Please be seated. I'd like to thank Jonas Sangris for the opening words and blessing in Tlicho, and we'll move right into our business for the day, folks. Ministers' statements. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the Interim Estimates, Operations Expenditures, 2024-2025 which presents an interim budget for the Government of the Northwest Territories. This interim budget will provide funding for programs and services over the first quarter of the upcoming fiscal year, giving the 20th Legislative Assembly appropriate time to complete its transition and to set its priorities. Mr. Speaker, it will come as no surprise that flooding, drought, wildfire events, and the global COVID-19 pandemic have all negatively impacted the government's financial capacity. Despite these challenges, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has taken several significant actions to maintain the sustainability of public finances.

We have capped the budget for large capital projects at $260 million to better reflect what the GNWT can deliver in a year. This single action returned the government's medium-term outlook to a more sustainable path. In 2023, we also updated the GNWT's fiscal responsibility policy to reinforce our commitment to transparency and accountability, requiring that our budgeted consolidated debt be a minimum of $120 million below the federal borrowing limit. In addition to this, the government renewal initiative is building a culture within the public service to maximize efficiency and value for money, aiming to ensure that the GNWT does the right things at the right time in the right way.

Looking ahead, strengthening the Northwest Territories' economy must be top of mind when speaking of our fiscal reality. Maturing diamond mines, lack of economic diversity, and declining private sector investment are the main drivers of the territory's economic challenges. We are also mindful of global events influencing what happens within the territory, including ongoing supply chain challenges and labour market availability. I am pleased to say the Northwest Territories' employment rate remains strong and wages continue to grow. While this provides added resources to workers to deal with inflation, it can also create additional financial pressures for businesses.

Mr. Speaker, the significant challenges I just outlined mean the GNWT will need sufficient fiscal resources to respond to future needs, both anticipated and unforeseen. We will need a fiscal strategy that can address our financial challenges while delivering on the priorities of the 20th Legislative Assembly. A well-developed mandate and priorities will provide direction for the government to create not only its fiscal plan for the next budget year but also operational plans for the life of this government.

In preparation for the operating budget I will bring forward in May 2024, we are taking a careful look at the government's own-source revenues balanced against the implications for the costs of living and doing business and on the economy in general. The GNWT's reliance on federal transfers for almost 80 percent of our total revenues, coupled with a small tax base, leaves little room to grow revenues in the short-term. We are building on the work of government renewal initiative in order to find ways to get more value from our spending and to be focused on delivering programs and services that align with this Legislative Assembly's priorities.

Mr. Speaker, the upcoming budget conversations leading to the tabling of the 2024-2025 Main Estimates will be critical in improving the territory's financial position. I am pleased that this Legislative Assembly has chosen to take the time to do this right so that the priorities of the 20th Legislative Assembly can be reflected in financial plans going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Ministers' statements. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by acknowledging that the Government of the Northwest Territories will ensure that a comprehensive and independent after-action review of last year's historic wildfire season is completed and shared publicly. This will be transparent and an open process, and it will involve feedback from community and Indigenous governments as well as emergency management partners. Additionally, public forums will be hosted in impacted communities to hear directly from residents who were evacuated during last year's devastating wildfire season.

This will be the largest after-action review undertaken by this government, and I want residents to know that this is a priority for this government. We already know that it will highlight gaps in last year's emergency response, but it will also inform how we collectively prepare for and manage and recover from emergencies in the future.

Mr. Speaker, this review will also consider the independent reviews being conducted by other organizations, including non-government organizations and community and Indigenous governments.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is deeply committed to learning from last year's devastating wildfire season, and I believe this extensive review, which all residents will be invited to participate in, will help guide emergency preparation and management efforts going forward.
I want to stress, however, that our government is not waiting for recommendations from this review to make improvements now. All departments have been working to implement lessons learned from the 2023 wildfire season, including reviewing and updating the NWT Emergency Plan, updating standard operating procedures and coordinating training for GNWT staff. The comprehensive review of our emergency plan will be complete in advance of the 2024 disaster season.

In preparation for another high-risk season, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is also rolling out its annual Be Ready and Emergency Preparedness Week campaign to promote the importance of personal and family preparedness. With that being said, Mr. Speaker, individuals and families should have household emergency plans, emergency kits, and emergency contact information available. Property owners and businesses should have insurance and plans to protect their property during emergencies. Residents should be familiar with their community emergency plans so that they understand the risk to their community and what to expect during an emergency, and businesses should have contingency plans in place and know how to activate them.

As the lead for emergency management, community governments should have local emergency management organizations and community emergency plans that are reviewed and practiced annually. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has contacted all community governments to offer assistance with planning activities and has scheduled workshops over the coming months. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs also provides tailored support, including presentations, meetings, and exercises to practice their community emergency plans.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT communities have faced many challenges over the past few years due to the impacts of wildfires and floods. As a firefighter from Hay River, I was personally involved in some of these events and I know firsthand how devastating they can be. I offer my sympathy and support to all those who have experienced loss and my thanks to all residents for their continued resilience.

