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

Mr. Speaker, can you feel it, Mr. Speaker? Can you feel the excitement in the air? The NWT Track and Field Championships are back after five long years. And, Mr. Speaker, I am excited. I'm excited for the youth who have missed out on this event five years in a row. I was lucky enough to participate in many track and field events in Hay River, and they're some of the best memories that I have.

I'm also excited for the community. The track and field championships brings over 900 athletes into Hay River as well as hundreds of volunteers, parents, and chaperones. Mr. Speaker, the community swells in size by a third when track and field happens. It is the biggest event of the year in Hay River, and it's back. And I couldn't be happier. And so I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers who make this happen. I don't think people understand how labour intensive it is, and it's a labour of love, because we have some of the same volunteers who have been doing this year after year, decade after decade. And, of course, Mr. Speaker, I want to say good luck to all of the athletes and, of course, have a great time in Hay Riveria. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd love to see you on the track there, Premier. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to congratulate the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation on 40 years since signing this monumental land claim agreement. I want to thank the current chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Duane Smith, and the board of directors on the work that they do to lead this organization.

I want to take this time to honour the many people who have worked together to make this agreement a reality 40 years ago today. Many of the signatories to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement have now passed on, but their families live on and thrive. The Inuvialuit people continue to be stewards of these lands passing on their culture and traditions to generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, the Committee of Original People's Entitlement Board, there was the late Peter Green, who was the president and from Paulatuk; the late Charles Hodak, he was the vice-president and from Sachs Harbour; the late Sam Raddi, director from Inuvik; the late Billy Day, a director from Inuvik; the late Eddy Gruben, director from Tuktoyaktuk; the late Bertha Reuben, director from Paulatuk. We still have with us Annie C. Gordon, a director from Aklavik; and Elsie Klengenberg, a director from Ulukhaktok.

But we cannot forget those negotiators that negotiated this agreement and who we still have with us today. Nellie Cournoyea from Tuktoyaktuk; the late Andy Carpenter, Sachs Harbour; the late Robert Kuptana, Ulukhaktok; the late Nelson Green from Paulatuk; the late Mark Noksana from Tuktoyaktuk; Rene Arey of Aklavik, who is still with us today; the late Agnes Semmler of Inuvik; and their chief negotiator, Bob Delorey, who I remember always in that room with his pipe.

Mr. Speaker, I can say that my political career may have been instilled in me at a very young age, but I didn't know it back then. What I now realize is the meetings that I witnessed in this small room two doors down from my house when I was about six years old, with no table in that room, just chairs, where they sat around with federal negotiators like a Sharing Circle. This room included these past leaders where they were ensuring and securing the future of the Inuvialuit people. So once again, I congratulate them on their 40 years. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member from Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we are celebrating 40 years of the signing of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. This agreement is a culmination of many, many years of negotiations by Inuvialuit who sacrificed their lives, time away from their families, time away from the land, from harvesting, from work, to see this agreement through.

This agreement's negotiation was born at a time when industry was knocking on the door in the Arctic, and government was opening it up. To protect our rights, our land, and the ocean, the Inuvialuit developed a negotiating mandate based on evidence which included mapping out our traditional land use and occupancy, Indigenous rights to the land, and co-management of the area.

Mr. Speaker, two elders we lost in May 2024 were very significant to the negotiations and the implementation of the claim. Mr. Robert Kuptana, a generous, kindhearted Inuvialuk, who was part of the negotiating team on behalf of the Inuvialuit, a signatory to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, former IRC chair and CEO, a harvester, a hunter, a husband to Agnes, a father and grandfather, a Inuvialuk language expert who could speak three dialects of Inuvialuktun with ease. I wish to honour Robert today.

Also, I want to recognize Mr. Frank Pokiak, former chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council. Frank was instrumental in implementing the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. As chair of the game council, he was the lead in all co-management efforts and representing us globally. Frank was a harvester, a hunter, a tradesman, a husband, a father and grandfather. I wish to honour Frank today.

Over the last little while, we've lost so many, including Mrs. Margaret Klengenberg, Mr. Barry Jacobson, Ms. Nita Felix, Mr. Angus Himolok, Mrs. Maureen Pokiak, Mrs. Mabel Niyok, and Mr. Adam Wolki. God bless their families and prayers for comfort and strength today and all the days ahead. Their greatest legacy are their children and grandchildren.

I offer congratulations to Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, IRC chair and CEO, and the entire Inuvialuit team in celebrating 40 years of successful implementation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and governance of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, a corporation that's diverse, successful, and an example for many other land claim organizations. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Nunakput. Members' statements.

Good afternoon, colleagues. Today is going to be a very difficult time for myself as I say goodbye to a friend, who has been a big part of my family's life. Whether it was a boss to my son, bus driver for my kids, sponsor of numerous events and trips for the youth of the community, key driver of sport programs, businessman, you name it. Pat was that person.

Pat was born September 20, 1959, in Fairview, Alberta to John and Anne Rowe. Early on in his life, the family moved north to Hay River and this is when I first met the family. Finally in 1971, the family moved to Fort Simpson. Pat joined the navy in 1977 and travelled the world. During this time, he met Sandra, and they had two wonderful children, Becky and Michael. In 1983, Pat returned to Fort Simpson, where he started and grew P.R. Contracting into a successful business. As well, Pat was instrumental in helping improve the village of Fort Simpson's fire department. If this was not enough, he would be seen volunteering for the curling club, golf course, and supporting the community events wherever he could. Colleagues, I would like to share a couple of stories here today.

