Please be seated. I'd like to thank Sarah Gargan for Hay River for the opening guiding words. Ministers' statements. Minister for Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update you on new initiatives being introduced over the coming months to enhance public safety for residents and road users in the territory. We can all agree that when it comes to safety, there is a lot on the line. There are almost 27,000 licensed drivers registered in the Northwest Territories. The latest territorial traffic collisions report shows nearly 450 vehicle collisions in one year with 18.5 percent resulting in injury, and a whopping 31 percent involving impaired driving. BIn July 2023, the RCMP conducted a roadside survey in Yellowknife and found that 16 percent of nighttime drivers that were tested had consumed alcohol, drugs, or both, particularly those ages 25 to 34.

Mr. Speaker, we are launching new initiatives to make our roads safer, including a new highway road conditions map. This map will provide modernized up-to-the-minute information on ferry and ice crossings, road closures due to incidents, poor weather, construction or wildfires. Commercial drivers will get real-time updates on weight restrictions and winter road conditions. We also have 12 cameras, and users will be able to see the conditions of the road for themselves. Our system will give drivers instant and reliable highway updates for safer and more efficient travel.

In response to a changing climate, gathering data to inform our decisions is crucial. The data collected through this system will help us better plan and maintain our highways, helping improve our transportation systems for the future.

Additionally, we are launching a new safe driving campaign aimed at reducing collisions and promoting safe driving practices across the Territories. The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to ensuring the safety of people on our roads. In the North, as you know, these roads are a lifeline connecting remote communities and delivering essential supplies.

Mr. Speaker, driver and road safety impacts everyone. Basic awareness can prevent serious injuries, save lives, and ensure the integrity of our highway system. This campaign will bring together several GNWT departments, the RCMP, and communities to work together on joint promotions throughout the year. It will focus on raising awareness, changing behaviours, and encouraging responsible driving habits. I encourage all residents to participate in the safe driving campaign, be mindful of speed limits, avoid distractions, never drive impaired, and always wear a seatbelt.

In closing, I want to acknowledge the efforts of law enforcement, community leaders, and everyone committed to promoting road safety. This dedication is vital to the success of the campaign and adds to the well-being of our residents because we all agree there's a lot on the line. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about challenges facing our students trying to access health care while away at school. There are constituents in my riding who have children attending university down south and while the students are away at school, medical appointments are arranged in Edmonton. Mr. Speaker, sometimes you wait four, six, eight months for these appointments. These students, who are away from home studying, are required by the GNWT to attend these specialized appointments unaccompanied without any support.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize we are in a time of fiscal restraint, but surely we are not asking our youth to attend a specialized medical appointment outside of the territory unaccommodated and unsupported. Mr. Speaker, these are NWT youths. They don't have experience navigating health care systems, especially in big city centres like Edmonton. How can we expect these youth to advocate for themselves at a time like this? Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure that medical concerns are being communicated and medical information is clearly understood to ensure the best health care decisions are made for our youth.

Mr. Speaker, the issues and challenges with medical travel have been recognized by both sides of this House, and I know the Minister is alive to the gaps in the medical travel policy. Mr. Speaker, under the ministerial policy on medical travel, escort criteria, a non-medical escort will be authorized when, as per section 6.(2)(a), the eligible person is under the age of 19 and requires an escort. Mr. Speaker, who decides when a minor who is under 19 years of age requires an escort or does not require an escort. Is there any conversation with the client or family when determining whether an escort is required? Is it the right to appeal a medical travel decision made clear to clients? Mr. Speaker, how are clients informed of their right to complain about decisions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you. Rental caps. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about housing and the ever-increasing cost of rent for NWT residents. Mr. Speaker, it is becoming more apparent with every passing year that the price for people to rent any housing accommodation in the NWT, especially here in the capital, is getting out of control. With the cost of living crisis that we all are already in, some families have to choose between paying rent or putting food on the table to feed their families.

Mr. Speaker, how are we going to attract more people to move here if all rental options are sky high or expensive? Right now, Yellowknife is home to many transient people who come here temporary for a short period of time, use up our resources, then leave, and never come back. Mr. Speaker, it's getting to a point where people need to be wealthy just to rent a room let alone rent a one or two-bedroom apartment or condo. A one-bedroom apartment in Yellowknife is $1,900, a two-bedroom apartment is $2,500, and a three-bedroom townhouse is about $3,000 and up in rental costs, and plus utilities. It's happening all over the city. Who are these landlords? Are they northern-based owners?

So what's happening here is that the GNWT is paying rent to major southern landlords through income assistance. People are working just to have a roof over their head. There is no way no one in this day and age is going to save money for a downpayment on a house unless their family has deep pockets.

Mr. Speaker, last year, during the 19th Assembly, a Member brought forward a motion urging the government to introduce a mechanism that would provide for a maximum allowable rent increase for private rental units in the NWT. In other words, rent control which would create a cap on rent increases. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, right now no such mechanism exists in the NWT, but I believe that it should. As a government, we need to be proactive in providing practical solutions to the everyday problems that people deal with. Something must be done to help curb the disgraceful never-ending increases to rental costs in the NWT. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to highlight a recent report by Greenland's Economic Council on the current state of Greenland's economy and recommendations related to economic transition and sustainability. I want to highlight this report as it relates to ECE's business plan goal of developing an economic vision for the NWT. There are some interesting parallels with what is highlighted in the Greenland report in our own economic situation.

