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

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

I started to get worried you forgot about me, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there was a time not so long ago when you mentioned wellness workers. Most people around us would have said wellness what? Wellness is an act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to obtain better physical and mental outcomes. So instead of just surviving, we are thriving. Mr. Speaker, fast-forward to today. Wellness, or even well-being, really matters. Times have changed. When we look back, the government has made decisions in the past that may have seen -- or been perceived as efficient but the quality didn't realize -- wasn't realized until much later that we've done more harm to the system than good.

Take, for example, when I look back and I think of social workers that were part of an integral element of income support and at the time they were viewed as data entry jobs and they didn't need to talk to their clients, they just took paper. I also question, not as a fault but as a realization, that when have our LHOs, we have clients seeing them day to day wondering about their lives. No, no, Mr. Speaker, they're there just to take their paper and move them along.

But, Mr. Speaker, both examples are more than just people working as clerks taking data. They are really an important part, a first contact in many cases, the only contact in a lot of cases, that people have with these real live clients of ours. It's difficult to imagine that people don't need to talk to people. Imagine that, people talking to people? So when I hear clients tell me in both programs that they feel sometimes they're just a number, well as a matter of fact, that's exactly what they are in the way we've set them up. But they're more than that, Mr. Speaker. These are genuine people with real families and real challenges.

These individuals have all had journeys some of them will never fully appreciate, some of them are real tough, real stories, but their journeys with real stories worth being told. Trauma and supports come in different ways and how we support them and recognize them has changed so much more. This government, this Assembly, our MLAs, respect these things and realize how much more time and investment we need to do.

Mr. Speaker, I want to leave my colleagues with this thought as I finish my statement: The government program may be a backstop as some people fall down onto troubles, but we're also here to help them up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. I would never forget you. Members' statements.

Colleagues, today I am here to speak about Lisa Mary Rose Kraus. She was born on August 6, 1986, to Michael, commonly known as Mickey, Kraus Sr. and Bella, commonly known as Stella, Tsetso. On April 26, 2024, she passed away surrounded by family.

I can tell you she had an amazing service. Betty Bird did her celebration of life and did a great job. I asked her if I can share it with you here today. As Betty was scrolling through Facebook, thinking about what she wanted to say and where to start. She came across this quote: We don't meet people by accident, they are meant to cross our path for a reason. Just like Lisa who was put in each of our path, every person present here today are thinking about her and the impact she had on our life.

As Betty was scrolling Facebook checking out Lisa's page, she came upon her time in Yellowknife where she had lots of time to post. It was interesting to see what was important to her. I can tell you, Lisa loved her family and friends. Almost daily, she would put a post on her page telling her family and friends to have a blessed day and that she loved them. She was loyal to those she loved, and it showed in her many posts. She was also fierce in that love, and she had no problem calling out those that hurt her family and friends. Lisa also had a wicked sense of humour and could be quit entertaining around those that knew her best. She had a quick wit and quick comebacks. Lisa loved to make requests to the Saturday and the Sunday Bannock and Tea Request Show. The weekend after her passed, the host mentioned that one of her faithful listeners from the Deh Cho had got her angel wings and dedicated a song to her.

So many of Lisa's post were of quotes and memes that talked about her faith in God and the power of prayer. She shared many posts that talked about finding the strength to overcome hardship and struggles. Personally, I can tell you I have seen her drive and passion for her and her family. There is more to her celebration of life and in saying this, I would like to the rest of this celebration of life be deemed as read.

Colleagues, she will be sadly missed by her family, friends, and the community of Fort Simpson.

I can tell you that Lisa loved bingo and I am not sure she missed many chances to play. One of my favorite posts she made was, anyone wants to help this little brown Indian play bingo please. I know she got more than a few bingo cards from me with this post.

The Kraus family are a close-knit family and loyal to each other. No matter what differences they have had and struggles, when push comes to shove, they are there for each other. I admire that unwavering love they have for each other. Family is family no matter what. Hold onto that to help you deal with the loss of your grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend.

Lisa wanted so much to beat her addiction and get better. There were pages and pages of quotes looking for strength, forgiveness, courage, prayers and learning to love herself. Lisa was more than her addiction and would have given anything to heal. Please remember Lisa and what was in Lisa's heart.