Unfortunately, due to climate change we can likely expect more frequent and severe wildfires and floods in the future. While we cannot predict what this year's wildfire and breakup season will look like, we can take steps to prepare ourselves. I know it can be difficult to hear that disasters will happen again. But it is critical that all of us as individuals, businesses, communities, and this government, take action to prepare for and respond to disasters should they occur.

As Northerners, we know all too well that emergency events can be stressful, disruptive, costly, and devastating. We also know that with better preparation, we can mitigate some of the damage, stress, and financial impact. I urge all residents to consider this as the 2024 high-risk season approaches.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my appreciation to all our emergency responders who continue to keep our communities and our residents safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that the Honourable Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister's statement 2023 Wildfire Season Review and Planning for the 2024 Season be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstain? The motion is carried. The Minister's statement is referred to the Committee of the Whole.

---Carried

Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Minister's statement Emergency Management Preparedness be referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All in favour? Opposed? Abstained? The motion is carried. The Minister's statement is referred to the Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

---Carried

Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm rising today because I want to talk about Northerners living healthier, longer, and retiring in the North.

Mr. Speaker, it is a shifting demographics and makeup like the seasons in nature, people's lives similarly follow their own course. People travel from their spring to their summer to the fall and even to the winter cycle of our days. Each journey is different, and each journey certainly has its own supports and needs. We need supports through independence, care, but always through respect as we go through these stages.

Mr. Speaker, seniors are certainly one of the fastest growing demographics we have in the Northwest Territories. Between 2003 and 2021, that section of our population grew by 250 percent. It went from 6.5 percent of our population up to 15.2% of Northerners, Mr. Speaker.

Seniors are living longer. Some are working because they want to. Many work because they need to, Mr. Speaker. Our economy does need them in the workforce, but the reality is some of them are working because they absolutely are struggling, and they need help. While the median income in the Northwest Territories may appear high in respects to what it is in Canada, it has considerably dropped for seniors over the age of 65.

Now everywhere I travel throughout the North, all I hear about how important are our elders and our seniors, and I couldn't agree more. They are a revered piece of our population that deserves our greatest respect and dignity, Mr. Speaker. But to do that, many even question why we don't have a Minister responsible for seniors. It almost seems like a shame they've been forgotten. Often, I hear about how the government and our people extol the great virtues of seniors and why we need them, but where is that Minister?

Mr. Speaker, I also want to point out how do we define and demonstrate our continued respect for this community? Seniors' benefits only go so far. They are also mapped all over the government. It's difficult to follow even for someone like myself who's familiar on how to find these types of things. We could, as a government, create a hallmark piece of legislation and policy that could codify seniors' benefits by calling it a seniors' bill of rights for our elders. Why? Because they matter that much. We put pen to paper, and we demonstrate it through our commitment here every single day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am speaking about the knowledge economy and what development of this sector could mean for our territory. First, I want to dispel the idea that growing this sector is only about skill development. That is a key aspect of it. But people can obtain skills elsewhere so we need to be thinking about what we can offer to the world, what would extract and keep people here to study, and help us build institutions communities can build their economies around.

It has been suggested that the university project is simply about centralizing things in Yellowknife. To the contrary. Doing so would fail to capture the value this territory has to offer on the global stage. Each region of the NWT has unique things to offer, and I truly believe that growth of this sector will benefit many communities if done right.

Inuvik is the epicentre of climate change and permafrost research and could grow to be an international polar research hub. Fort Smith has excellent infrastructure for existing programs and the on-land skills taught in the environment and natural resources technology program are unmatched. With an academic renewal, I think that program could attract many more students. Hay River could be home to a high latitude agricultural program. Yellowknife is the seat of governance. And the NWT is one of the few places in the world where Indigenous governments are achieving self-government agreements. Imagine a governance program which has students not only coming to Yellowknife and the Akaitcho region but also doing residencies and training in the Sahtu, Tlicho, Deh Cho, and Inuvialuit regions where self-government is being implemented and negotiated. We have so much value to offer and capture if we can come together and build an expansive vision and have the courage to invest in bringing this vision to fruition.

So when I think about where we could be in 50 years, Mr. Speaker, part of that vision for me is having a fully developed and thriving economy built around the people of this territory and the unique perspectives we can offer the world. In my opinion, it is our greatest untapped resource. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in April of 2023, the NWT Early Childhood Association held an event called waiting. They invited families from across the NWT who are waiting for spaces to participate. They heard from a variety of families that were either leaving the territory, going on income support, or not able to go back to work due to lack of spaces. This did not take into consideration the families that are choosing not to move to the Northwest Territories and the negative economic impact on the NWT that comes with our inability to attract professionals such as doctors, nurses, teachers, and many more.

