Minister of Housing NWT. Colleagues, time for oral questions is up. Oral questions. Written questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Since 2019-2020, the consolidated Government of the Northwest Territories public sector grew by 1,391 positions, or 27.3 percent for a total employee complement of 6,482. As the Minister of Finance noted in Restoring Balance: A Fiscal Sustainability Plan for the 20th Legislative Assembly, "when the public sector grows, associate costs such as employee benefits, pension, dental, health insurance, other ancillary supports like IT hardware and maintenance, office space, etc. also increase."

My questions to the Minister of Finance are:

1. Can the Minister provide the total money value of all job positions added to the Government of the Northwest Territories public service since 2019-2020;
2. Can the Minister provide a regional breakdown of all job positions added to the Government of the Northwest Territories public service since 2019-2020;
3. Can the Minister provide the vacancy rate of all job positions added to the Government of the Northwest Territories public service since 2019-2020 by fiscal year;
4. Can the Minister provide the total money value of all vacant job positions added to the Government of the Northwest Territories public service since 2019-2020; and
5. Can the Minister provide the approximate length of time job positions added to the Government of the Northwest Territories public service since 2019-2020 have been vacant by fiscal year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Your question will be added to the orders of the day.

Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a ceasefire and end to Canadian support for the plausible genocide in Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains a total of 905 signatures with 295 being handwritten and 610 electronic signatures collected on change.org. Of those signatures, 645 are from Northwest Territories residents, including 276 handwritten signatures and 369 electronic signatures.

And, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories to request the Premier of the Northwest Territories, due to the vested interest the Northwest Territories has in universal human rights, international humanitarian law, and the Genocide Convention, to call upon the Canadian government to:

• Fully uphold its obligations to the Genocide Convention;
• Effectively call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza;
• Fully fund organizations, including UNRWA, that will assist in the necessary lifesaving humanitarian efforts; and,
• End Canadian sale of arms and military goods to Israel until it fully complies with the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Petitions. Mr. Clerk.

Tabling of documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: 2022-2023 Annual Report on Official Languages; and, Aurora College Annual Report 2022-2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: The Northwest Territories and Nunavut Lotteries Operations Annual Report 2022-2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Member from Yellowknife North.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 29th, 2024, I will move the following motion:

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that notwithstanding Rule 2.1, when this House adjourns on Thursday, February 29th, 2024, it shall be adjourned until Thursday, May 23rd, 2024;

And further, that at any time prior to May 23rd, 2024, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it had been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Notices of motion. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 29th, 2024, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife North, that this Legislative Assembly condemn all acts of anti-semitism and anti-palestinian racism in our territory;

And further, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Premier to write a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, and permanent representative of Canada to the United Nations Bob Rae, that will call upon the Canadian government to:

• Call for an immediate and effective ceasefire and halt to violence by both Israel and Hamas;
• Advocate for the immediate release of all hostages;
• Advocate for, and provide funds for, unhindered access for humanitarian aid for all those in need in Gaza; and,
• Take all actions necessary to fully uphold its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

And furthermore, that the Northwest Territories Member of Parliament Michael McLeod receive a copy of this letter;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Member from Range Lake.

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

First reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 5, Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2023-2024, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 5 is deemed to have been read for the first time and is ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 5, Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2023-2024, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. The motion's in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? Motion is passed.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5-20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1), Minister's Statement 24-20(1), Tabled Document 29-20(1), with the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh in the chair.

Before we go, 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 the business of the House. Thank you.

Thank you. Calling the committee to order. What is the wish of committee? I'm going to go to Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you. Does the committee agree?