As people said, he had a big heart. I could tell you he hired a ten-year-old boy to work for him. My son was looking for a job but didn't know where to go and how to get one. I gave him a couple ideas and options of who he could ask, and he said that he would have to be there to go there by 8:20 in the morning. My son thought about it and decided to ask P.R. Contracting for a job. He got up early, asked me to drop him off at the shop and he would go from there. About 8:40, my son showed up to my office. I asked him how it went. He looked at me and said Pat doesn't show up until 9 o'clock, why did you get me up so early? After chatting with me, he took off to see Pat and that July morning, he started working for him. I have to say he spent the last at least 10 to 12 years working for that company and we much appreciate this mentorship.

Pat had a habit of telling stories, and you would think there was no way this happened or it had; it was that bad. A mutual friend told me that he was a storyteller but not the way you would think. As she explained, he would stretch the truth a bit. As I explained to her, that's how a storyteller operates. She said no, he downplays the situation as people wouldn't believe the truth. I laughed about her comment but didn't think about it anymore until I was a trip with him.

I can tell you it was a very interesting trip. However about a month later, he was telling someone about it. After the story was finished, I looked at him and I said man, I wish it was that good. Like most people in your life, we all have some amazing stories and I don't have enough time to tell you more. Therefore, I would like to have the rest of my speech deemed as read. I can tell you his passing left a huge hole in the community and the life of his family and friends. He will be sadly missed.

(Deemed Read)

It's difficult to explain in words the life of Pat Rowe. He can be described as a presence or role model; someone you want to be around and be like. He was liked, loved, respected, and is sorely missed by all that knew him. Whether you loved or disagreed with him you most likely respected him. He was often a source of wisdom and guidance and sometimes pure stubbornness.

Pat can be described in three categories: Family, Friend, and Community. All these areas he was extremely passionate about and defined most of what he was.

Family:

Family was always #1 for Pat, he never missed an opportunity to brag about the accomplishments his children, grandchildren, or nieces. No matter what was happening in his life he always took the time to call and congratulate when good news reached his ears, and let you know he was proud of you or happy for you. He could also be counted on to share any good news that came his way, sometimes if only to a cab driver in Edmonton because he wasn't allowed to share yet.

Pat never missed a celebration, milestone, or event. Whether it was stopping in for a quick coffee, planning a tow to be in a certain place at a certain time, or flying to another country Pat always showed up when it was within his power to do so. NO matter the personal cost, broken ribs, and all.

Story from his brother Perry:

Not a lot of people know this, but Anne and Connie were the ones who sent Pat out on his first ever roadside assistance back in the 80s.

It was Christmas, and Rick had not made it into Fort Simpson from Hay River at the expected time. So, the girls sent Pat, along with his swamper Perry, out on the Highway to find him. In true Rowe fashion, no road trip is complete without a stop at the store to get some road “pops”. Needless to say, Pat and Perry had a most enjoyable trip to Hay River without seeing Rick at all.

When they arrived in Hay, they called back to let the girls know they did not see Rick. To their surprise, Rick answered the phone. He was less than impressed, especially since he had hit the ditch, and had watched them drive straight by him talking and laughing without even checking the ditch line. Rick let them know firmly that he wished he had a 30-30 at the time so he could take out their tires!!

Well, with Rick safe, there was nothing left to do in Hay, except hit the store for more road pops and head back to Simpson. Pat and Perry clocked about 10 hours on their adventure, we're still not sure who paid that bill!

Friends:

Where do you start? Pat had a way of drawing people in. You couldn't help but be pulled to him. A natural storyteller. He held captive anyone who was near to hear, and this enticed them to get to know him better. Once you sat and had a chat with Pat you were hooked. He was always kind to strangers, often joking with whomever he ran into, front desk clerks, waiters or store clerks all fell for his charm and for that he was always remembered and treated as a valued friend when he returned.

He was as loyal to his friend as he was to his family, and in many ways his friends were his family. This is evident by the crowd gathered here today and the sorrow in which we all share. But Pat wouldn't want us to be sad but to be kind to one another and to support each other. Words that he lived by were "be kind to your people, you are nothing without people." These words were passed to him by his father and have been his motto for most of his life. Many of his friendships were built though a mutual love for hunting. Pats hunting stories were always adventure movie quality. He shared stories from his cabin in the mountains, up high on a plateau, or from in a boat on the river, each one as captivating as the one before. Pat was known as a good shot but the truth was, he was an excellent shot, and if the stories are to be believed he didn't miss.

Community:

Not 2nd or 3rd to family and friends, but equal was his love for his community. Pat never failed to step up and help the community in any way he could. He donated countless hours to the fire department, participated in emergency measures planning and during the recent flood, while battling cancer, on chemotherapy he showed up every day and donated his shop as a base for the fire department. After the flood Pat and his company provided garbage bins and removal to help with the cleanup.

Not only a firefighter also a volunteer and supporter of youth activities throughout the years. You may remember his starring roles in the annual skate carnivals, or seen him on the sidelines cheering his children and nieces on, or as the goofy bus driver taking the kids all over the country so that they could have the opportunities to experience new adventures and grow in their skills.

Pat was very much about youth. The first grade six trip involved him using a school bus. However, after that trip he was able to track down a coach, for the next year trip. Then he got another one, so youth from the community could travel down south for sporting events. As Shane tells, he did not do it for the money, because the first question he would ask was how much you have and then you went from there. This coach service expanded to other communities and lasted over 15 years.

He was often referred to as Uncle Pat and is part of many fond memories, I'm sure.

Pat also helped to grow curling in Fort Simpson, often recruiting new curlers and keeping the sport alive, he was part of the NWT Fire Fighter

Team for years and was part of the 2004 team when they achieved a perfect 8 ender! He was also one of the first sponsors of the 7 Spruce

golf course donating time and equipment to help lay the foundation of the course we see today. He would often golf and curl in out of town events, in 2006 in Fort Smith he also shot a hole in one! Regardless where he was, he could be counted on to bring the good time with him, and of course, making more lifelong friends in the process.