The first aspect of the report I want to draw attention to is related to how the government can best strengthen productivity in the private sector. The report emphasizes the best way to achieve this is through transparency and stability of regulatory framework conditions and cautions against sustained tax financed support for business which it risks locking employment into supported activities.

The report also emphasizes the need for increased efficiency and focus in the public sector which can help to reduce costs and free up labour to support a broader economic base. The report argues this can be achieved through clearly developed goal requirements, well-defined management responsibility for achieving the goals with given budgets and follow-up on goal achievement.

The aspect of the report I would like to draw particular attention to is related to productivity gains from training. The report states that it is a crucial prerequisite for a more self-sustaining economy to increase the level of education in a population. Greenland faces similar challenges to those we face in the NWT, and the report emphasizes the gains which can be realized from all levels in the education spectrum, from early childhood through to post-secondary. I strongly agree with these conclusions and continue to emphasize the need for our government to place education at the forefront of our economic vision.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of ITI -- and sorry, I said ECE earlier, I meant ITI, but it is the same Minister for what it's worth -- has stated economic vision development will be a collaborative process which I agree with completely, but I don't want vision development to simply take the form of a What We Heard report. What I would like to strongly emphasize as we move forward with economic visioning is that we take an analytical and evidence-based approach to it, similar to what was produced by Greenland's Economic Council. I will table a translated version of the report in the House tomorrow for anyone who's interested in reading it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the Fiscal Sustainability Strategy was announced, the finance Minister specifically said, quote, I do not want people to presume that this is about job cuts. It's not. We are experiencing labour market shortages across sectors, and we need our public servants.

Mr. Speaker, we also need our public servants to feel valued. A large part of why I continue to ask about the status of government renewal in my reply to the budget and overall budget discussions in the House is because I want the Minister to use its findings strategically, to help place staff in areas and functions that need capacity. I also want staff to feel supported to grow and evolve in their roles or new roles that excite them. I want to stop hearing of experiences that I saw firsthand in my 15 years as a public servant where people were blind-sided and choices were made for them. Yesterday, UNW leaders and members rallied outside because, once again, choices around our public service and how they're employed are first made and framed on cost savings.

The Minister of Finance continually says that the public service is our most valuable resource as a government, and I agree. Where we disagree on is how we make unilateral decisions for their future without time for consultation and discussion. Employment is a partnership, but too often public servants find this partnership to be one-sided. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to congratulate the students of the Mackenzie Delta communities of Aklavik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic who have completed their grade 12 and will receive or have received their diplomas. These young men and women are an inspiration to themselves, to their families, and their communities. These 16 individuals and future leaders of the respective communities are to be commended on their achievements and future endeavorers in whatever they pursue in the near future.

The following students graduated grade 12.

From Aklavik:

• Tisha Koe,
• Kayden McLeod,
• Mathew McLeod,
• Sergey Nedelko,
• Victoria Semple-Gordon,
• Destiny Benoit,
• Larry Sittichinli.

From Fort McPherson:

• Bryson Nerysoo,
• Rylan Firth,
• Donavyn Koe,
• David Tetlitchi,
• Caleb Neyando,
• Keyanna Nerysoo,
• Arian Keevik.

From Tsiigehtchic:

• Connor Van Loon, and
• Dreyden Natsi.

I would like to ask my colleagues in joining me in congratulating these students on a great accomplishment and wish them great success in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, as I will be travelling home tomorrow, at this time I would like to wish my colleagues, staff, and especially the interpreters a great summer, and spend some quality time with your families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, in a land as vast and untamed as the Northwest Territories, ground search and rescue services are key to any emergency where persons are missing or in distress on land or inland waterways. Ground search and rescue efforts are multi-jurisdictional, relying on cooperation from many different governments, agencies, and civilians, so that trained professionals, often in volunteer capacities, can be properly equipped and dispatched to get to work saving lives.

There are many reasons why people go missing or end up needing help on the land every year. Many travel long distances in between remote communities, practice traditional lifestyles of hunting and trapping, or simply looking to experience the beauty of the North's natural environment. In 2018, for example, there were 24 ground search and rescue incidents spread out across every region of the Northwest Territories.

To keep our communities safe, the North needs strong ground search and rescue operations to ensure every incident is responded to adequately and resolved positively. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT's search and rescue system review final report completed in 2022 came to a startling conclusion, that ground search and rescue services in the NWT lag far behind other provinces and territories and outlined concerning deficiencies in how these services are supported and maintained. Also concerning is the fact that this report has not yet been publicly released despite being finalized years ago.

Thankfully, I have gotten ahold of this report thanks to the diligent work of a constituent and can provide a short summary. There's no mandate of those critical findings. There's no mandate for municipal and Indigenous governments to have provisions for ground search and rescue teams. There are no mandates for departments to expand search and rescue capacity. The NWT provides no training or equipment for search and rescue teams. And there's only one team trained to the proper standards for the entire territory, which operates out of Yellowknife, and they are forced to fundraise on their own to get the resources they need.

