.

Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a question for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

In the 19th Assembly, the GNWT provided an additional $5 million in funding for communities but we know, Mr. Speaker, it has not closed the municipal funding gap. Can the Minister provide the total value of the municipal funding gap for NWT communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.