No matter how you met Pat you most likely share in our sorrow at the loss of a great man, a strong fighter, and a loving friend. We can all learn from the life of Pat Rowe. We can learn to be kind, to enjoy and celebrate all of life's moments, to hold our friends and family close and to show up whenever you can. I will leave you with some words by Carrie Hamilton:

“Our legacy is really the lives we touch, the inspiration we give, altering someone's plan - if even for a moment - and getting them to think, cry, laugh, argue. More than anything, we are remembered for our smiles.

The ones we share with our closest and dearest, and the ones we bestow on a total stranger, who needed it right then, and God put you there to deliver.”

Rest easy P.R you will be missed

From Roger Pilling

Pat Rowe has had a huge impact during his 40 years on the Ft Simpson FD.

Bit of history:

The Dept was established in 1963 and Pat joined in April 1983 when he returned to Ft Simpson after 6 years in the navy.

In his first week he stated the dept had 5 working fires. Pat could exaggerate a little at times but even if it was 3 or 4 that is a lot ):

In those days, equipment was limited. 1 fire truck and old backup truck. There were just 2 bays in the fire hall.

In 1989 when I joined there were still just 2 trucks with 2 bays and for breathing apparatus there were just 2 of them as well. There were still a few long coats and hip boots still around as well. But Pat had his own bunker gear that he “borrowed” from his firefighting days in the navy. You will see in some of the pictures he has very light-coloured gear compared to others as it was from the navy.

In the early 90's the FD had a keen group of firefighters that wanted to do more:

• • More training
  • Better equipment - more breathing apparatus
  • Vehicle Ex

Pat was a big part of that drive

1994 Gerry McCowan retired after about 20 years as chief, and Pat became chief. Under Pat, the department advanced their skills further and moved into more offensive operations. - going inside.

1998 The FD took over ambulance operations. Initially about 120-140 calls per year. Ambulance call load slowly increased until 2021 when 337 ambulance dispatches were recorded. Fortunately, the Last few years calls have declined, but are still significantly higher than the early years.

2004 Pat received the Queens Exemplary Service Medal for outstanding service.

2006 was the year of the FD “misunderstanding”. As the result of a $75 bill for snow removal Pat had resigned and things snowballed rapidly until the village council was removed and an administrator took over. After that the Village seemed willing to give us anything we asked for.

2010 we received a new Pierce Pumper at the FD. This pumper was Pats pride and joy. To this day that truck is still a great piece of equipment that any dept in the world would be proud to own.

2012 Pat steps down as chief and I was “lucky enough” to take over that role. Pat stayed on as Deputy Chief until his retirement in 2023 after 40 years. The FD is only 62 years old now.

2013 Pat started his battle with brain cancer. Unfortunately, cancer rates among FF is significantly higher than that of the general public. WSCC has put in place presumptive legislation for compensating firefighters who develop cancer.

Pat often talked about how he'd be coughing and spitting up “black stuff” for days after a fire. In those days with limited airway protection is is not surprising. Also it was a badge of honour to have the dirtiest darkest bunker gear in the hall. Little die we realize that this badge was a heavy concentration of carcinogenic materials. Fortunately, the fire service has evolved a lot to reduce (not remove) this threat.

Stats and highlights

Pat was a great leader. He always led by example.

As an ambulance attendant he was an amazing caregiver. He was calm and cool and was fantastic at keeping his patients comfortable and relaxed as well. He had that special gift that not many people have at their disposal.

Pat was part of the GNWT core team that completed 11 or 12 weeks of training over about a year to get their 10.01 professional level fire training. As Pat was a private contractor, he took leave from his business to complete this training. It was a huge financial cost to himself and his company. Pat felt this was important to help move training ahead for himself, the FSVFD and the region as Pat travelled to other communities to help them as well.

When doing research for his WSCC claim we found that from 1999 -2013 Pat did 617 ambulance calls, 300 fire meeting and 114 fire calls. He would have done a few hundred more fire calls and rescues prior to this in his early career.

Pat went to National Firefighter curling 8 times. As a team we scored an 8 ender (like a hole in one in golf) against Quebec in Quebec

In the past we had an air raid siren to signify a fire. The siren would go, we'd respond to the hall and then hopefully figure where we were going. A few weeks before I was married the siren went off, we all jumped in the backup truck where we would dress enroute... scarry really and headed out of town. We ended up at Gerry McCowans ranch and had a little party to celebrate my getting married.

When Tyler was doing records for the FD 60th year last year he discovered that there had been over 250 members had passed through the FSVFD during Pats 40 years.

Mellissa Woods

Over my lifetime — and especially the last two decades — I was blessed to have a wingman of sorts. A constant source of encouragement and support. A logical and authentic sounding board and my mentor from firefighting to truck-driving — and oh, do we have stories!

Of course, there has also been a significant amount of cutting sarcasm and pokes at my expense — that duty bestowed upon him by his late father in 1988. In the mix of cruising around Simpson, craft Saturdays, ice road crossings, bus excursions, winter road phone calls, emergency calls, hospital stays, and as many visits as we could coordinate, we did have some serious conversations about life; what ifs and what shoulds, reflections and regrets.

He called me in March, to chat one last time. At the end of our conversation, he said “Well Liss, I'm going to have to ask you to look after the girls again”. I'm not sure what my initial reaction was other than tears. I know I said I didn't want to do it without him... we said our goodbyes, and within 15 minutes he texted me saying he just bid a job for $6,666.66.

Then I thought, two decades ago the stakes were higher. The girls and I were much younger (and not near as wise as we are today, I'm sure) we were preparing to leave our little Simpson bubble once high school was done. So many changes and adventures were in store for us. And now, I look at them in their mid-thirties, and I remember John, Connie, Anne, and Pat and I think... I wonder who does more of the looking after — me of them, or them of me?

As today unfolds exactly as it should, with a coming together of so many friends and family of Pat's, I'm a little sad to not be there with everyone to celebrate this great man, but I'm blessed to have been woven into the family in all the ways that I have. We will carry on with our memories and make many more together.