Mr. Speaker, these realities force other agencies such as the RCMP to operate outside of their scope during search and rescue operations. Hunters and trappers associations and associations of the Rangers do their best to contribute, but they're not adequately trained or equipped. There's much more to say on this subject, and it's time for the Minister to make this report public and begin following its urgent recommendations before more lives are lost. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we conclude the last two days of our spring sitting of the Legislative Assembly until October, I'd like to express my heartfelt recognition of two important dates that hold significance for the Indigenous peoples across Canada and, more particularly, here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21st, is a day to celebrate and honour the diverse cultures, unique heritage, and outstanding achievements of Canada's First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples. This day has been celebrated since 1996 coinciding with the Summer Solstice which holds cultural significance for many Indigenous groups across our territory. It's a time to reflect on the resilience and strength and immense contributions of Indigenous peoples in shaping the fabric of our nation.

Mr. Speaker, June 23rd marks another milestone, the anniversary of the signing of the Sahtu Dene-Metis Comprehensive Land Claim dated 1993. This historic agreement between the Sahtu Dene and Metis people and the Government of Canada inshrines Indigenous rights over land, resources, self-government in the Sahtu region. It was a landmark achievement in the ongoing journey towards reconciliation, recognition of Indigenous sovereignty.

Mr. Speaker, as we break for the summer, I invite all Members of this House, and indeed all Northerners, to take the moment to reflect the importance of these dates, let us also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done on the path of reconciliation.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for the Indigenous leaders, elders, youth, and community members who work very diligently and hard to build a stronger, equitable, and more inclusive Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is easy to get overwhelmed and depressed at the scale of the challenges and struggles facing communities in this territory, especially challenges around housing and economic development. But to move forward, we need to build on our strengths. Today I'd like to focus on a positive story of a community finding innovative solutions and taking back control over their housing crisis. It's also an inspiring story of collaboration between dedicated folks in both my riding Yellowknife North and the community of Fort Good Hope.

The project is the Fort Good Hope Construction Centre. This will be a four-season facility in which new housing units will be locally constructed by community members for community members. It was recently awarded millions of dollars in funding as one of the winners of CMHC's housing supply challenge.

The Fort Good Hope Construction Centre will provide a heated indoor industrial space where community members will be trained and employed year-round in modular home construction rather than having to take on seasonal or short-term jobs. Training and employment will be integrated. It will have broader economic development benefits by equipping the community to participate in many other capital projects in the region. It's an opportunity for housing to be designed and constructed in alignment with local needs with an emphasis on long-term quality and energy efficiency. It will reduce the time, the cost, and the risk of building new housing by reducing reliance on imported contractors.

The initiative is a partnership between Ne'Rahten Development -- so that's the business arm of the Yamoga Land Corporation -- and Taylor Architecture Group, or TAG, which is based in my riding. It builds on many years of hard work by the K'asho Got'ine Housing Society, and the project has been supported by Housing NWT as well as Aurora College, which is enthusiastic about partnering with Fort Good Hope to deliver trades training programs at the new construction centre.

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the type of local economic development that this territory needs. I hope we can be inspired by these efforts, to learn from them, and to build on them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Slave River originates in the Peace River-Athabasca Delta and the forks of Peace River which drains into Athabasca River and Lake Athabasca which drains also into the Slave River that flows north into the Northwest Territories north of Fort Resolution that drains into Great Slave Lake and all the way down to the Mackenzie Delta which impacts communities all along the way.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a bulletin came out to us from Alberta, as per transboundary agreement, notifying us that the runoff water from the Suncor oil sands mine to the Athabasca River tested above compliance parameters, meaning that runoff from the tailings ponds could be releasing hazardous chemicals into the watershed. Mr. Speaker, these chemicals can be toxic to the health of those who fish on the river downstream from the oil sands in northern Alberta. I am concerned that the Slave River, which runs through my riding, could be carrying these chemicals up from this incident in Alberta and contaminating the fish.

The people of my riding of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh have been experiencing high cancer rates for many generations, and we are still trying to figure out what caused the cancer rates. Colonialisms in the North have been very negative consequences for the health of Indigenous peoples, so it's no surprise my communities are always on guard.

I know we are trying to change how we develop our resources in partnership with corporations, Indigenous governments, and other provincial jurisdictions in order to introduce more social responsibility and environmental sustainability practices, but more needs to be done. I hope to ask the Minister of ECC later today for some more clarity on this issue because my constituents are very concerned. There is still more testing needed and information to be gathered, but I'd like to give the Minister an opportunity to alleviate some of these concerns, and I will be asking some questions later today so that the North is better prepared for incidents like this in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about training supports for shelter workers.