To her children and grandchild, Hayden, meeka, Thomas Jr., Eva, and Etoah, your mother is more present now and in place to be there for you every moment of every day. She will be your shoulder when no one else is around. She is your comfort when you need it the most. And she is there to listen to all the secret thoughts like never before. When you are feeling lost and alone in the middle of the night, she is there to comfort you. For whatever reason, which is beyond our sorrow and pain, Lisa is now in the spirit world and will be there for you and will live in your heart and memories forever.

I wish you well on your journey, Lisa, and I am honoured and humbled to have had you in my life. Fly high and free, my girl. Will love you forever.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my former colleague and current friend, former Minister Pauline Chinna. She always created a lively atmosphere in Cabinet, and we miss her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Hay River North. Members' statements. Member from Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two pages from the Nunakput riding. Natalie Joss and Kianna Bernhardt who are both students at the Helen Kalvak Illihapaq in Ulukhaktok. Quyananni, and welcome to Natalie and Kianna for being here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Replies to Budget Address, Day 5 of 7. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday the 2024-2025 Budget was tabled with a $2.2 billion operating budget. The Minister is proposing a practical and realistic budget to restore balance and increase our financial means to deal with unexpected events. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the government needs to plan and budget for emergencies and unexpected natural disasters. In my riding, my constituents know all too well the devastation that can occur. In just a matter of minutes entire communities can be nearly destroyed by wildfire or flooding and, for some residents, the journey of returning home is long and painful.

As I spoke in this House before Mr. Speaker, we already have people leaving the NWT because they lost everything in the wildfires. I would like to see the Government work with communities and Indigenous governments to find creative solutions in the aftermath of natural disasters. And not everyone needs more money. The government has tools available that can support housing development like transferring land to communities to support housing solutions, or working in close partnership with Indigenous partners to leverage federal funding solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I represent four small Indigenous communities established and governed uniquely. But what is common among all of the communities in my riding and throughout the NWT is the inequity between the small communities and regional centres. There is a divide between those who have, who are living in the bigger centres and communities, and those who do not have, who are located in the small communities. So, this is my concern Mr. Speaker, that I don't see enough emphasis on improving the lives of residents in small communities in this budget. I would like to see more emphasis on building the economy in small communities.

The Small Community Employment Program is a program that gives people in small communities a job, it stimulates our local economy, it keeps people busy. This program employs summer students and supports our local governments. I would like to see this program restored. The Community Access Program is also an important funding program for small communities. It supports the development of infrastructure that improves the quality of life in small communities. This program builds docks and trails and access roads that make communities more accessible and enjoyable for residents. I would like to see this program restored.

I also see great opportunity in our small communities to increase small businesses, entrepreneurship, and tourism. I would like to see more lending, financing, and business services offered through GNWT public agencies. Dene Fur Cloud is a great example of a subsidiary business supported by Prosper NWT in my riding.

Mr. Speaker, we don't need to wait for economic development plans to be developed on how to support local economies. We have successful examples of businesses supported through GNWT public agencies. We have businesses located in small communities that create unique NWT art products, employ local people, and sell these products across the world. We need to replicate these business models in more communities. We have skilled artisans, crafters, sewers, harvesters, and people all over the world who want authentic Indigenous products. We need more focus and support for Prosper NWT to build more subsidiary businesses in small communities. We need more support through Industry, Tourism and Investment to support business development, entrepreneurship, and tourism development.

Tourism is a natural fit for the people in small communities to host tourists from new places, to show them Dene culture, their land and their way of life. We need more support in tourism to help people in small communities to take a business idea and make it a reality.

We also need more hospitality training. Although the Dene way of life is authentic, unique and in demand, tourists also expect customer service standards. How are we working with communities to build hospitality? There needs to be more emphasis on increasing the awareness of tourism, promoting the benefits of tourism and developing tourism training, especially in small communities. People in small communities also need good business advice and guidance to make their idea a reality. Small communities need consistent regular visits from business experts who will work one-on-one with them to develop their concept and to support them through their business development process.

Communities also respect and value regular consistent visits from department heads, that the leadership of departments show communities support, that they take the time to understand communities in their region and understand their challenges, and that it's followed up with access to expert services, and funding programs.

Mr. Speaker, I know the department has been supporting business development for many years, but how effective are these programs? Are they delivering the results we want to see in small communities? Are these business development programs reducing the reliance on income support? Increasing entrepreneurship helps people pay their bills. The cost of living is a struggle for many residents in small communities, so even a small home-based side business can help people pay their bills. Many residents in my riding are on income support. How are we supporting people on income support to start a small business as a means to becoming financially independent? There needs to be more reporting on the results of business development programs as well as income assistance reporting. What economic development programs or services are helping residents get off income support and participating in the economy?