Here's to PR.

In closing

I still feel this statement does not do him justice. However, how can you try to cover 65 years of a person life.

Pat passed away peacefully in his home (as he wanted to) on April 26, 2024, after an eleven-year battle with cancer.

Pat is survived by his partner Lee Scobie, children Rebecca (Kevin) and Michael (Melanie) grandchildren Jason and Jaina, brothers Perry (Jacky) and Rick, nieces Keri-Ann and Jessie, brother in law Ernie and countless cousins and close friends. He is pre-deceased by his parents (John and Anne) and sister (Connie).

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Replies to the Budget Address, Day 7 of 7. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Replies to the Budget Address, Day 7 of 7. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, although I have felt a strong sense of responsibility since the day I was first elected, I must say, the weight of what our territory is facing in the near future has felt heavier still as I have been considering the 2024-2025 Budget and the new reality of the Government of the Northwest Territories. At the time when our territory is most in need of investment in housing, education, critical infrastructure, health care, and climate change adaptation, amongst other things, our government is at the cusp of hitting its debt ceiling and has little to spend on any new initiatives. Getting older seems to accelerate with every passing year, Mr. Speaker, but I am still surprised to find myself wistfully looking back on the good old days of four years ago when the government had money to spend. Alas, here we are.

I have shared a fair number of specific comments on the budget and business plans already and will continue to do so during our deliberations, so I will keep my response to the Budget Address to high-level commentary on how the budget relates to our priorities.

Mr. Speaker, when I look at the priorities that we set together as a group and at the proposed budget, I perceive a disconnect. My understanding of why we set focused priorities was so we could direct our energy to what we and the public have clearly communicated are the areas requiring the highest attention and resources. The other side of that council, of course, is that we may have to do less in other areas in order to ensure resources are directed at the priorities. This is the very essence and purpose of priority setting.

I think it's important to explore how we got to where we are with this budget and how this has contributed to the disconnect, I'm speaking to. As the budget was prepared, departments were given high-level direction to implement the Fiscal Sustainability Strategy. This applied to all departments, and I think we've seen all make attempts at following it to a greater or lesser extent. Departments also took the priorities and looked at how their existing programming, or even some proposed programming, would help us work towards them. This is a fair approach for the departments to take individually. But what I don't think got enough attention was the high-level government-wide view across departments to look at the overall list of programs and activities we are engaged in, and whether the priorities necessitate shifts in resources or direction in order to substantively achieve movement on the priorities we set. By not doing this, we have arrived at a budget which has somewhat successfully began to implement the Fiscal Sustainability Strategy, and has also resulted in reductions to funding for housing, which is our stated top priority; education, which I believe is integral to a strong economic foundation; and health.

Looking at it this way, it seems evident to me that the top priority of this government is not any of our stated priorities agreed upon by caucus, rather, the Fiscal Sustainability Strategy is the number 1 priority of our government.

This may simply be the reality we have to face, but I suggest that if we had given more thought or time to better align our resources towards the priorities that we set, we might be able to better move towards fiscal sustainability and the stated priorities of the Assembly.

I want to turn to speaking to the individual priorities, what they mean to me, and what shifting resources to them will look like in my opinion. I'll start with housing.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to see NWT Housing looking to do a territory-wide needs assessment for housing, which I understand will inform applications to the federal government and other potential funders for funding towards addressing this key issue. I support this item in the business plans and would like it to lead to long-term planning and costing towards fully addressing identified needs over time as I have discussed previously. Where I think we are lacking, is in addressing the growing O and M deficit for this department and the declining state of our existing housing stock in the territory. This gap is why Members have brought forward the proposal to add $200 million to NWT Housing's budget over the next four years so that we can address required maintenance and upgrading of existing housing stock. If we do not do this, Mr. Speaker, I fear we run the risk of losing stock over time as quickly as we are replacing it, making it difficult to ever get to the point where we are fully addressing needs.

The next priority item I'd like to speak to is the strong economic foundation. Recently, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment received a presentation from Mr. Graeme Clinton on his Eyes Wide Open Report, which discusses the upcoming closure of the diamond mines, what this will mean for our economy, and encourages leaders to discuss and develop a vision for what comes next. I consider my thoughts on this priority item the beginning of my response to that report.

Mr. Speaker, mining has for many years formed the backbone of the private sector of the NWT's economy, as is highlighted in the Eyes Wide Open Report. I think it is true that private investment and industry in the territory are an important component of a healthy economy and agree that employment, poverty levels, and economic activity are closely tied to social and health outcomes. I agree with Cabinet's mandate item under this priority to strengthen and improve efficiency in our regulatory system and am happy to make contributions towards that item with the experience I bring from working within the system.

I also want to focus on another aspect of our territory's relationship with industry that is highlighted, perhaps inadvertently, in the Eyes Wide Open Report and that I think requires our attention. As noted in the report, of 3100 jobs associated with this sector, 1500 of them have been staffed by NWT residents. The rest are staffed from the south.

While we did get around to establishing a heritage fund in this territory, it has been noted in the past to lose money some years and has failed to maximize long-term benefit for our residents from one-time resource extraction. So I would argue that we have failed to fully maximize the potential benefits associated with this sector to residents of the NWT by not investing more in education and workforce development and ensuring that we are adequately capturing royalties and saving them so that future generations can benefit from resources that they won't have access to because they have been mined in the present. What I don't want to see us do is double down on a model that has gotten us into the scenario we are in now, where we are facing significant economic hardship whenever industry ebbs and flows, or that there is significant economic activity happening but, despite this, many people are not in a position to benefit directly from this activity.