Mr. Speaker, finding ways to help de-escalate violence for shelter workers who work on the frontline is a goal of mine, and I'm sure it's supported by many of our colleagues here. We would like to see the de-escalation of violence long before it gets out of hand and the RCMP have to be called or anyone certainly gets hurt. And on that note, Mr. Speaker, from the RCMP they had mentioned that over 2,268 calls to shelters in Yellowknife over a period of two years, that's April 2022 to April 2024, of those calls, Mr. Speaker, only 3 percent resulted in charges. So what it really says, Mr. Speaker, in two years, there was only 68 incidents that actually warranted in charges. It sort of speaks to the outcome and the nature of the policing of what's actually happening is they're attending incidents that are getting out of hand but maybe there's a better path, such as supporting our frontline workers with de-escalation skills.

Mr. Speaker, the Saskatchewan First Nations shelter worker training program offers a program for prevention of types of violence. They give shelter workers supports. They have a curriculum that's adapted to the specific needs of shelter workers. Mr. Speaker, this is the type of training we could work with our fantastic Aurora College to help ensure it's spread and implemented and offered here in the Northwest Territories throughout our territories in every community that has learning centres or even regional centres.

Mr. Speaker, to highlight a couple of the course points it does, it teaches people communication skills, engagements with clients on therapeutic issues, talks about grief loss, helps with documentation, crisis management. It goes through a lot of wonderful things, Mr. Speaker. Again, Aurora College could be leading this initiative as well as supported by the departments of health and education and Justice. Look, it's a government initiative before you know it, Mr. Speaker.

That said, Mr. Speaker, in talking to many shelter workers, they're always stressed by the amount of challenges and the lack of training they get. They get limited funds to pay people which means they get a restriction of pool of the type of skills and opportunities that can show up there. And those who are armed with the skills and talents to do this type of work tend to look for better paying work with the territorial government. In short, Mr. Speaker, if we truly believe in valuing our relationship and partnership with these shelter organizations and we want to support the shelter workers, we should be setting them up with partnerships. So, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the government to ensure that we can include this type of training in future contribution agreements later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2024 high school graduates of the Nunakput riding. These young people graduating from high school are an inspiration. The work to completing a high school education in a small community is a community effort, a family's effort, the school's effort, and the student's determination. A shout out to the students in Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, and Tuktoyaktuk as we all see you, and we're all so proud of you.

Angik School in Paulatuk is:

• Julian Green,
• Nikki Ruben,
• Billy Ruben,
• Joel Thrasher, and
• Katelinne Ruben.

Helen Kalvak Elihhakvik in Ulukhaktok is:

• Nathaniel Nilgak,
• Wyatte Malgokak,
• Albert Okheena,
• Macayla Oliktoak,
• Grace Kitekudlak,
• FRoyce Kuneluk,
• Nickolas Alonak,
• Rebecca Pearce, and
• Shianne Joss.

Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk is:

• Kierstead Carpenter,
• Lena Rose Bates,
• Tyson Mangelana Gruben,
• Malena Panaktalok,
• Jackson Chicksi, and
• Tina Steen.

Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a proud representative of the Hay River, I rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the graduating classes of Hay River. This is a very special occasion not only for the students but for our entire community as we celebrate the achievements and potential of these young individuals.

To the graduating students, I want to commend you for your hard work, determination, and resilience throughout your academic journey. As you prepare on the next chapter of your lives, I encourage you to reflect on the values and lessons you have learned during your time in school. Cherish the friendships you have made, treasure the memories you have created, and never forget the support and guidance of your teachers, families, and community.

As you step into the world beyond these school walls, and maybe the NWT, remember that you are well-equipped to face whatever challenges and the opportunities come your way. Whether you choose to pursue higher education, enter the workforce, become a journeyman plumber -- because you know some things never stop flowing -- or maybe just to follow your dreams and passion, just know that you have the skills, knowledge, and determination to succeed. I have no doubt that the graduating classes of our Hay River schools will go on to achieve great things and make meaningful contributions to our community and beyond. You are the future leaders, innovators, and change-makers, and I am confident that you will make us proud.

In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the teachers, staff, and administrators all over the NWT who have played a vital role in shaping the lives of our youth. Your dedication and commitment have not gone unnoticed, and we are truly grateful for all that you do.

I also want to do a little shout out to my daughter Helene McKay-Ivanko, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Monday and.

Will also be graduating next week. Way to go, kid. Congratulations once again to the graduating class of 2024. And in the words of the famous Dr. Seuss, Kids, you'll move mountains. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements.

Good afternoon, colleagues, it's that time of year where I get to talk about something special that is very special in a student's life. It is graduation. I believe this is the eighth time I get to talk about this special time.

Like other ridings, the Nahendeh will see several graduations from various schools this month, starting with kindergarten. As I have said before, this is an important milestone for parents and students. We get to see the first stage of what we hope are many more graduation celebrations. Depending on the school, we see kindergarten, grade 6, grade 9, and grade 12 graduations. I can tell you each celebration is unique and special.

Today I would like to recognize fifteen students who have completed their elementary, junior, and senior high journey.

To the eight students from Echo Dene School and the seven students from Liidlii Kue Regional High School, congratulations on completing this journey. It is a good start on your life's journey moving forward. I know there has been some fun and challenging times, but I can tell you it has prepared you for the next journey, whether it is going on to future schooling, trades, travel, or work.