Mr. Speaker, the government should be putting money towards actions that will improve the lives of residents in small communities and improve the capacity of local communities because this strengthens the territory overall.

An unfortunate reality facing my community and the territory, Mr. Speaker, is homelessness. There are many people in my riding who do not have a home to live in. They may be couch surfing or bouncing between friends and family. I do not support a decrease to the housing budget. As I have stated in this House before, housing is a human right, and we need to be making progress to uphold the right for everyone in the territories to be housed. We have too many challenges to address in small communities especially between homes in desperate need of repair to the lack of housing options and the need to address homelessness, I would like to see an increase in the housing budget.

I also am encouraged by the housing Minister's efforts to work in partnership with Indigenous governments to address housing. The GNWT needs to continue to work in new ways to support new solutions in partnership with Indigenous governments to make progress on the NWT's housing crisis.

Mr. Speaker, the old way of delivering housing isn't working. I encourage the GNWT to support Indigenous governments to identify new pilot projects to improve housing in small communities. I encourage the GNWT to not be an obstacle or to stand in the way of new ideas. Everyone has a right to be housed and we need to make progress on this.

And on education, Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about education in the small communities. Our students are shuffled along in school until they graduate and after they graduate, Mr. Speaker, the road gets rough. Many students in my riding can't keep up with post-secondary education. They return home deflated and some end up on income assistance. Mr. Speaker, we need to improve basic numeracy and literacy skills for students from junior kindergarten to grade 12 so they are prepared for the real world. We need to ensure that when students are graduated school in the NWT, they are ready and capable of pursuing what they dream of.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to see an increase in health promotion and reporting. As we know, our small communities are fighting against an increase in violence, drugs and crime. Mr. Speaker, health promotion is a real way to fight back against addictions. If children understood the consequences of smoking, drinking and doing drugs, would they be easily influenced? If we had health and wellness campaigns, activities and information all over the community, it would increase people's awareness on the value of health. I am concerned that public health promotion is not being delivered effectively. I would like to see clear targets and reporting on health promotion activities in the business plan. I believe many elders in our community could better manage their health with increased education and home visits. I believe more youth would choose sports and healthy lifestyles if they understood the consequences of poor lifestyle choices. The health outcomes in our communities is not good and without ones' health, Mr. Speaker, we have nothing. Investing in health promotion is preventative. The money we put into health promotion today will save our health care system over time. Mr. Speaker, our people should be empowered to live the most healthy, active lifestyles they can, free of addictions. Our people are worth the investment. It is an investment that will bring savings over time. And these are my concerns for the 2024-2025 Budget.

Mr. Speaker I want to see small communities empowered to develop infrastructure and labour. I want people in small communities supported to start small businesses, to be provided the expertise and funding to build financial independence. I want to see small businesses develop as one solution to reducing people's dependence on income support. The government already has success stories of businesses based in small communities that hire local people and sell products worldwide. These are successful business models that the GNWT should move forward to expand elsewhere. The housing crisis in the NWT is real. Mr. Speaker, housing is a human right. I also recognize the GNWT can't be the only solution to the housing crisis. I want to see the GNWT restore the budget for housing and move forward to formalize partnership and relationships with Indigenous governments. In partnership we can find new solutions to old problems. We need to increase the education outcomes for students in the NWT. We need to ensure we provide our students the best opportunity to succeed in life, and that starts with an education. And finally, Mr. Speaker, our health is the most important. There are many challenges to overcome in small communities, and the only way we are going to overcome the economic problems, social problems, the violence and crime, is with healthy people. I want to see an increase in health promotion for the NWT so more Northerners make healthy choices. We need people that care about our health, are informed about their health and live healthy lifestyles. Our people are worth it and deserve it. A healthy territory starts with more investment in health promotion. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Replies to Budget Address. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I apologize to our amazing interpreters and I try and move slow today.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I presented the AOC response to the 2024-2025 GNWT budget. These are the items that we generally agreed up and support, and I am proud of the work committee done and the work the committee put in to create this document, Mr. Speaker. But make no mistake, there are areas that I am concerned about that are specific to my region and that may not have been in that document, and I want to present those today, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, several years ago, between 2011 and 2017 to be more precise, we missed the boat on a major gas development opportunity. We had an Indigenous-led pipeline group that were forced to sit helplessly as the regulatory regime slowly choked the life out of what could have been a monumental game changing project for our territory. Of course, I am speaking about the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Project led by the Aboriginal Pipeline Group. Maybe we could have been a have-territory. Communities along that pipeline route missed incredible business opportunities, employment opportunities, and tourism opportunities. The Mackenzie Valley Highway may have opened, underway, if not completed by now, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, as robust industry, as we know, could have provided a huge benefit to our underfunded NGOs. Anyone who has worked or volunteered for any of our many NGOs can attest to the fact that when industry is thriving, they are better equipped to support and provide that important funding source.