This does not mean I don't want to see us develop our resources. What it means is that I want to ensure that we are working to ensure we can do so in a way that maximizes benefits to people. To this point, Mr. Speaker, when I think of a strong economic foundation, I want to focus on the fact that ultimately people are the foundation of a strong economy. I would also turn that phrase around and state that people are also the reason to build a strong economy, and outcomes for the people of the Northwest Territories need to be the focus of our government. For this reason, for a long time, I have been advocating for significant investment in education in the NWT. I believe that we need to take a holistic approach to this and focus on improving outcomes for JK to 12 students and also round out our academic system by building a world-class Polytechnic University to help develop our workforce and diversify our economy.

In response to Mr. Clinton's call for leaders to work to develop a cohesive vision for the future of the Northwest Territories, I want to point to the fact that a number of northern jurisdictions, which have previously largely relied on mining, are successfully diversifying their economies and that development of universities, and the knowledge economy is a key component in that shift. We only need to look next door to the Yukon, which is realizing economic and population growth through a diverse economy, to see an example of how this could work here. While post-secondary education is just one component of the Yukon's success, it is where I want the focus to be because of the status of our own post-secondary development project.

I look at our territory in comparison to the Yukon, and I am incredibly concerned about the troubling news that Aurora College's transition to a polytechnic is struggling to come to fruition. When I think of the Member for Inuvik BootLake's comments about us becoming a have-not territory, I worry that if we fail to adequately commit to invest in and ensure that this project succeeds, it will be yet another step towards economic and social downturn in comparison to our thriving neighbor.

We also need to consider the opportunities we are missing out on by not moving forward with this initiative.

The federal government has invested millions in infrastructure and program funding to support Yukon College's transition. It is also interesting to note that NWT diamond money has gone towards building and funding universities - in British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, Chuck Fipke, one of the discoverers of diamonds in the NWT, has donated $17 million to UBC over the years for buildings, equipment, and programming. Stewart Blusson, his partner in business, has donated $105 million to BC universities. By not having an institution to capture these kinds of investments, we are missing out. I find it incredibly frustrating to say that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a situation where we have to tell residents that if they want to attain a high-quality education, they have to leave the territory. We are heading towards a situation where we will be telling residents that if they want to realize a good career in a range of sectors, they will have to leave the territory. At what point are we simply telling people they need to leave the territory? Let's not get to that point, Mr. Speaker. Let's look to our neighbor's example and invest in our people and develop the foundation for a strong economy so people can look forward to a bright future here.

We need to come together and work towards a collective vision which sets aside regional squabbling and seeks to work together to realize benefits for our territory as a whole. I heard Indigenous leaders making this call at the recent economic forum in April and was excited to hear their unity. Let's ensure the territorial government joins them and helps to coalesce around a vision we can all be excited about and work towards.

Lastly, I will speak to health. Mr. Speaker, as noted a few evenings ago, I am happy to see the health department speaking to evolving and investing in our primary care system to ensure better and more equitable access to care. I campaigned on making this shift and believe that while it may seem like a modest goal, it is integral and the key to ensuring better health outcomes in our territory. As noted previously in statements, the omission I see in health's business plans is addressing head on the workforce and management issues in the system which have been causing so many issues that we've seen in the news. For those reasons, I support the recommendations for change brought forward by Members in our budget report, which speak for themselves and don't need to be reiterated here. I also continue to advocate that the health Minister consider the recommendation brought forward by the Standing Committee on Social Development to pause changes to the extended health benefits program.

Mr. Speaker, finally, I would like to speak briefly to a part of how we got to the fiscal situation we are in and its implications on our ability to realize our goals for the Northwest Territories.

Over the years, GNWT workforce growth has significantly outpaced that of the population growth of the Northwest Territories. This trend became particularly acute most recently. In the short span of the past four years, the GNWT workforce grew by 25 percent. Coincidentally, and perhaps it is fair to say consequently, we seem to be less able than ever to provide adequate funding to our NGOs, to infrastructures, to programs which support our residents most in need. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to consider a shift away from answering the problems we face by growing the government and take a more holistic look at how the government can best achieve results for our territory by working with and funding partners, particularly our NGOs.

I do not think we need to take a draconian approach to this conversation and certainly do not advocate for one. Rather, I suggest we consider long-term planning which seeks to minimize impacts to individuals but also seeks to ensure our resources are used strategically and effectively and not continuing to grow the workforce exponentially as we have been. I want to see us investing in long-term sustainability in our NGO sector, to realize the benefits they can help bring. Let's invest in the arts, Mr. Speaker. Let's invest in tourism. Let's invest in diversifying our economy so that we are not in a situation of fiscal uncertainty whenever the sole industry that we're relying on ebbs and flows.

In closing Mr. Speaker, if I can share one overarching message in my reply to the Budget Address, it is that I would like to see us to truly seek to put our resources behind the priorities we have set. As I have said before and as stated in the mandate, we need to challenge the status quo and be bold and decisive. We need to make a plan for what we are going to do in the short-term future to address the most immediate risks we are facing, make some decisions about what we're going to set aside for now, or not do anymore considering these priorities, and take swift action on implementing this plan. We can move quickly when need be, Mr. Speaker.

This government has demonstrated this ability in the face of several crises in the past four years. I think it would be ambitious to expect us to work as quickly as private industry but how about we shoot for significantly quicker than having plans in place two years from now or goals like developing a plan at some point within the term of the Assembly. Let's move quickly and let's be ambitious. Let's invest in our people, Mr. Speaker. They are the foundation of our economy, and they are the reason we are here. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Replies to the Budget Address, Day 7 of 7. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orin Gwiinzii. Good day, colleagues. Today I would like to give my perspectives on the 2024 -2025 Budget of the Government of the Northwest Territories and how it will affect the residents of our communities. Although the government has to make some very difficult choices for the benefit of our immediate future and the continued lifestyle of all our residents who are dependent on the operation of our day-to-day well-being. We, as a government, and the residents of the Northwest Territories, must play an important role in making this budget work for all involved. Myself, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, has always and will continue to fight for community-based programs where I feel fit. There are situations where I will have to side with regional or territorial decisions mainly for the fact that this is where some of these decisions have to be made. Mr. Chair, I will start with the department responsible for housing.