Echo Dene School's grad ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow at 6 p.m., and Liidlii Kue Regional High School is on Saturday. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend either celebration, but I wish them all the best during their special moment.

Colleagues, I'd like to tell the grads, the diploma you receive today is your insurance policy paid in full for all your hard work over the past 13 years. The value of this policy depends on how much effort you put into your education and what you do with it as you go out in the world. All the best to them on this special day.

As I have done in the past, I do have some words of encouragement in recognizing the 15 grads which I will asked deemed as read. To the parents and families, thank you for all the support for those graduates. You should be very happy and proud of your child today.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I like to wish all the 2024 graduating classes across the NWT all the best and congratulations on a job well done. Thank you.

(Deemed Read)

To Echo Dene Students:

• Adrian Allen,
• Jay Cover,
• Amy Duntra,
• Stevenson Klondike,
• Damian Klondike-Kotchea,
• Elizabeth Nelson,
• Kadence Norn, and
• Conrad Sassie.

Liidlii Kue Regional High School Students:

• Brittney Kendo,
• Helena Bonnetrouge,
• Colton Hardisty Gillis,
• Shannon Jumbo,
• Madison Jumbo,
• Kaechoa Rocque-Jumbo,
• Landon Konisenta, and
• Lekasha Tesou.

Encouragement:

Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.

Buckle up. Like the school adventure that you went through, there are going to be some good times and not so good times ahead of you. Enjoy each moment as they are all learning opportunities for you and part of life. Please remember it is all right to cry and laugh about things. There is going to be a lot of opportunities to do both.

Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.

Find a career that you will love. It is very important because once you do, it is not work. It is something that you wake up wanting to do and it is not work. Please remember not to settle on a career. Like love, find the one that makes you happy.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

You have two ears and one mouth. Please remember it is always wise to listen and understand what you have heard before kicking your mouth into gear.

Please enjoy your celebration with family and friends. This is a major accomplishment and needs to be celebrated.

Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to remember Peter Wilfred Canadien from Fort Providence.

Peter was born and raised in Fort Providence. He came from a very large traditional family. Growing up, his family spent a lot of time out on the land where Peter learned the traditional way of life. In his early years, Peter attended Diamond Jenness Secondary School in Hay River. Later he went on to Sir John Franklin High School in Yellowknife. He then moved back home to Fort Providence as he was needed to help his family during which time he fell in love with Phoebe Bonnetrouge. Together they have two boys.

Peter was actively involved with Fort Providence district education, and he contributed to decision-making processes for the community of Fort Providence. It was great to see community members like Peter be actively engaged in educational matters. He also loved volunteering for the community. Peter worked for the Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre as a radio announcer. He was a happy person to be around. He always had some funny stories to tell. Peter took time to talk to you just to make you laugh. One of his hobbies he enjoyed was cooking. He liked to cook for his family and especially his grandchildren.

One day during campaigning for the territorial election, I was surprised to see Peter at my door with a plate of shrimp Alfredo and a Caesar salad. He said to me you're really busy and you need to eat, so I brought you a plate. This is the kind of man he was. You always see him wanting to get involved when there were community feasts or special occasions. He was a real people person.

He leaves behind his common life wife Phoebe Bonnetrouge, his children Gay and Nathaniel and his five grandchildren whom he adored. My friend Peter was my official agent during the 2023 Election. Peter Wilfred Canadien was a great man with a good sense of humour, and he is sorrily missed by his family and friends. Rest in peace, Peter, and mahsi for your friendship to us all. Mahsi.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends. He was an amazing man.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize my daughter Haylee and her husband Anthony visiting us from Anchorage. Haylee obviously was raised in Inuvik, had taught school there for six years, and actually is a former page in this House many years ago. Her husband Anthony, it's his first visit to Canada. He's originally from Michigan. And Anthony is an airman first class in the 3rd maintenance squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. So welcome. Thank you.

Welcome. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two pages originally from the Sahtu, the beautiful community of Deline. It's Neva Takazo and Jaylin Gaudet. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Other people that we haven't had the opportunity to recognize, we thank you very much. It's great to see an audience, especially a young audience here today, and hopefully you enjoy our sitting. Well, I guess I just found out where those young people are from. Welcome from Weledeh School here in Yellowknife. So thank you very much for being here.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Member from Sahtu.

Thank you, colleagues, Mr. Speaker. I am very proud to announce that four students will be graduating from Colville Lake School this year are.

• Rachele Blancho,
• Devin Kochon,
• Bobbie Lafferty, and
• Troy Tutcho.

