Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I, too, concur with everything that the Member for Tu Nedhe said about the safety in the communities. My community too is affected. All my communities in my riding are affected because they're along the highway. This motion is important for the safety and well-being of residents in my riding, and this motion also falls within the priorities of this government.

In my community, there's the increase of crimes, assaults, thefts, break and enters, and these are all attributed to drugs that are coming into our communities. Having a K-9 unit available to the RCMP in our community with help with combatting the drug issues that we're facing in our communities. So with that, I will be supporting -- I am supporting this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to stand and support this motion, and I thank the Member for bringing it forward. This is -- as he stated very clearly, this is not one community's issue. It is not a small community issue; it's not a Yellowknife issue; this is an issue for everyone. Everyone in the Northwest Territories, regardless of where they are in -- which is shocking when you consider how far-flung and remote some of our communities are. When it comes to this K-9 unit, this is a very specialized unit of police that serves an essential role in helping combat drug trafficking and helping tackle drug crimes in communities.

There used to be a unit in Hay River, and it was moved to Yellowknife. And my understanding is now that is -- Yellowknife allows it to be mobile, Mr. Speaker. But I understand where the intention of this is. So it is deployed throughout the Northwest Territories, but I think more of this specialized type of work is important. It's important to have these resources, especially as Hay River is the hub of the North, and it is a place where it's the first port of entry for many people. And, unfortunately, that includes drug traffickers and gangsters. And having these resources close to the hub, close to the border, is only going to help us fight against these predators and take back our communities. So I support this 100 percent. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh bringing this motion. I think it's a wise -- it's a very targeted motion, which is in other words of saying here's a problem and here's a straightforward solution, and I recognize his work and advocacy on this issue, and I think the community -- his communities are lucky to have him. I also want to thank the Member for Deh Cho for speaking passionately about this issue. I mean, without her support on this, you know, I mean, it's nice to see great support, you know, to get on this particular topic. Again, good Members all working together.

Mr. Speaker, the motion speaks for itself. It's connected as a solution to help address and deter, stop in any way possible, drugs and the crime that comes with it. I don't want to dwell; in other words, I don't want to speak too detailed. But, I mean, we've seen the impacts even in the South Slave on how drug crime can lead to terrible, if not horrific things, as we remember what happened in that tragedy so many years ago. You know, that wasn't just a terrible accident of circumstances. That was a reflection of violent terrible crime, Mr. Speaker. Could a drug dog have solved that at the time? I don't know. But I can tell you all I can say is this: Drug crime is getting worse in the Northwest Territories and we need to use every tool in our toolbox and find more tools to put in our toolbox and go to anywhere we can do any work, Mr. Speaker. This problem isn't isolated in the South Slave but that said, we got to start somewhere, and we shouldn't be afraid to say, hey, there, maybe then we can look at moving one north or establishing one north in those communities. Again it's not a reflection of the communities themselves, it's the fact that this is the pressure and response they need because they're being weighed down on this, Mr. Speaker.

So I will support this motion without any hesitation, and I want to clearly articulate whatever money needs to be done to address this particular issue, I fully support. Bring forward a supp, and I'll be championing it amongst anybody who wants to challenge it, I'll say, no, this is wrong, and this is what we need to do to respond. So I say bring on the money. I'm behind this initiative. Good job to my colleagues on this side of the House. Again, demonstrating and meeting the needs of regular people, including our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. To the motion. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this motion. For all I've said in this Chamber and outside of this Chamber, direct to the point, let find solutions and move on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. To the motion. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this motion. You know, it's hard to see your people suffer, your family members, your community members. It's hard to see them suffer. And trying to find a solution to this ongoing problem, it's hard. I hope this motion will start the process. We've tried every avenue. We've met with the RCMP. We've met with Indigenous leaders, governments. We're just having a tough time dealing with this ongoing battle. Like I stated, it's hard to see your family members suffering. They don't know how much they're suffering, and the drug dealers from southern Canada are the ones that are imposing this undue stress on our family members. They come up here, and they take the lives of our loved ones. We have a lot of educated people, members in our communities, that are lost to this drug. I know a lot of family members who are well educated, had good jobs, went to college, but now they're actually fighting for their lives. They don't know how much they've impacted their immediate family, their children. They don't know how much they've impacted their community, all the resources that are trying to help them. We just need help, and I hope this motion will bring forward some security. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. To the motion. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't say that I disagree with much of what has been said today, and I've heard much of this from my MLA colleague from Hay River, the MLA for Hay River South, as well as the previous MLA for Hay River South, as well as myself as MLA for Hay River North. So I definitely recognize the scope of this issue. The government will be taking our time to formulate a response to this, so we will be abstaining from this vote, but we'll come back with a response in 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh to close.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I keep thinking about the people in the small communities that this issue has impacted. I have family, friends, relatives, like my colleague from the Mackenzie Delta talked about. You know, this motion I will say be for them and also for the ones we lost.

So I want to thank my colleagues. And I look forward to working with Cabinet on this issue, and my colleagues are also looking at supporting this, a way to make this thing happen. So, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say mahsi to my colleagues and to my friends as well, this is for you. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask for a recorded vote. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has asked for a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand. Those abstaining, please stand.

Colleagues, those in favour, ten. Opposed, zero. Abstentions, seven. The motion has been passed.

---Carried

Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, I will present Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2024, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, I will present to the House Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5-20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1), Minister's Statement 24-20(1), Tabled Document 93-20(1), Tabled Document 111-20(1).

Colleagues, by the authority given to me as seeker under Rule 2.24, I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider the House business, with the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh in the chair.

Thank you. I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? I'll go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Committee of the Whole wishes to consider Tabled Document 93-20(1), 2024-2025 Main Estimates, the Legislative Assembly, the Department of Environment and Climate Change, and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.