This, the 20th Assembly, has made housing its top priority. In 1967, the government came into our communities and stated that it would make our lives more comfortable and convenient to live. Although we did not find our lifestyle uncomfortable or inconvenient, we let the government of yesterday disrupt our traditional way of life. We have become too dependent on the government and we have to get away from this dependency.

It is evident that this government, or any government, cannot relieve us of the housing crises that we are encountering. The Government of the Northwest Territories cannot meet the housing needs of our communities now or in the immediate future. What we can do is work collaboratively with the Indigenous governments of our respective communities to try and come up with realistic solutions to this ongoing crisis. Financial resources should continue to flow to the communities because it is our community leadership who are the ones that are dealing with the housing issues on a day-to-day basis. I would encourage the department to continue to work with the communities on a regular basis.

The renting formula has to be addressed as soon as possible. The current rent scale is not working for the tenants who reside in the public housing units because of the high unemployment rate within the Mackenzie Delta riding.

Most of the employment opportunities are seasonal. With the current rent scale, most of the seasonal workers are getting into arrears with Housing NWT. There are situations where some of these potential employees do not want to work because their rent will increase, or they will not qualify for income assistance.

Mr. Speaker, the health and social services department is also on the minds of all residents of the Northwest Territories and we have to meet the needs of the residents in order to have a healthy and vibrant family, community, and Northwest Territories as a whole.

Addictions is plaguing our residents and our communities throughout the North, and we have to address the crises head on. I have always stated that in order to combat the addictions problem, we must include the whole family in the treatment process because it is just not the addict who requires counselling services. When one person is addicted to a substance, it impacts the whole family and therefore we must help them to cope with the treatment process and be part of the solution.

Mr. Speaker, medical travel and medical escorts is an ongoing issue that needs special attention. We find that there are clients who are elderly, illiterate, or have English as a second language going to southern institutions by themselves. The financial resources surrounding this concern should not restrict the clients from having an escort to assist them in receiving the best care possible.

I know that we are in a nursing shortage throughout the North, and we all have to play our part in adapting to this shortage. In our smaller communities, we must utilize the community health workers so that the clients are given the best care possible and that starts with these local workers who are all well known to these patients. Being able to administer medicine that has been prescribed is very important to the healing process of our elderly patients.

Mr. Speaker, income support has been one of my more concentrated areas of concern. In no way am I trying to punish the recipients of this program. The aim of my concern is to have our residents become more self-reliant and less accustomed to free handouts. There are people who require the use of this program, mainly the elderly and disabled. This group of people are identified, and I will advocate for their continued benefit from the income assistance program. But there are individuals who are able to work or conduct some sort of productive choice in an effort to get them back into the workforce and be a positive example to their families and to their communities. I have been an advocate in trying to find positive measures where the Indigenous governments can assist the Government of the Northwest Territories in developing programs where we can educate our people in becoming less reliant on the government and help the economy grow.

I am enthusiastic in the approach that this government is taking in regards to education. Education is the fundamental part of our communities in having a sustainable economy, a healthy community, and a healthy Northwest Territories. If we can do away with socially promoting our students, we will have a brighter future and this government seems to be addressing this concern. Building the self-esteem of our younger generation will enable the future generation to be productive leaders in the coming years and that tasks starts today.

I have attended too many graduation ceremonies where the celebration is merely a celebration, not one of completing one's grade 12 where they are eligible to move on to post-secondary education, not where these misled students are stuck in our communities with low self-esteem. It is time for this government to honour our treaties that were signed in an effort to provide the best education to our children, now and in the immediate future.

Having a sustainable economy will benefit everyone in the Northwest Territories for years to come. We have to include the Indigenous governments and the grassroots people at the community level. What works in Inuvik, Hay River, or Yellowknife may not work in the community of Tsiigehtchic because the residents of Tsiigehtchic will have their own vision. What we can do as a government is provide the communities with resources to continue to move forward.

Public safety seems to be a concern to the residents since the inclusion of hard drugs coming into our smaller communities. The RCMP are reluctant to assist where assistance is needed because they may not have the resources or may not have the training to address the issue that comes with the criminal activity related to gangs and drug dealers from southern parts of Canada.

It has been over 40 years since the MLA's of the Mackenzie Delta riding have been advocating for a nurse and the RCMP to be stationed in the community of Tsiigehtchic, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf. This government is initiating a community policing program in a couple of NWT communities, and it is my hope that Tsiigehtchic will be considered for one of these pilot projects in the near future. It is very urgent that we see the presence of these resource people because Tsiigehtchic is right on the highway system and alcohol and drugs are already in the community with no preventative measures to keep the residents safe.

In closing Mr. Chair, I am confident that this government will indeed make these tough choices for the benefit of all Northerners. I have a 7-year-old granddaughter and one day she may ask why I was a part of this process in trying to better shape her future, and I hope it was the right decision that we as a government are making today. We, as a government and MLAs, have to live with the decisions that we make today but it is the residents that we represent who will have to adapt to these tough decisions. I am confident that we can all work together as a government of this 20th Legislative Assembly for the residents of this great land we call home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Replies to the Budget Address, Day 7 of 7. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ideas and intentions behind this budget really resonate with me. Practical and realistic - that certainly is my style of doing things. I agree we need to pay down more of our debt and live more within our means.

We heard from the finance Minister that this budget is about value and efficiency, not just reductions. I do appreciate the thought that has been put into streamlining efforts of departments where there was previously overlap such as merging responsibilities for immigration and arts funding that were previously split between ECE and ITI and merging the technology services centre with information systems shared services. I am also excited about centralized mobile fleet management -- i truly am, yeah, okay. So we can make more efficient use of our large fleet of vehicles. I also agree that it's not sustainable or wise to tackle every problem by adding another GNWT position. We cannot solve our economic problems, including low employment in some communities, by hiring everyone to work for the government. Where I start to get nervous is when I get the feeling that each department is being asked to do more with less.