The entire community of Colville Lake and the Sahtu region want to congratulate these young fellows or young adults, graduates. We wish them the very best in their education journey and career choices. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, how many people will be affected by the proposed closure of the Fort Smith correctional Complex men's unit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Fort Smith correctional facility has 32 employees which would mean that there would be 32 employees who would be affected if the facility were closed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How many vacant positions are there open and available in Fort Smith that are not proposed to be cut in this budget? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of March 31st of 2024, there are 492 vacancies across the GNWT. A vacancy obviously can come with a number of different meanings. It may mean that it may be actively being recruited for at any particular point in time. In Fort Smith specifically, Mr. Speaker, there are 647 GNWT positions of which, again, as of the 31st of March, 114 were vacant, and there were 34 positions in total proposed for elimination in the 2024-2025 Main Estimates. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What work has been done to assure the affected corrections employees that they can remain in the public service? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, any employee who is facing being affected by in sort of form of reduction anywhere in the GNWT, anywhere in the Northwest Territories is subject to a process. It is one where there is a notification process and there is, indeed, a staff retention policy and staff retention guidelines. Every effort is made to ensure that anyone in an affected position is not lost as a public servant and so, indeed, that process can take several months, if not quite some time, to ensure that they can best find themselves back in a new position within the public service following those two different documents, again the policy and the guidelines. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm hoping that policy can be changed slightly but I can talk to the Minister of Finance about that.

What work can be conducted so affected employees are appropriately trained or assisted to continue to work in the public service at their current or better pay? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have noted the comment about wanting to see change to the policy and guidelines. At the present time, we do have a policy with associated guidelines so at this point I'd not want to try to second guess what position, what individual, what training someone might have. They may have training that is beyond the position that they are in or different from the position they are in. So I would just want to emphasize, again, that every effort is always made to ensure that any affected employee whose position might be eliminated is not lost from the public service, relying on the policy and guidelines. But, again, happy to engage with the Member and see if there are areas that we can improve with a view to improving the public service all of the time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier commit to releasing the GNWT Justice Search and Rescue System Review MMP 2022 Final Report to the public as soon as possible and table it in this Assembly when the next opportunity arises? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to supporting programming such as Adventure Smart, which teaches Northerners to be prepared and self-sufficient when they journey onto the land or water and partner with NWT businesses, as well as federal, territorial, and municipal departments that operate in the territory's natural environment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's a lot unpack there. I'd probably need to think about it a bit more, understand what the programs the Member's speaking of are, and then we can go from there. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier. Will the Premier allocate funding directly to the training of professional ground search and rescue volunteers with accountability built in to ensure they're being trained to current national standards as recommended by the report? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's plenty of things I would like to do. This is one area where I would like to see something happen as well. What that is, I'm not quite sure yet. This does take resources. But that being said, I've already had discussions with the Minister of MACA on potential future steps on what we can do. Again, that being said I can't make any promises. We are going through the budget process right now. We are really looking to get our financial house in order so that we can pursue activities like this, which falls in line with our public safety mandate. But that's work that still needs to be done. Thank bou, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this report was commissioned by the GNWT and was completed and hasn't been implemented. So can the Premier commit to an implementation schedule that will be costed and released publicly so we can know when these necessary lifesaving changes to search and rescue will take effect? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like every other initiative that we would like to bring forward, it has to compete with all of the other initiatives. And so we will weigh this against the other initiatives that the Members have requested, initiatives that other stakeholders have requested, and plan as appropriate. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today talked about trying to find ways to help de-escalate violence in shelter and programs and opportunities that exist, and I even pointed at our First Nations -- Saskatchewan First Nations training program. Now, there's a lot of good in all of that, of course, but there's also opportunities. So my question will be directed to the Minister of Finance. And I'm going to give her a little second here or two.

The department, this section has the human resource department, and we do a lot of employee training currently right now. And so my question for the Minister of Finance is really not about that specific program per se, but the GNWT has a ton of training to employees. Is there maybe a way to start strategizing and looking at opening it up to NGO organizations to expand it? And we run things like verbal judo that could be extraordinarily beneficial to NGOs as an example and, hence, that's where the first question will start. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question. It's actually not new to me; it certainly has come up over the course of some years that I've been doing the budget dialogues. And I'd like to take it away, see if we can continue to work on this a bit. Some of the challenges that the programming that we have does come with costs, and it comes with costs that we pay for our employees. There's also some concerns I've run into around at what point would you be turning someone who's not an employee to be starting to look like an employee, particularly in the case of workers who are in areas of essential services such as shelter workers. They're already -- if they're receiving contribution agreements to the organization from the GNWT, we don't want to wind ourselves up in a situation where there's any blurring of lines as to who is the employer and what services they're providing. I realize in training programs that seems a small thing, but the concern is being where those lines might be. I'm certainly happy to have a conversation around whether there's ways we could make inroads on finding access points, but not necessarily in the same or equal way that an employee might. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I raise the issue of the Saskatchewan First Nations offered a program, and I guess I would say to the Minister that, you know, is something like this in general -- could this be worked into contribution agreements whereas in the GNWT works with the department of education through the Department of Finance under contribution agreements to find ways to bring NGOs supportive training up to a higher standard than what we're currently offering them, which is, you know, one-offs from time to time. So in other words -- allowing the Minister to get a second there. So in other words, I'm just trying to create an opportunity and foster better training and skills so we can help de-escalate violence in shelters. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that we're starting to cross paths between different departments, whether it's EIA in the Premier's shop where I know they are doing a significant amount of work in terms of supporting our NGO sector in the Northwest Territories. Obviously ECE and the Department of Finance from the human resources perspective. Let me answer briefly and say anything's possible. Whether I'm going to be able to commit on the floor to a program that's rolled out in Saskatchewan, probably not, but certainly can commit to looking at that program and seeing whether there are elements or aspects of it that, again, as together with my colleagues we can utilize and employ and advance here. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Minister's identified that the medical travel policy will be reviewed. Can the Minister identify a timeline for reviewing the policy? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the timeline of the medical travel policy, because of the enormous amount of work that's going to take and collaboration and consultation in the Northwest Territories when we roll -- like, once we start may take -- you know, it could take the life of this government to get it right. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I like the word get it right. I'm glad that myself and the Minister are on the same page there.