Mr. Speaker, the bilateral agreement signed with the Employment and Social Development Canada has had a negative effect on daycare in the Northwest Territories. The subsidy provided will not be enough to offset the cap on what the daycares are able to charge for spaces. The shortfall will either have to come from additional funding from Canada or be additionally subsidized by the GNWT.

Mr. Speaker, daycares are facing funding shortfalls due to issues like employee wage freezes, limits and/or freezes on daycare fee increases, and many daycares are considering closing entirely due to the uncertainty and accumulating more debt.

Mr. Speaker, operating costs such as utilities, food, and increased inflation are outpacing subsidy funds provided by the $10-a-day child care program. Further context to this issue can be ascertained by looking at the other jurisdictions. Multiple other provinces are also dealing with issues like we are. Both Ontario and Alberta governments are pushing the federal government to commit more federal money for the successful rollout of this child care program.

Mr. Speaker, wait lists for child care spaces are getting longer each year while demand for child care is only expected to increase as this $10-a-day program rolls out. Some daycares across the country are pulling out of the program altogether.

Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that daycares are able to survive. We must support the workers who go to work each day, so others are able to go to work each day. This affects the entire territory, Mr. Speaker. If we are unable to provide adequate daycare, it will have a major impact on our current workforce and our ability to attract professional people to our territory. They need clear programs, specific numbers on the new funding so appropriate decisions can be made well before the beginning of each new fiscal year. They need a clearer communication process with our government, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line, the GNWT must provide a guarantee that it will provide the necessary funds to allow child care operators like the Children's First Society in Inuvik to continue, otherwise it essentially...

Member from Inuvik Boot Lake, your time is up.

Sorry, I would ask for unanimous consent.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My apologies. I'm just about done.

Now, finally, Mr. Speaker, if child care centres are no longer able to operate and we face even more limited spaces or closures, make no mistake it will affect us all. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This term challenge, part number 2.

Mr. Speaker, on the issue of progress, our measurables is based on achievable priorities. Mr. Speaker, a collaborative approach with the multi NWT groups is tailoring resolutions through partnerships. Mr. Speaker, critical to projects large or small is the element of funding security. The Government of the Northwest Territories' previous assemblies has secured combined federal and territorial project resources. The bilateral agreements remain in place today. From this, we can implement a disposable economy.

The NWT, Mr. Speaker, is home to an active mineral industry. In our transitional efforts to a low carbon economy, the federal government is leading the charge. Through this initiative a climate change development strategy has been completed.

Change is coming, Mr. Speaker. No longer automakers will be manufacturing fuel-powered vehicles by 2035. Critical minerals is a major component needed for emissions reductions. The NWT has a potential in becoming a major supplier to this emerging industry.

Mr. Speaker, yes, we recognize the mine closure. A huge concern to industry, residents, Northerners, and vendors alike. This issue, with new exploration, renewed devolution discussions, is required for investment, land access, certainty, and regulatory upgrades.

Mr. Speaker, education is a pillar of healthy communities and career security. The Government of the Northwest Territories has adopted a partnership with the Government of British Columbia in delivering a new curriculum. Our joint management systems, regional and local education authorities, need the awareness and delivery supports.

On the issue of housing, Mr. Speaker, the NWT has seen a significant influx of federal resources. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. A significant influx of federal resources to bridge the gap minimize the NWT housing crisis. I ask myself if this partnership is producing results, let's endorse the partnership.

Mr. Speaker, our caribou herds are in decline, a main diet to many Northerners. Continued bilateral Indigenous government agreements and consultation are essential. This new --

Member from the Sahtu, your time is up to conclude your statement. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as my friend from the Sahtu has said, critical minerals are the future of the minerals industry, not just in Northwest Territories but in the entire world. And in that mix, rare earth minerals are vital to the modern digital economy because they're such a necessity for high technology devices, the demand of which increases exponentially every year. Rare earth minerals are particularly key to the transition to renewable energy and decarbonizing our economy. The industry is centered in the Asia-Pacific region because the People's Republic of China accounts for 70 percent of the world's supply. China also has access to South American minerals because of complex trade deals with Latin American countries and the fact that they're built around initiative gives them access to South American rare earth markets.

Mr. Speaker, that's why Nechalacho Mine here in the Northwest Territories had so much promise to deliver a supply chain outside of China's control over the market.

