Colleagues, I'd like to thank Annie Inuktalik for opening guiding words. Ministers' statements. Minister for ECC.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the 2023 wildfire season was the most challenging ever experienced in the Northwest Territories, and the largest and most impactful in Canada. Driven by severe drought conditions, record-breaking temperatures and periods of extreme wind conditions, both the fire behaviour and fire environment were unlike anything our most experienced firefighters have ever seen before.

To date, forecasts of another challenging fire season in 2024 have been accurate, with a very early start to the season and a number of significant fires near communities and highways in the Deh Cho and South Slave regions.

The NWT is experiencing its third consecutive year of severe drought, which is fueling this fire risk. We only need to look at our lakes and rivers to see how this drought is impacting the environment. Until significant rain is experienced, the job firefighters face in trying to contain wildfires will remain very difficult.

Mr. Speaker, despite these challenges, the Department of Environment and Climate Change has worked hard over the past winter to be ready for the 2024 wildfire season. Over the past several months, meetings with local community and Indigenous governments occurred in all forested communities in the NWT to discuss the 2023 wildfire season, community wildfire protection plans and local planning for the 2024 season. We assisted the NWT Association of Communities in their successful application for federal funding to support community-led wildfire prevention and mitigation work, including FireSmart initiatives. Communication and notification processes for wildfire events have been strengthened in collaboration with the departments of Municipal and Community Affairs and Executive and Indigenous Affairs resulting in an enhanced approach to provide direct and timely information to Indigenous governments about fires that have the potential to impact their communities.

Training has also been top of mind over the past several months. Additional fire crews and aircraft were added to our normal complement and brought on much earlier than normal to complete their annual training and be ready for an early start to the season. Home ignition zone training was offered to Environment and Climate Change staff and local fire departments. Furthermore, to help address fires at the wildland-urban interface, cross-training is underway for local fire departments, with some events recently held in May.

A new wildfire prevention and mitigation unit has been established with a number of wildfire prevention activities already conducted across the NWT. Information guides were developed to provide people with detailed advice on best practices and procedures to FireSmart their property, and information events were held with communities, neighborhood groups, schools, and other parties to increase public awareness.

New structural protection trailers with sprinklers, pumps and hose are being deployed to each region which will increase the number of homes and cabins that can be protected should the need arise. As soon as the snow was gone, a specialized thermal detection aircraft was used to scan for hotspots near communities from last year's fires.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that these preparations were very helpful as we faced an early start to the 2024 wildfire season. The early season scanning for hotspots found eight fires that burned through the winter, and crews were brought on early to address them. All but two of the fires were extinguished right away however extreme drought conditions and strong winds made it very difficult to contain two of the fires.

One of these fires posed a threat to Liard for a number of weeks but the hard work and commitment of our firefighters resulted in containing the fire in the end and avoiding the need for an evacuation, like what happened in nearby Fort Nelson.

Environment and Climate Change put fire restrictions in place in the Deh Cho and South Slave regions early in May based on the wildfire forecasts, current wildfire environment, and potential threat to communities. These restrictions are an important tool to help prevent human-caused fires and allow firefighters to focus on the fires they are dealing with and reduce the worry about new fires starting close to communities.

Mr. Speaker, I know there is a lot of interest in seeing the 2023 Wildfire Response Review. A final report is close to being released publicly, and it will include recommendations and suggestions for improvement. This report will also include a What We Heard report, which reflects the input of GNWT operational staff, local community and Indigenous governments, as well as members of the public who were involved in last year's fire response. The review covered all of the 2023 wildfire season but also included a deep dive on the wildfires that impacted Enterprise, Hay River, and K'atlodeeche First Nation, as well as the fires that threatened Behchoko and Yellowknife. I look forward to using this review to further enhance our wildfire management program, including during the 2024 season.

Looking ahead, I am also happy to announce that Environment and Climate Change has developed its own Wildfire Prevention and Resilience Strategy which will complement a new national wildfire prevention and mitigation strategy. The NWT's strategy will guide a number of targeted new activities to protect our communities, including establishing territorial and regional FireSmart committees, delivering cross-training for wildfire and structural firefighters, expanding the prescribed fire program to reduce risks at community and landscape levels, and supporting Indigenous-led cultural burning initiatives to return traditional fire to the landscape. The strategy will also include enhanced public education and communication efforts, increased wildfire emergency planning, and improved legislation through regulation development with the new Forest Act.

The current drought, warm temperatures and elevated fire risk are expected to continue throughout much of the summer, and everyone needs to do their part to prevent human-caused fires. We need to work together to help protect NWT residents, communities, critical infrastructure, and values. We ask that people only use fire on the land if needed for cooking or heat. If you need to make a fire, make sure it is as small as possible and ensure that you have the tools needed to contain it and put it out.