So then, Mr. Speaker, then, my assumption, then, is during the review that the Minister will be engaging with the public as well obviously as Indigenous governments with this process? Thank you.

Yes, most definitely. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke specifically to youth that are living in Edmonton, going to school in Edmonton under the age of 19 and not having the ability to get an escort to come down to attend medical appointments with them, whether that be a CT scan or an MRI or things that often we're sent out to Edmonton for. So I guess my question is can the Minister commit to revising section 6.2 to recognize that a minor under 19 years of age requires an escort or is provided an escort upon request? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've committed to reviewing the entire medical travel policy and looking at all the different things and those are -- I think that is important. But the other part of it is, you know, we hear the concerns, and this is not -- I was on the other side, and I raised many concerns on medical travel. But the understanding of the different programs that medical travel is, so if we're looking for an escort, if they are NIHB, then that doesn't fall -- the escort criteria doesn't fall upon GNWT to approve that exception if it doesn't fall exactly. If it's GNWT, then there's the appeals process that appeals can go in. And then there's other insurances that also cover people that are travelling down for medical travel. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I do understand that. And, again, the concern is had the student been living, say, in Inuvik and had required to be escorted out, then there would be an escort provided, wouldn't be an issue, they would go out both the student -- and I know the Minister is a mother, so she would -- if she had an 18-year-old getting a CT scan, she'd probably likely to be there and not trust the 18-year-old to get the information he's required to get, or he or she is required to get from that doctor. So I guess my question is, then, can the Minister explain whether there's any expectation that departmental staff have a conversation with the family before making the decision on escort requirements, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I can't speak to individual cases that are, you know, throughout the territory, and Inuvik being so small that I wouldn't want to speak to individually making a decision. Our medical travel policy is to assist patients from the Northwest Territories to travel. And I hear the Member that if the Member is away at college, then the travel is already there and I hear what the Member is saying, and, yes, I am a mother and I've traveled many times that I've paid my own way because of, you know, a lot of things. And I'm still covering some costs for some travel. But the instances -- not everybody -- you know, there are circumstances, and that's why I said there are appeals, there are other ways to look at it. And, you know, and if this was an ongoing issue or was the other -- the other thing is that if it didn't generate in the territory as well and it was generated outside the territory for certain things, then the medical travel policy doesn't even apply. So then there's no escort policy. Thank you.

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

Thank you. My question is for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, last May in the GNWT response to Motion 75-19(2), maximum allowable rent increase for private rental units, the government stated that the Department of Justice was going to undertake a review of the Residential Tenancy Act during the 20th Assembly. Can the Minister of Justice provide a timeline for when the departmental review of the Residential Tenancy Act will take place? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, this is something that is in our business plan. The review will be done within the next 12 months. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister share how extensive that review will be and explain what sorts of changes will be considered? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to provide some more information to the Member in written form about how extensive we are looking at the review. As of today, I'm not quite sure where things are in the process but I can commit to provide that to her. And some of the things that I can -- that I know will be considered are the recommendations made by the rental officer in their annual report, and those will go back a number of years. So there's many recommendations already that the department will be looking at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what the concerns that the department has or that the government has overall regarding the potential negative impacts that rent control may impose on the private housing market. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. So this did come up in the last Assembly, as the Member mentioned. I was at that time the Minister of Justice as well. And when the topic of rent control came up when there was a motion in the House, we heard from industry, and we heard their concerns, and we heard about the uncertainty that something like rent control brings to investment. And so one of the things that I want to do in this government is bring more certainty to our policies, processes, laws and regulations, to help attract investment. And so what we need to do to lower the cost of rent is to address the demand and the supply issues that we're facing. So we need more homes. We need more apartments. We need more houses. We need more homes across the entire housing continuum. And somebody has to build those homes. They're not all going to be GNWT social housing. We need a significant number of market units as well, and we are reliant on the private industry to build those. And so I want to provide assurances to the private industry that we are not going to put roadblocks up that would prevent them from being certain of their investments. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Justice. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the answer. With that in mind with what he just said, can the Minister commit to making rent control regime included or part of the Residential Tenancy Act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure the Member knows my answer based on what I just said but no, I cannot make that commitment. During the review of the Residential Tenancies Act, there will be opportunities for public feedback, and we will take that feedback and we will fully consider it. And so I expect that some of that feedback will be around rent control. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Justice. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ECC. Can the Minister update this Assembly on the latest situation with Suncor reporting runoff water testing above compliance parameters, which include rough timelines as to when more information will be available and if residents downstream from this incident in the South Slave region have to take any precautions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on June 9th, Suncor was notified that a routine preliminary lab test results on one of the discharge ponds was outside the company approval parameters. As a result of this, there was a notification that was identified through our transboundary water agreement. And the current situation as we are -- additional testing is underway to validate the original test results, and we anticipate that we should receive those slowly and they will be shared once available. And at this time, no additional action is required from residents downstream of the release. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 1998, the Mackenzie Valley Risk Management Act was created, which gave way to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board. In the Yukon, they have the YESAB board, in Nunavut they have the NIRB board. Alberta, they have the Environment and Protection and Enhancement Act and the Alberta Water Act.