Mr. Speaker, Vital Minerals is a company based in Australia that is also developing a rare earth mine project in Tanzania in addition to the Nechalacho Mine here in the Northwest Territories. The project was commenced in 2021, and Vital hoped to mine 25,000 tonnes of concentrate per year by 2025. Unfortunately, changes to the market caused issues with financing this project and shortly after June 2022, there were concerns with the company and they closed their processing plant in Saskatoon in 2023. So here, the situation we have today before us, is a large investment from a Chinese state-controlled company called Shanghai Resources has bought a near 10 percent stake in Vital Metals with a promise to bring that total up to 18 percent. And, Mr. Speaker, this kind of foreign investment is of grave concern to Canada's national security. It also is of grave concern to the future viability of rare earth mining and the rare earth industry in the Northwest Territories because China has used rare earths and critical minerals as part of their national strategy to maintain dominance over that market. And if things continue, we won't have a Nechalacho Mine in the Northwest Territories. It will be shut down, and we'll be forced to participate in that supply chain which is just not working for ourselves or our allies or for our efforts to decarbonize our economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to offer folks a content warning of this statement which will contain graphic description of a hurt child. These kinds of firsthand accounts break the hearts of members of our NWT community every day. This is an account of a pediatrician in Gaza.

In the first few hours of my work, I treated an approximately one-year-old boy. His right arm and right leg had been blown off by a bomb and flesh was still hanging off the foot. He had a blood-stained diaper, which remained, but there was no leg below. I treated the baby while he lay on the ground. There were no stretchers available because all the beds had already been taken considering that many people were also trying to use the hospital as a shelter or safe place for their families. Next to him, there was a man who was on his last breaths. He had been actively dying for the last 24 hours and flies were already on him. All the while, a woman was brought in and declared dead on arrival.

This one-year-old had blood pouring into his chest cavity. He needed a chest tube so he wouldn't asphyxiate on his own blood, but there were neither chest tubes nor blood pressure cuffs available in pediatric sizes. No morphine had been given in the chaos, and it wasn't available.

This patient in America would have immediately gone to the OR but instead the orthopedic surgeon bandaged the stumps and said he couldn't take him to the operating theater because there were more pressing emergencies. And I tried to imagine what was more pressing than a one-year-old with no hand and no legs who was choking on his own blood. That to me was symbolic of the impossible choices inflicted on doctors in Gaza and how truly cataclysmic this situation is.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements. Member from Monfwi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, I'm going to be questioning regarding the elders' housing. Mr. Speaker, population [Translation ends].

We also know that the majority of older seniors, those seniors who are no longer working age, are mostly Indigenous. We also know, Mr. Speaker, as seniors age so does the number of households that require major renovations. Mr. Speaker, many of our Indigenous elders are living in homes with disrepair or beyond repair.

Mr. Speaker, what are we doing to help our retired elders, those who have made the NWT their home their entire life? How can we help them with repair to repair their homes with ease?

I am hearing from constituents in my riding, Mr. Speaker, that elders on retired fixed incomes are being asked to upfront $1,000 to be eligible for various housing repair programs.

Mr. Speaker, we know that the cost of living has gone up. I am concerned about the income threshold for these programs. How has NWT Housing considered the increased cost of living when deciding income threshold? Not only that, we know government application process is a barrier for elders whose first language is not English.

Mr. Speaker, our elders need housing liaison workers. They need people to come to their home, speak their language, and assist them to obtain support from Housing NWT. We have elders trying to live at the same time some of them are caring for their grandchildren without running water in their homes. Mr. Speaker, our elders deserve more respect. Housing NWT can provide better support services for our elders to age in place. I will have questions for the Minister of housing. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over recent years, many have stood up in the House to warn that our territorial financial outlook was worsening yet the government of the day just keep kicking the problem down the road so that hard choices will fall onto someone else's shoulders. Now it sounds like we can't ignore our finances any longer.

I understand that there's talk about cuts coming on the horizon. Like every northern family, the government must come to terms with reality and live within its means. My people understand that our territory can't keep spending more than we take in every year, but the communities in my riding of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh are concerned by this talk. They receive less than 5 percent of the $2.2 billion from the finance Minister's table and worry that now that there will be less investment in our riding.

Across my riding, there are critical problems with housing, homeownership repairs, infrastructure, and across access to services. My people can't afford to lose out on support they have waited desperately for. To my constituents, it seems like the government just keeps growing. They still see a fair relationship with the GNWT and fewer coming budgets that work for their needs and will be imposed on to them, just like the old days of the colonial system in the past.

The Premier says he wants to make another shot at renewing the relationship between First Nations and the GNWT. That makes me hopeful. I believe the path to fiscal responsibility offers this new government an opportunity to put words into action. They can choose to balance a future approach to fiscal restraint by ensuring services to Indigenous people and nations is protected and progress is made on the vital priorities of the smaller communities.