Mr. Speaker, as we continue to respond to another challenging wildfire season, I would like to thank all the people, communities, and organizations that have stepped up to do what they can to help prevent or mitigate the risk of wildfire. I also want to extend my heartfelt thank yous to our amazing fire crews and wildfire management teams who are working tirelessly to keep you all safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of ECC. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, this Legislative Assembly was clear in its desire to work together to build a strong economic foundation. Establishing a sustainable and truly strong foundation needs to be an all of territory effort, supporting the growth and evolution of all education and skill development sectors from early learning to post-secondary learning and trades economy to care economy. But Mr. Speaker, we know that our economic vision is bigger than just us. Like many jurisdictions across the country, attracting new skilled residents is part of building a strong economic foundation.

Earlier this year, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment engaged with the public, employers, and stakeholders on the Northwest Territories Immigration Strategy. This feedback highlighted immigration growth and trends that will help shape our next steps.

We heard that residents feel immigration is an important economic tool that has many benefits for the Northwest Territories. For example, immigration allows employers to hire qualified staff when there are labour shortages that can lead to consistency, retention and, ultimately, business growth.

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program is the immigration program delivered collaboratively by the GNWT and the Government of Canada that helps fill these labour shortages by attracting a skilled workforce while supporting foreign nationals with a pathway to becoming permanent residents of Canada through valuable work experience. This program also serves to empower eligible foreign nationals who want to invest in a business in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time ever, we are on track to potentially reach the NWT's federal allocation of 300 nominees this calendar year, exceeding previous annual numbers. Our target, Mr. Speaker, is to increase overall program usage and to hit our maximum allocation in the territory every year.

With immigration, we will continue to attract a skilled workforce and reap the additional benefits that come with immigration, including a vibrant and diversified population. This will help ensure our economy remains competitive with enhanced immigration being a key component to overall population growth and long-term economic development and prosperity.
This is great news, Mr. Speaker, but the engagements also highlighted areas where we can do better.

We want to continually improve accessibility and ease of use of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program. As part of our mandate, this government committed to making GNWT programs and services more accessible to NWT residents through person-centered approaches that prioritizes ease of access for residents over ease of administration. As Minister, I have given direction to both the departments I am responsible for to work together to consolidate immigration services as a single-service window through Education, Culture and Employment. By administering these programs under one roof, we will streamline services, consolidate our human resource capacity, and provide better supports to nominees and business owners alike.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there is a need for expanded supports and resources to help newcomers settle and integrate into life in the Northwest Territories. This will require a collaborative effort between the Government of Canada, GNWT departments, community organizations, settlement service providers, and employers to ensure that comprehensive support networks are in place to ensure we are not only attracting new residents to the NWT but supporting them to plant roots that make the NWT home for a long time to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak to an environmental and community issue. The lack of plastic waste recycling and the influx of plastics in our landfills in the NWT.

Plastic is present in everything in our society, but the management of plastic waste remains a problem. Only 9 percent of the plastic waste that is created in our country is recycled. Plastics continue to be buried in landfills across the territory, including in Yellowknife, as reported this past April by the CBC. 60 tonnes of plastic waste was collected in the blue bins across the city, and they are now in the landfill as of 2023.

Mr. Speaker, the ideal situation would be for us to leave the land and water clean, free from plastic wastes and all contaminants as long as this land shall last. Plastic takes centuries to decompose, and plastic recycling infrastructure across the country is limited. As of 2018, countries like China, that used to take and process North American waste, refused to take any more plastic and so it piles higher here at home. But, Mr. Speaker, we do have levers to pull at our disposal in this Assembly. Extended producer responsibility is now a tool available to us as legislators in the the NWT under the New Waste Reduction and Resource Recovery Act.

New regulations, legislation, and policies can help jurisdictions, including ours, to shift responsibility from governments to recycle plastics back to the manufacturers who create plastic waste in the first place. I would like to see clear direction from this Cabinet on how we can help lead the change in this country to push back the endless waves of plastic packaging from growing in our community landfills. I am keen to see what action this government will take on plastic waste, and how we will help support the Government of Canada's zero plastic waste agenda. I will have questions for the Minister of ECC at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the impacts on the residents for the cancellation of the 2024 barging season. As I spoke in the House previously, the business and residents of the Sahtu region are facing insurmountable challenges right now to get supplies delivered to the community.

Mr. Speaker, it is construction season. It's the time of year when roads, bridges, sheds, buildings, and other construction projects are advancing. It's a very short window but it's a critical season; businesses have projects, people are working, and money circulates throughout the community. When businesses do well, the residents benefit but, Mr. Speaker, when businesses suffer, residents suffer.