Mr. Speaker, my question will be is can the Minister work with the federal government to work on new legislation to protect residents in the Northwest Territories as downstream users from the development in Alberta? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is currently work being done within Alberta and with the federal minister from ECCC in regards to guiding regulations around release of tailings waters from the oil sands projects, and the Department of Environment and Climate Change is engaged in those discussions at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At what point in time are we going to start continuing to get more information like this as downstream users here in Northwest Territories? In my riding, we have high cancer rates and we got to figure a way this one out where Alberta consults with the Government of the Northwest Territories. We already do it through an agreement we have with Alberta, and we do it through the impact review board, but at the same time Alberta doesn't include us in their approval process as they go through the environment assessment for those projects. So I'm wondering can we continue to build new relationships with the Government of Canada to build new legislation to oversee the -- to make sure that our interests and the downstream users in Northwest Territories are protected? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, that work is currently underway both at the federal level as well as within the province of Alberta. There were questions that were raised by the Government of the Northwest Territories through Environment and Climate Change to which we've had responses from the Alberta government in relation to release of water from the tailings ponds. We're currently evaluating some of the responses and will be continuing that conversation on those proposed changes to legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we don't have control over activities that happen within Alberta. I'm very pleased to stand up and say that the transboundary water agreement that Alberta and the Northwest Territories have was activated, as outlined within that agreement, so the notification was timely. In response to that notification by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, we responded quickly to get that information out to the Indigenous governments as well as the communities across the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to relay that information as updates come to the department to ensure that everyone is kept up to speed, and if there are any significant changes, there will be that notification. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of housing. So as it stands now, the Ne'Rahten Development Limited corporation in Fort Good Hope is contracted by Housing NWT to deliver the maintenance and repair programs within the community. Does Housing NWT see other opportunities to tie in and support efforts in Fort Good Hope as they strive to take back more control over both construction and maintenance of housing in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT sees many opportunities with Fort Good Hope, with the K'asho Got'ine Housing Society. We're happy to report that Housing NWT has a really good working relationship with the housing societies and has had multiple contracts in place for the delivery of maintenance and repair programs for private homes in the most recent years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does Housing NWT see opportunities to support this kind of concept of a housing construction centre in other NWT communities besides Fort Good Hope? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think this opportunity that has been driven by the local housing society is a really great opportunity that all communities should consider. And Housing NWT came forward as a partner in assisting them with the application for the funding allocation that they recently received. So this is a possibility in all ridings and all communities. It's just that the work has to be done in partnership with Housing NWT but also locally, they have to be driven by the work. So the possibility is there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So to what extent does Housing NWT issue its maintenance and repair contracts to local development corporations and businesses like it does in Fort Good Hope, you know, in other communities in the territory as opposed to issuing those kind of contracts to contractors from outside the region or outside the territory? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT, with our results, is approximately 95 percent of all contracting opportunities go to local or NWT businesses. We follow the GNWT procurement policy, and we also follow the business incentive policy. Housing NWT has local housing organizations in 23 communities which each have their own local staff leading maintenance and repair work on housing assets. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to that end, to increase local capacity how many people who have gone through the Housing NWT apprenticeship program have actually been journey certified? And what is Housing NWT doing to ensure this number is increasing even more rapidly in coming years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is critical work that we have to do throughout the North. We have to gain capacity. We have to build capacity in our communities. And these need to be local people and local jobs. That's how we're going to do it. And this is how we're going to build, like, the North, and it's working locally and having that local capacity. So the work that Housing NWT does in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment is critical work that we have to do going forward. And over the last number of years, Housing NWT, with the local housing associations, has supported 64 apprenticeships over the last number of years. So thank you, Mr. Speaker

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. 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 the petition dealing with the matter of improved fertility and family planning supports in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains a total of 368 signatures collected on change.org. Of those signatures, 189 are from residents of the Northwest Territories. And, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories direct the Minister of Finance to work within a whole-of-government approach to investigate the following:

• The impacts to the territory of a declining birth rate and how it may impact population growth;
• The increased demand for fertility treatments for individuals and families to conceive in the Northwest Territories; and
• The feasibility of providing fertility treatments at no upfront cost to the Government of the Northwest Territories by providing a territorial tax credit for individuals undergoing fertility treatments.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 (April 1st to March 31st, 2024); and, Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 170-20(1): Regulation of E-Scooters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table two documents today: A letter dated June 11th, 2024, from Fertility Matters Canada regarding the Case for Support for Fertility and Family Building Care in the Northwest Territories; and, a survey by the Midwives Association of the NWT titled NWT Residents' Opinions on Midwifery 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.