The people of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh shares my optimism in this new government and have not lost hope in the future of the GNWT that works through cooperation and consultation. When this happens, we can find the solution together and build a prosperous economy that will see our territory thrive. I look forward to asking the Minister of Finance questions on this topic. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my recent constituency meetings within my riding, the concern of rent scales has come to my attention by many of the attendees. They are frustrated because it does not work for everyone living in the public housing units.

Mr. Speaker, there are many factors that are related to the cause of this failure in the way that the rent is calculated. The current rent scale is calculated based on the previous year's income. Once your income tax is submitted, the local housing authorities calculate your rent for the whole year. We are experiencing high unemployment rate as with other regions, and most of the residents of my riding are employed seasonally. Some of these people do not even qualify for employment insurance yet their rent is based on the previous year's income.

Mr. Speaker, the current rent scale is landing many of the tenants with huge arrears with the housing authority. The residents are willing to work but due to the lack of employment, these individuals are still required to pay the set amount that was based on the previous year. The residents also require homeownership options for the families who have permanent employment but are paying high rent each month. There's a lady in Tsiigehtchic who informed me that she has been employed for three and a half years and pays $1,450 per month in rent. In the three years of paying rent, the total amount is in the excess of $77,000 for this one person. Meanwhile, there are other tenants who pay $70 a month, and these individuals have paid around $3,000 in the same timeframe.

Mr. Speaker, we as a government must be reasonable and try to make the living arrangements more equal for all the tenants of the Northwest Territories, whether it is restructuring the rent scale or reintroducing homeownership options for the select few who are taking it upon themselves to work for the betterment of themselves and their families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the carbon tax because I fear that much of the discussion in the media is missing the point. Many of my constituents have come to me with their alarm and disappointment that the message they hear coming from this government's leaders is that carbon pricing hurts people because there are no economically viable alternatives to fossil fuels in the NWT so let's scrap the tax. The important message that's being lost, however, is that climate change hurts people, that climate change costs us dearly, and diesel and heating oil have many downsides including the expense and contamination of diesel spills.

Our status quo dependence on diesel isn't safe, and it's not cheap. And there are renewable energy alternatives. Some of them aren't even new technologies.

Since time immemorial, many northern peoples were heating their homes not with heating oil but with wood. Efficient, clean burning stoves are now more available and affordable than ever with subsidies by Arctic Energy Alliance. And district biomass heating systems for larger buildings are proven to work here, if we could just get all the different players organized.

In the NWT, we have some of the highest per person energy consumption and GHG emissions in the world, and our communities suffer the most from the effects of climate change so we cannot pretend that this is not our problem. My constituents and others across the NWT have told me that they are determined to be part of the solution.

Now, I want to be clear that I don't believe that high emissions or rampant climate change are the fault of individual Northerners just making bad choices. That's where our current carbon tax system falls short because it simply tries to incentivize individuals to behave differently, but people currently have limited options, so it just ends up feeling like punishment.

What residents need to see is the carbon tax revenues being used to create low carbon choices and options for them. That's where the municipal, federal, and territorial governments need to lead the way. People won't leave their cars at home until there is more convenient public transit. People will not invest in electric vehicles until there is clean, robust electricity system and charging infrastructure. Industry will not develop the supply or demand for renewable diesel until there is a clear regulatory framework for clean fuel standards. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This whole time we've had the illusion that fossil fuel technologies are the most economic because we've been subsidizing them with our tax dollars. So the whole point of a carbon tax is to help us plan for a cleaner future by noticing the real price that we are paying for fossil fuels. Carbon pricing should be acting as a kick in the pants to governments to find tools to bring down the price and increase the availability of cleaner alternatives. So carbon tax is not our enemy but if you want residents to do their part to address climate change, first our government has to do its part. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my CA, Myrtle Graham, who is here today. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. And welcome. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your chambers. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It is always nice to see people in the gallery.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a follow-up to my Member's statement earlier, I've been told that each program is going to get more money or get new money for a proposed new funding mechanism. But when asked, they couldn't tell me, for example the Children's First Society in Inuvik, what that amount would be. For the new funding mechanism, if the department knows all the programs who get more money, why can't the CFS, Children's First Society, get those funding numbers now so they can plan for it? My question is for the Minister of ECE. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister from ECE.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you very much to the Member. I was very excited to hear the Member refer to the virtual meeting that NWT Early Childhood Association had with their stakeholders because I was able to sit in on that meeting last year as a Regular Member, and it was -- I found it very helpful to be able to hear the personal stories of what people in the territory are going through.

Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the Member is that the Government of Canada has announced overall funding to this sector and, specifically here within the GNWT, for $49.5 million over a five-year period, and that's the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. In addition to that, we have the Canada NWT Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreement in the amount of $10.2 million. That's over a four-year period. And I'll leave it there and wait for the next questions from the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the department determined how that money will be allocated to each region and each -- Children's First Centre?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the dollars aren't awarded or allotted by region. They are subsidies that are provided to child care providers across the Northwest Territories. So it would be -- the subsidies would be in relation to how many children, if those children are full-time or part-time, and information that is specific to each child care provider, whether or not that is a daycare provider or a day home. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, have those numbers been provided to each individual daycare what that subsidy will be?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've had the opportunity to actually at this point, in my term as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, to sit down with the association and have a very frank conversation with them about their concerns and about what they're looking for. I know that the department right now is working with the sector in order to do engagement and feedback on where they're at with establishing what the wage grid is. And so given that that information has not been solidified with the sector, that's why there is no final determination of what those dollars are. So right now, the department is working with stakeholders in order to find out, based on the dollars that we have in the territory, where they can work with one another for what the sector is looking for in conjunction with the dollars that we have within the territory for child care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned the wage grid, and I understand that the wage grid has been provided and the wage grid has been broken into zones for the territory. The concern for the Children's First Society in Inuvik is that they are in zone B while the surrounding communities are in zone C, and I wonder if the Minister can provide a little update as to why that is. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this isn't yet a done conversation. The department is still working with this sector in order to figure out what works best for everybody involved. And this is a relationship that I am absolutely committed to. I have spoken with the association and let them know that I consider our first meeting the first of many. I want to maintain that open working relationship, and child care is something that I absolutely have benefitted from as a working parent in the territory, and I intend to see other working parents receive the same benefit as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's distressing for many that Canadian citizens are indirectly enabling the ongoing human tragedy in Gaza through the sale of arms and military goods. Will the Premier write to the Prime Minister of Canada and ask that he stop the sale of arms and military goods to Israel during this conflict? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a national conversation. That's a federal government conversation. And I've taken the approach during this government to not wade into international affairs. We're focusing on our jurisdiction. There's a lot of work to do here. And I appreciate the sensitivities around this. I appreciate the comments the Member made earlier. There's no way that people cannot be moved by hearing that. But the Government of the Northwest Territories is focused on territorial affairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's disappointing to hear that from the Premier because it is a territorial issue. We do have members of the Palestinian community here in the Northwest Territories. And so, Mr. Speaker, I would ask if the Premier would be willing to meet with local members of that community to hear firsthand the impacts on NWT residents with family in Gaza. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've reached out to all MLAs and encouraged them to organize constituency tours where the MLA would set up -- we would go to the MLA's riding and meet with whoever the MLA would like us to meet with. So if the MLA would like to organize that meeting, I will attend. Thank you.

Really more of a comment, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, I will reach out to the Premier.

More of a comment. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to my Member's statement today, I want to point out to how important -- I should say maybe it this way. I want to reaffirm how important seniors and elders are to me and our community. And I have no doubt every Member on the Member's side is feeling just as strongly that we care very deeply for our seniors and our elders, and we want to support them.

So my first question would be directed to the Premier, asking the question -- and perhaps maybe he can explain as the question why we don't have at least one Minister fully responsible for seniors and elders in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During this government, I chose not to assign any portfolios that had been assigned in previous governments that where Ministers responsible for something without a budget. So we don't have a Minister responsible for seniors, a Minister responsible for youth. And that was a conscious decision on my part because I saw those portfolios, and I heard from the Ministers who oversaw those portfolios, and I didn't think they were working based on everything that I saw and that I heard. When you are a Minister responsible for seniors with no budget, what is the point of that portfolio? I believe Mr. Speaker used to be the Minister responsible for youth so he might be able to relate to some of these comments. But that being said, the two Ministers who have the largest relationship with seniors in terms of their portfolio have met with the NWT Seniors Society - the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and the Minister of Health -- and they've had those conversations. So that relationship is still there. There isn't any specific Minister to go to, a Minister of seniors, which traditionally was the Health Minister. Instead, now groups like the Seniors Society can go meet with the Ministers who are working with them, so the Minister of Health and the Minister of ECE. So if anything, I see this as a way to create more conversations and more relationships. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that relationship already existed before this Premier took office. So the Simpson government has created the new position of doing less as the appearance of doing more from the sounds of it. Perhaps maybe he can explain how this is actually better, because the previous relationship worked just fine but we've taken away the symbolism, the prominence, the emphasis of a Minister responsible for seniors. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more concerned about actions than symbols. So I want the Ministers to work for seniors, not to have a token portfolio with no money or authority attached to it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there lies the opportunity. The Premier could have had the courage to put money behind the portfolio and dignity and respect finally in a portfolio that's supposed to mean so much to so many. Why doesn't the Premier have the courage to make that proposal to Members now? Because not one of us would say no to supporting seniors. Thank you.