Mr. Speaker, right now, businesses in the Sahtu region are in a crisis situation. We are already seeing employees being laid off. We are on the slippery slope. Businesses are scrambling to bring in supplies at outrageous prices. They are struggling to stay open. Projects are being delayed or cancelled all together. Without swift intervention to support the business sector at this point in time, the local economy faces risk of collapse all together. On May the 23rd, 2024, without any preparation, the business community of the Sahtu was left on their own to arrange transportation of food, goods, and supplies needed for the construction season.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of the Sahtu region will inevitably bear the burden of air shipping costs. In fact, the residents in the Sahtu are already feeling this situation. Groceries are expected to increase five times in the coming weeks. In one case of diesel exhaust fuel, which normally sells for $75 a case, is now increased to $400 a case. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The business community is in dire need of support. I look to the Minister of ITI to find ways to support Sahtu businesses to keep the region from economic recession and to protect the residents from absorbing the financial shock. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I represent four small communities, and some of my communities are entirely Indigenous. The size of my communities range from 45 to 736 or 50 people. Mr. Speaker, we are small communities but so unique and so rich in culture and tradition.

Mr. Speaker, the communities in the Deh Cho region do not have a major economic driver. There are trees everywhere, and the forest industry is a natural sector to develop but the forest industry has not yet become a regional economic driver for my communities.

Mr. Speaker, we are on the road system. We have abundant natural resources. We can ship goods in and out of community then. We can bring tourists in. We can develop a local economy. But, Mr. Speaker, we need entrepreneurs. We need people to have a vision and take a risk.

We have a successful example of Dene Fur Clouds in Fort Providence. Through Prosper NWT, we have a locally owned and operated high quality fur garment retail store. These furs are sewn by local seamstresses and shipped all over the world.

Enterprise was the home to designer Darcy Moses. Mr. Moses is an outstanding artist that has combined traditional Dene art from high-end fashion. He is a leader in the art sector. He has sold to high-end brands and retailers internationally. However, due to wildfires last year, he lost his home and has now relocated to Wrigley and is working at restarting up his business.

Another business we have in our community is Cameron Sapp as CMMS Mechanical Services that started up, and Cameron is really getting going so I have to wish Cameron all the success as he navigates through stuff that businesses -- small businesses go through.

Our communities are uniquely and authentically Indigenous. This is a major asset in tourism. Our communities just as they are can provide tourism experiences that people across the world are looking for. We are remote northern Indigenous communities. Mr. Speaker, I'm seeking unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you. And thank you to my colleagues. Our communities just as they are can provide tourism experience that people across the world are looking for. We are remote northern Indigenous communities, and tourists want this authentic experience.

Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho may be a riding with small communities but we have large potential for economic growth. I will have questions for the Minister of ITI later today. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, frustration continues to grow among my constituents who are stuck in the process of finalizing their recreational land leases years after the department indicated their applications were moving ahead. I've been working with several constituents over the last six months -- the Minister knows who they are -- to figure out how to move forward and along the way to progress. And what I have seen so far has been incredibly disappointing.

When I last spoke on the floor, the Minister responsible, he assured me that this process was consistent and transparent, and he would work to improve communications with applicants. Since that time, my advocacy on this issue to ensure those commitments were followed through have only taken me in circles. The department has placed the final decision on the First Nation, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation in this case, but the First Nation officials there have directed me back to the department. This should come as no surprise. The department created this land lease process and began accepting applications, not the First Nation. They cannot shrug off the responsibility and claim that criticizing their application process means questioning Indigenous sovereignty. I know of Indigenous families who applied for these leases as well, and they have been told by the department that they don't trust them to respect the environment and wildlife on the sites they were looking to build cabins on.

Now, these are -- I'm seeing I'm going too fast, so I'll slow down. I'm passionate, Mr. Speaker. I'm very passionate.

Mr. Speaker, the department didn't flat out tell them that but that's how they feel. They feel that their concerns are not being heard. They feel like they're being made to run in circles, and I see no reason to disagree with them. The land lease application process is clearly not consistent and transparent when they are picking and choosing which applicants can build cabins and which applicants can't, and not giving them proper communication to those decisions for years at a time.

The department can't put the responsibility on Indigenous governments when it's their process and they are the ones denying, in some cases Indigenous rights, to people to build cabins on public land. If the department can't improve land leases consistently, they need to stop this process or else more applicants will be stuck in an indefinite loop without any progress. We've made exceptions before based on promises made by ADMs to people who own a lot of property in certain areas of unsettled claims, why can't we make the same adjustments for law-abiding citizens following the process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my constituency meeting in Tsiigehtchic, Peter Ross, an elder from the community, stated that he seems to be forgotten by the government after elections are completed. He stated that once he votes for his MLA, he does not see them for another four years. I do not want to be that elected official. I want to be visible and work for the constituency of my riding. But I require the assistance of this government because you too have been elected as Ministers to sit on Cabinet by your peers.