Mr. Speaker, in April of 2021, the Government of the Northwest Territories completed a report entitled Mackenzie Delta Liquified Natural Gas, or MDLNG, Project. In this report, it studied the up to 19 trillion cubic metres of natural gas in the Mackenzie Delta that could be developed for export that would provide economic benefits to the Inuvialuit settlement region, NWT, and Canada. In short, the MDLNG Report stated that project is technically feasible. Natural gas production facilities and associated pipelines have been operating safely in Arctic climates such as Alaska and Russia for over forty years, Mr. Speaker. Russia has shipped LNG in Arctic waters since 2017 using LNG and condensate icebreaking carriers. The icebreaking carrier technology proposed in this pre-feasibility study is based on Russia's operating experience. Mr. Speaker, these are the kind of projects that change the direction of a territory, but I have heard very little about this report since, and I am hopeful that will change in this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, we have budgeted $26 million for renewable energy initiatives, and I support that, its important work. I understand that there is a need to move to cleaner energy solutions. But as a territory, are we prepared to rely solely on wind, sun, battery, and other forms of cleaner energy? We have many communities, Mr. Speaker, that are currently 100 percent reliant on diesel. And logistically and cost wise, would developing our own cleaner-burning natural gas not make more sense, Mr. Speaker? Imagine how many social, health, and housing programs we could fund if we were able to take full advantage of our natural resource development. Mr. Speaker, yet we remain resource rich and cash poor.

As for program development, Mr. Speaker, I want to speak once again to the issue of drugs and drug addiction. Our communities are being devastated, and my community of lnuvik has an ongoing drug and addiction crisis. It's destroying families, our workforce, and our future. I am glad to see in the Justice portion of the budget they were increasing our policing and giving more tools to our law enforcement. It's a great start. But, Mr. Speaker, we must also focus on helping our residents get healthy again. Simply sending people out for treatment is not enough. We must have aftercare facilities in our regions so that when people complete that portion of their healing journey, they have the support they need when they return. A fully funded aftercare program in Inuvik is a must, Mr. Speaker, to serve the Beaufort Delta region.

Mr. Speaker, this Premier and government appear to be taking working with our Indigenous government partners seriously, and for my community that's great and that will be a welcome change, Mr. Speaker. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Gwich'in Tribal Council are once again leading the way in my region. They are not just developing homes, but subdivisions. They are setting up wellness facilities to assist those dealing with trauma, they're building community infrastructure to protect our most vulnerable, and driving the economy with gas projects that will create employment and curtail the high costs of living. They are doing this with or without GNWT, Mr. Speaker, and we need to ensure we are shoulder to shoulder on all projects where we can contribute and increase the scope of these projects and find agreed redundancies where possible, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke earlier this week in my Member's statement the need to think outside the box regarding our MTS barging operation. Logistically, is it time to look at locating a significant portion of our MTS operations in a more northern region of our territory? Mr. Speaker, the base of operations in Inuvik or Tuk could service upriver to Fort Good Hope and of course the communities in the Beaufort Delta region. We can't anticipate the issues with water levels going away anytime soon so we must be proactive in ensuring we are prepared. As I also stated earlier this week, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that as part of this review, an analysis will be completed on the merits of privatizing this essential service.

Mr. Speaker, Inuvik has a world class satellite receiving station. The Inuvik Satellite Station facility has had millions of dollars poured into it with still more to come. We have antennas up there, Mr. Speaker, from the French space agency, the Swedish space agency, the German space agency, and of course NRCAN - our own Canadian space agency. And there's a significant amount of work going on up there, and Mr. Speaker, I like to call it a hidden gem in our territory. Having said that, Mr. Speaker, the redundancy in our fibre line will be a key component of continued growth of this sector. A full redundancy line, Mr. Speaker, that ensures any issues with the infrastructure interruptions can be mitigated.