Members, please direct to me as the chair and don't direct it to your colleagues on the other side. Thank you. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'm sorry, I'm a little dizzy from all that spin. I don't think there's any -- I don't think anyone here thinks that, you know, we value seniors less because we don't have a token portfolio. So I don't really know how to answer this. It's -- you know, I'll just leave it at that. I don't waste any more of the Assembly's time with my response. Thanks.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure how the Premier can justify wasting the Assembly's time by not saying how he can help seniors better, Mr. Speaker, by giving the portfolio the respect and due it deserves. If there's a seniors' portfolio in the Government of Canada, I mean my goodness, are they wasting their time? So maybe the Minister can chair -- sorry, the Premier can clarify why that wouldn't serve them better? Thank you.

Thank you. So I've been asked the question four times of why we don't have a portfolio for seniors, a token portfolio with no money attached, and it's because based on my experience I have seen those portfolios and I don't believe that they've been effective. I'd rather focus on actions than empty symbols. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our fiscal situation is worsening. The economy is going faster -- is not going fast enough, and several disasters has put further strains on our finances yet small communities across the North are facing severe problems relating to housing, housing repairs, infrastructure, and services they require, serious investment, economic investment, social progress, fiscal constraints are competing priorities this government must balance. My questions is to the Minister of Finance.

Can the Minister of Finance provide an update on the deficit and debt position of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I am tabling the interim estimates that we're proposing, and with that does come an update as to our proposed borrowing. I can say, Mr. Speaker, that we do typically run an operating surplus where available for the government. Now, we do also provide updates in the fall with the capital planning process and normally would be providing the update as well as part of the budgeting process here. We're still waiting on numbers, and we're still coming in from this wildfire season. So the last time we did May estimates, 2023-2024 Main Estimates, we were projecting a surplus, and followers of the House will know that over the summer when we had to come back to seek significant additional funding for wildfires that we were at that time taking away significant money from that surplus. So as those numbers have come in, that has reduced that surplus even further and may well put us into an operating deficit for this fiscal year. As I said, again, numbers are still coming in so we're still going to have to wait a little bit longer to get an actual value for that but we certainly -- the Member's quite right, we're in a difficult situation as a result of the ongoing challenges that we've been having over the last few years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister of Finance. I think the biggest thing I keep thinking about is the overall deficit of this government. And looking back at the budget books, we're about $1.6 billion and one of the things we don't talk about is balancing the overall budget. So the question to the Minister is prioritizing balancing the budgets of this new government, can you tell me how would you approach on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ensuring that there is a budget that is compliant with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy has always been an important feature for myself, and I expect will continue to be so under this administration. And I do reference the Fiscal Responsibility Policy because that's the document that helps guide our assurance that we're providing the budget that is sustainable.

As far as balancing the budget, having debt in and of itself for a government of our size, Mr. Speaker, is not the challenge. The challenge, though, is ensuring that in our expenditures that we don't continuously overspend as compared to our revenues, and that certainly is something that, the Member's quite right, looking back over a decade, that number does keep going up faster than our revenues keep going up. So certainly going forward now, we've laid -- we certainly have a lot more information and data available to us on how we can get those numbers closer, how we can get those lines together, and that can certainly be a focus for this Assembly should we choose to take that path. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister of Finance. Thank you for your response. I just keep thinking that when you release those documents, I'm looking forward to see it.

Balancing the budget means cuts. Will these cuts be services and investment to the Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh riding? Because we get less than 2.5 percent over the overall budget. I just want to know if that's going to be happening. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just firstly for the Members, communities, and residents of that riding and all ridings, the budget isn't parsed out by one community at a time. A large amount of our budget is actually spent on services, programs, so for example health care services, that don't necessarily line up according to our riding line. So I certainly don't want any residents feeling like they don't get a fair shake out of the government.

With respect to cuts, Mr. Speaker, that would certainly always be the last -- and cuts to programs and services has to be the last thing that we look at. But there's a lot that we can do to improve our efficiency, to avoid redundancy, and significant work has been done already, and we laid ourselves a path and it's our opportunity to take it, with government renewal and with the data that's been gathered by health sustainability and can we actually look at spending our money better and more wisely now that we have that data available to us so that we can, indeed, bring ourselves to a better fiscal situation without any cuts. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the finance Minister. Well, the biggest thing that I'm a little worried about is austerity, and I brought this up in the last Assembly. And when the Minister of the day had mentioned that this issue would be brought to the next Assembly to look at, so here we are today. So I'm just want to raise this because it's a concern. You know, will --

Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, question, please.