Now, some people imagine that the government is made up of lazy office workers so of course we should be asking them to do more. They just need to learn how to hustle like their counterparts in the private sector. But in my experience, when we ask everyone in every department to do more with less, the burden usually falls disproportionately on the shoulders of those who are already doing the most; those who are the most dedicated and motivated, who will always take on more because no one else will do it. And most of the burden ends up falling on the frontline service providers that we often take for granted, as well as the non-profits who take on some of the hardest frontline work that, frankly, no one else will do.

We demand more from our nurses and doctors who take on more and more patients in an emergency room that's bursting at the seams, who cover more and more shifts, and on top of this are expected to train a revolving door of locums and agency nurses.

We demand more from our teachers, who we expect to somehow improve attendance rates and graduate more kids even when facing classrooms where 80 to 90 percent could have language or learning disabilities.

We take for granted that the frontline workers at our non-profits, our shelters for example, will just keep taking more and more people into the shelters, well beyond their capacity, because they don't want to leave anyone in the cold. Meanwhile, many of those seeking shelter these days are under the influence of harder drugs than we're used to seeing before, there is more lateral violence, and yet shelter workers are supposed to manage it all with the same resources as before, or bounce people over to the emergency room or the police, which are also overwhelmed.

Now we see in the business plans that this government states it will help non-profits by pointing them towards funding from elsewhere. I suspect that might lead us to hiring another GNWT employee to write funding proposals for non-profits, which I would note is an example of exactly what we have pledged not to do, trying to solve each problem by hiring another GNWT worker. When the money that would have gone to a salary could just as easily have been given to the NGO to do the work themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that this government is not a money tree. I understand that it is our role to make tough choices as the finance Minister has emphasized. But, Mr. Speaker, our frontline workers in many areas are reaching a breaking point. We talk about the fiscal cliff that we're trying to back away from but what about the cliff that our social services are teetering on the edge of? I am concerned this budget does not lead our health system or our shelter system away from that cliff.

Now, the message from the finance Minister was that this was never intended to be an austerity budget or cuts for the sake of cuts. The problem is that in each department's scramble to find things to cut, we tend to reach for the things that might ruffle the least feathers, the opportunities where we see vacancies or retirements. And that's not necessarily making the tough choices. It gets really tempting to scrap the things that haven't worked out yet, the programs that have turned out to cause frustration and conflict, things that now feel really annoying and we just want to be done with them. The problem is that in some cases we're giving up on important things that we actually need in the long-term even if we haven't yet realized the vision of what they are supposed to be.

A prime example is the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university.

The money seems to have dried up for continuing the transformation process. And this budget is letting the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Innovation fade away even though that was where accredited programs were being developed, and we're reducing general Aurora College funding as well. Now I understand that everyone is frustrated that this project hasn't worked out as hoped. But this territory needs a high-quality post-secondary institution for so many reasons. We cannot let this vision die or get distracted by conflicts and rivalries between different communities. We absolutely need an institution where young people from the North can get recognized degrees in anything from teaching, environmental science, trades, Indigenous governance, film - things that would open up a world of opportunities for our people. We need an institution where we can do world-class research in northern issues like permafrost thaw, mining innovations, climate change adaptation, Indigenous culture and language revitalization, remediation. We need an institution that can attract students from around the world because we have something unique and valuable to offer.

This kind of institution can be an economic driver for the territory, both as a source of direct revenues in the form of tuition and research dollars, and as a way to produce a high-quality labour force. Mr. Speaker, we are so far from achieving that vision, and it's so tempting to put it on a back burner during a time of fiscal restraint, but it's now more than ever we need to make significant progress towards realizing the vision of a polytechnic university.

Another example of where we are scrapping something with an absence of vision is the proposed elimination of the Office of the Children's Lawyer. I understand there has been frustration with this office and uncomfortable relationships with other government agencies, but I would argue we need to step back and think about why we established this office in the first place. Our system does not always make decisions that are in the best interests of children, especially children in care, and we need to change that about our system. Now, there may be different ways to accomplish this so let's talk about that and get going. But this budget, unfortunately, creates an even bigger vacuum that takes us further from that goal.

We are trying to scrimp and save in health care but without a clear overarching vision of what we're trying to achieve, I believe that if we invest more now in staff retention and in health care workforce planning, we may see an increase to our budgets upfront during these main estimates but we will save vast amounts of money in the long-term because we won't see the huge deficits piling up and the constant requests for supplementary funds. We're failing to properly cost out our needs, failing to determine the right number of positions, the right composition of professionals to make up our primary care teams, but we hang over everyone's head in the system this scolding that they should be saving more money, that our system is too expensive. So managers try to skimp and cut corners, perhaps on staff benefits or not giving people the vacation time they're allotted, or we allow shifts to go unfilled, but then we lose our staff and then we scramble and then we end up paying far more by the end of the year for the agency nurses and locums to fill the gaps.

So this myth that we start out having no money is a dangerous trap, and it can lead us to these costly and short-sighted decisions. So instead our focus needs to be on building up value in the system, and the most valuable thing we have is our human resources.

Now, over the past few months, I had the privilege and chance to tour a number of facilities, the new Liwegoati Building in Yellowknife, the Children's First Child Care Facility in Inuvik, the Gwichin Wellness Camp, and I've been reflecting that we have invested a lot in truly impressive, state-of-the-art infrastructure. But have we remembered to invest enough in our human resources? Because we are struggling to sustain programming and actually staff these state-of-the-art facilities.