The Inuvik runway expansion may be just the tip of the iceberg, Mr. Speaker, for potential defense spending in our region, and we must be prepared. Regrettably, Mr. Speaker, our government does not seem to be equipped to have a strategy on defense, space, and new technology. Again, I hope to see that change in this Assembly.

Our economy must be key, Mr. Speaker. My fear is with no meaningful economic growth in any sector other than government, much of our talent will leave or has already left. We must streamline our regulatory regime so that international business does not look at us as a place with too much regulatory burden that require too much time and the costs that come with that time, Mr. Speaker. Any economic plans that we produce must be much less about statistical overviews and more about strategic roadmaps to prosperity. We must attract investment in our natural resources and work with our Indigenous partners in that effort to create these roadmaps together.

Mr. Speaker, imagine all the wellness and housing projects we could fund together, the jobs we could create for our residents, the influx of others wanting to move to our amazing territory to work in these industries, bringing with them spouses and partners that may be nurses or teachers and doctors, early child care workers, and many other professionals that we so desperately need, Mr. Speaker. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, what we could do if we were not resource rich and cash poor.

Mr. Speaker, we are going to sit here over the next couple of weeks and we are going to fight and we're gonna squabble over the few pennies that we have to work with. We're eventually going to pass this budget, and then we will continue to sit here and we'll fight and we'll ask Ministers to direct money to our ridings, and we will ask for supplements to get those items in the budget for our ridings and then come budget time in the fall, we're going to ask them why they brought those supplements forward. And we've seen it all before, Mr. Speaker. Some people in this House have experienced it before, Mr. Speaker. It's a cycle, and we must find a way - each government, previous government to this one, the previous government to that one, have done same thing. We have to dig deep. We dig deep to think outside the box and do things differently.

It's not easy, Mr. Speaker, but I do have faith in this group. I have faith in the group on this side of the House and I have faith in our Cabinet Members as well, Mr. Speaker, that by the end of this government we could have a new path, a path to prosperity that will restore hope in our residents and maximize the potential we all know this amazing territory has. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Acknowledgements. Oh sorry, replies to the Budget Address. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke to a letter sent by the land and water boards to the Ministers of ECE and the federal minister. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister open to coming to the table to meet with the boards as they have requested? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. First, I'd like to thank the land and water boards for their recommendations. The amendments recommended by the land and water boards are being carefully considered and looked at as this is certainly an area of great interest across the territory, and with many of the Indigenous governments as well as the Members within this House and Cabinet and the residents. At this time, we're working through reviewing those recommendations and will consider as we move forward the options around meeting with the board itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn't hear an explicit commitment to sit down with the boards. I would encourage the Minister that simply sitting down and having a discussion is all I'm asking for at this point.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister have a response to the board's letter to share with the House today recognizing the letter did just come in, but I just wanted to ask the question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. No, as the Member indicated the letter just recently arrived. I have had the opportunity to read through the list of recommendations from the land and water board. And as I said earlier, you know, this is a conversation that, certainly through the Members of Cabinet, is something that is really an interdepartmental area that -- with a lot of concern, and I think it's on the hot topics list, if you will, with Cabinet and certainly with the Intergovernmental Council and the Indigenous governments. So we will continue to evaluate the recommendations and look forward to have a response in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm certainly happy to hear that from the Minister. Thank you to the Minister for the answer. I am happy to hear that the Minister and Cabinet are carefully considering the recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, is the Minister able to give us a timeline for when we can expect a response to the recommendations brought forward?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated, this is a multifaceted conversation that the Department of Environment and Climate Change is certainly committed to working with our colleagues within this House as well as ensuring that we're having the appropriate conversations with the Intergovernmental Council on this issue. And, you know, I cannot put a firm timeline on this. As I indicated, it is certainly high on our agenda of issues that we want to deal with in a timely manner, so I will commit to the House that it is a high priority and we hope to bring it back to the table as quickly as we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of ECC. Final supplementary.

Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, two out of five people will be diagnosed with cancer, and 30 percent of all cancers are lung, and 80 percent of those are caused by smoking. Obviously, this is a good reason to quit smoking. And I'd like to know what services are provided in the Northwest Territories by the Department of Health and Social Services to help Northerners do exactly that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.