Yeah. The question is would these measures to balance the budget be through layoffs or funding cuts? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I'm also the Minister responsible for the public service and the work that we do as a government can't happen without that public service. So that is -- I hope not a rumor that's out amongst the public service that that's where we're going to be starting to find a way for better and more responsible government. Being a responsible government, having responsible fiscal policies, does not necessarily require us to go out and get rid of those people who deliver our programs and services. It does mean looking at how we do things, looks at the duplication of services, at government renewal, are there areas where we can be more efficient, how can we operate differently and better, and how can we look internally to fund so that we're not continually adding new positions, adding more when we're not already managing the house that we're in. So I appreciate the line of questioning. I don't -- and I share the concern, but I certainly want to emphasize to the public servants out there that this doesn't need to happen without them at the forefront telling us, in fact, how we can do better. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These questions going to the Minister of housing. In my statement, I referred to the rent and how it's not working for the tenants of the Northwest Territories in the housing association. Will the Minister look at restructuring the current rent scale?

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of the question of looking at the rental scale, Housing NWT is currently reviewing the rental scale as an action item for the strategic renewal exercise conducted in the 19th Assembly. So it is an action item.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the select few who have full-time employment and keep up to date with their rents, will the department look at homeownership options for these tenants? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The department can work with the tenants if they're interested in homeownership options. We can set up meetings with the individual tenants if they do have that interest for that opportunity.

Thank you. Ministers, please direct your comments to me and say -- start with Mr. Speaker as well. Thank you.

Final question, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. There are two programs available. The homeownership initiative and the home purchase program. Are these programs still in existence? Because I have two constituents who are -- who have full-time employment and have been trying to get some answers on these programs but they're not getting any concrete answers. I am just wondering are these programs still in existence? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If they are interested in the homeownership program, they can contact Housing NWT district office. The program is still in existence and operating. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Mackenzie Delta.

Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one day this is going to be all of us in here, okay? So right now the Housing NWT repair programs require seniors to contribute 10 percent of repair costs if they earn $59,000 or more. Would the Minister commit to reviewing the income threshold for the repair program? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm afraid I didn't understand the question for Housing NWT, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Member from Monfwi, can you rephrase your question, please.

What I said is right now what the housing is doing is that Housing NWT repairs program requires seniors to contribute 10 percent of repair costs, which is $1,000, if they are making $59,000 or more. So what I'm telling the Minister is that would the Minister commit to reviewing the income threshold for the repair program?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, great news. In 2023, the copayment requirement for up to a thousand dollars was removed in the emergency repair program and the fuel tank replacement program. And the budget for that program was also increased to $15,000. So that's good news. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And well that is good news to hear. That's what the previous Ministers have said. And I still -- recently, I forward her a letter -- letters from my constituents, the elders, who are in that situation where they have to pay $1,000, which many of them are saying that they cannot afford, the 10 percent required for repair program, and I just recently send her some. And there are deadline attached to those. So can the Minister allow the 10 percent equity in the seniors repair program to be paid in installment by clients, because it is still in place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What we can do is we can refer this back to Housing NWT and get the information to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. It's good that, you know, for them to review that. Okay, can the Minister commit to transferring North Slave housing office from Yellowknife that specifically deals with Tlicho communities to provide better services to people, especially the elders who are faced with many challenges. And I've said this many times. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd have to get back to the Member about the transfer and look into the information before I can commit to anything. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

This is in reference to the income threshold. So it's still -- it's referenced to income threshold. So will the Minister adjust the income threshold for seniors support program based on higher cost of living for elders in small and remote communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the review of the core need income threshold over the next year, this will be all reviewed and that will include seniors and elders living in small remote communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the issues I raised up around foreign investments in our minerals industry, the House of Commons committee on industry and trade is seeking a national security review into Vital Metals' sale -- shares of Vital Metals sold to a state-owned company under the Investment Canada act. The Minister -- the federal minister of industry has said he will block the sale of Canadian assets to state-owned enterprises. So my question for our industry Minister, industry, tourism and investment that is, is do we have a similar mechanism to assess security risks that are coming from foreign investment here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you very much. I'll respond to many things; that's okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we don't have a similar mechanism to that. We here in the Northwest Territories, that type of responsibility would fall to the federal government under the Investment Canada Act and if they choose to do a review and they need the support of the GNWT, ITI would certainly participate in any means that they needed us to. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And obviously foreign affairs or global affairs is a federal responsibility, but it seems that given the interest in these minerals, and all critical minerals, that we ought to consider this issue. So is the Minister looking into how we can assess investment and maybe work with Ottawa behind the scenes on these kind of investments and whether or not they are in the best interests of Northerners. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, what I want to start off by saying actually here is that I actually want to thank the Member for giving me the opportunity to speak about this on the floor of the House. I know this is something that has been in -- I like to talk a lot, Mr. Speaker. Okay. Okay, right to it, then.

Foreign investment is not all bad, Mr. Speaker. Foreign investment is something that Canada relies on, and foreign investment is something that our critical mineral mining absolutely relies on right now. And so what I can say to the Member right now is we are constantly monitoring all of our investments in all of the companies that operate within the Northwest Territories. Thank you.