Now in terms of energy solutions, we are still all about the mega-projects. And then we encounter debacles like the insanely expensive Inuvik wind turbine system with its ballooning costs. And this might be enough to make us want to give up on renewable energy solutions entirely. Yet the most cost-effective steps are often the incremental ones, the small retrofits, switches to wood stoves and biomass heating. And I would propose a pilot project on renewable diesel, which I'll be speaking about later this session. But these are not the exciting mega-projects, so they're easy to ignore or reduce because few will notice that they're gone. The problem is we have failed so far to articulate a coherent energy vision. It just seems too overwhelming and expensive. And yet we always find money at the end of each year to subsidize our power corporation, to subsidize diesel through supplementary funding when our use skyrockets due to low water or the price of diesel goes up.

The common theme that I'm trying to point out here is that when we lack a clear vision and clear plans, it costs us more in the end. We need a clear vision for economic development, and I believe it needs to be centered around the how, not the what.

I do not think that it is government's role to pick which is the next industry that's going to save us all. The goal is to reduce dependency, to build up our human resources, and to ensure we don't have so many jobs and contracts going south.

Now, we've talked a lot lately about ending the dependency that stems from colonialism. It's important to remember that we need to both avoid dependency on government and avoid dependency on any one industry. We cannot hand over our fate to a handful of multinational corporations when their decisions are ruled by global commodity price fluctuations, boom and bust patterns, not to mention geopolitical games with China. I'm not saying industry is bad; I'm just saying we have to focus on things we have the most control over, and that is our own human resources.

Now, my colleague from Inuvik Boot Lake spoke to us passionately about being resource rich and cash poor. So we need to turn some of those resources into cash.

Now diamond mines were likely the best cash cow we could ever wish for, one of the few types of resource extraction that doesn't require shipping out massive amounts of material, which is obviously extremely expensive in the NWT due to our transportation and infrastructure challenges. Diamond mines were our chance to finally lay the foundations for real social and economic progress. But we have fallen short. We largely failed to seize the opportunity to make lasting investments in our children, in our education and health systems and, as a result, in our workforce. We cannot afford to keep making this mistake.

I also don't believe that economic diversification is the magic bullet that will save us, at least not when it means sprinkling seeds in every direction, hoping that something will bear fruit if we keep pumping government funds indefinitely into every sector.

I am encouraged that in this budget and business plans we will be developing a Macroeconomic Policy Framework, that the mantra now is not to pick the winners but to create an environment where northern businesses can flourish and be competitive. That includes ensuring housing availability for workers. It also means changing the way we structure our contracts, using our procurement power to help incubate northern solutions and innovations. The big picture of the economy basically comes down to what can we offer that the world is demanding? What can we offer that has a higher value and lower cost than anyone else?

I can't help but think that our best bet is to invest in our ideas, our cultures, our stories, which can attract investment in the form of a university, film, art, tourism. The areas where we face our biggest challenges in terms of our remoteness, the climate change threats to transportation and infrastructure, these also make us unique and so they present opportunities to come up with northern solutions, northern innovations, in partnership with researchers from around the world, and it's these kinds of ideas and innovations that we can be exporting.

So instead of starting by picking an industry, above all I believe we need to cultivate excellence in everything that we do so that we can develop things to offer and sell that are competitive not just in the North but in a global environment. The only way forward is to move away from dependence, from crutches, from excuses about how we can't expect the NWT to really thrive because of all the special challenges that we face. I do still have hope, Mr. Speaker, that we can cultivate a culture of excellence in government. That's how we will develop value and efficiency. So when things are going sideways, instead of making the easy cuts we need to go back to the drawing board, figure out why things have gone wrong, refocus our vision and redouble our efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Replies to the Budget Address, Day 7 of 7. Acknowledgements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm excited and proud to acknowledge Frame Lake resident Morgan Stabel who recently won the national youth bowling championship while representing the NWT in the senior girls division. Morgan is the top Canadian five-pin bowler in her category, and she is the first NWT resident to win gold at a national bowling event in Canada in 22 years.

Mr. Speaker, that is an incredible feat and an inspiration for all NWT athletes. Congratulations, Morgan, on your big achievement.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Acknowledgements. Member from Range Lake.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to acknowledge the incredible career of Range Lake's Jeff Seabrook who is set to retire after nearly three decades of inspiring and guiding northern students through his tireless service with Yellowknife Education District 1. Currently serving as principal of Ecole William McDonald Middle School, Jeff is known for his passionate support for French language education and has developed many outdoor student programs such as winter camps and canoe trips. In 2019, he was named as one of the country's best educators when he won that year's Learning Partnership Canada's Outstanding Principal Award. I know I speak for this entire Assembly when I congratulate him on his achievements, and we wish him all the best as he concludes that final stretch of his career and heads into retirement. Thank you, Jeff, for all your hard work preparing generation after generation for their lives ahead. You deserve all the best. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Acknowledgements.

Colleagues, recognizing the time, we will have a brief recess. A brief break.

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Colleagues, oral questions. Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, violent crime in the Northwest Territories is on the rise as is drug crime. Drug seizures are up a hundred percent, I believe, and homicides are up more so than that. This use -- when I was growing up here, this was a very peaceful place. You know, we didn't see anything like this at the scale that it's happening now. Does the Premier agree that this is a crisis that needs to be resolved? Thank you.

thank you, Member for Range Lake. Minister responsible for Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't like to use the term crisis but, in this situation, the influx of drugs, the increase in violent crime, the influx of handguns, I think that we are facing a crisis. The reason I kept the Justice portfolio this term is because I've seen what happened in my community of Hay River, and I wanted to make sure that I was able to follow through on some of the initiatives that we began to start addressing this because it is a deadly serious issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for his leadership on this. It is something I very much support, and I want to commend him for bringing new resources to bear. Can he just let us know how this new crime reduction unit is going to make a difference. The RCMP say it's a game changer. Can he speak to that? Thank you.