Mr. Speaker, Peter Ross is a well-known elder throughout the region and the NWT and is very knowledgeable about the government process. Peter's primary concern is about the condition of his house now and for the foreseeable future. Mr. Ross is a homeowner, and his house is over 30 years old and needs some upgrades and repairs. But being on a fixed income restricts one from living a comfortable life let alone trying to finance his own upgrades and repairs.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ross is speaking for all the elderly homeowners in Tsiigehtchic and the rest of the NWT. And I know there are elders within my riding who have similar concerns, but they do not know where to go for assistance. Why should our elderly population have to look for assistance? There should be a program in place where the government actually approaches them and offers this assistance. Imagine, if Peter Ross hears a knock on his door and when he answers the door, a government representative is standing there and offering to inspect his house for deficiencies. But in reality, this is very unlikely to happen.

Mr. Speaker, my friend Peter Ross calls me on occasion, sometimes to provide me with his concerns or just talk, and there are times he just calls to check in on my well-being, and I am very appreciative of this.

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the local housing authorities conduct annual inspections on their public housing units throughout the NWT so that they can save money on any repairs that are needed before they become major ones. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. If the government can provide housing inspections for the elderly homeowners to find deficiencies and notify the elders that there is, indeed, something that requires their attention right away, they will save a lot of financial burdens in the future for the elders. Looking out for the benefit of our elders now will enable them to live a comfortable life knowing that someone really does care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, garbage is a problem. My colleagues here in the House have spoken about the need to remove large amounts of hazardous waste from community landfills. This is important. And we also need to figure out ways to stop that waste from getting into those landfills in the first place.

One positive local initiative by Kavanaugh Brothers, which is part of the Det'on Cho group of companies, is to look at opportunities to prevent old tires from going into our landfills and also avoid the cost and GHG emissions from having to ship all our old tires back down south for processing. Instead, Kavanaugh is looking at creative ways we can use shredded tire material, and as of September 2022, over 200,000 tires have been shredded in Hay River and Yellowknife.

So that's an example of a circular economy, which means that we try to use and repair and reuse materials as much as we can instead of just throwing everything into a landfill and buying new things all the time. It's good for the environment. It's good for our pocketbooks. And it's good for our economy because we can turn old things into new products that are useful and could even be sold.

Other ways to keep big or hazardous materials out of landfills is recycling. Currently, 11 communities in the NWT, from Kakisa to Norman Wells, have been able to recycle electronics and electrical products such as lawnmowers, vacuums, power tools, even solar panels once they've reached the end of their useful life.

During the last Assembly, the Waste Reduction Act was passed which gives us the power to introduce extended producer responsibility. So that means we could require the companies that make those products in the first place to take them back once we're done with them. That could take a lot of burden off of our communities, who are spending many millions of dollars on creating and managing landfills. If companies have to pay for and deal with the waste that they create in the first place, it could push them to make products differently, to make them last longer, with materials that are less hazardous, and make them easier to reuse and recycle. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of ECC. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2018, Yellowknife composer Carmen Braden had an idea for a music event in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, that celebrates music on the edges. The Longshadow Music Festival celebrates music that is wild, weird, and wonderful. Each event explores music made in the contemporary world yet with a connection to the music that has shaped our world in the past. Northern and Canadian music are the features of the festival.

Alongside special guests and featured concerts, the festival explores ideas about improvisation, composition, performance, and collaboration. Multi-genre at its core, there has been a mix of old, classical, contemporary classical, jazz, songwriter, improvised, electronic, sound scape, fiddle, and Indigenous music at the Longshadow festival.

The Longshadow Music Festival returns for the fourth time in 2024. This year's festival celebrates songs, songwriters, and string quartets. Feature performers include Cassandra Blondin-Bourke, Rob Elo, LJJ, Ryan McCord, the Garenau String Quartet, Kay Sibbeston, Kathryn Oraas, and Andrew Ball.

Mr. Speaker, this year's Longshadow festival kicked off last night at the Sundog Trading Post and continues this evening in this very building with a performance in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly. The Garneau String Quartet will be playing in the Great Hall at 7:30 p.m. And thanks to contributions from a number of MLAs, including myself, I am happy to note that the concert is free for anyone to attend.

The Garneau Quartet is the ensemble in residence at the MacEwan University Conservatory of Music in Edmonton. The quartet is comprised of members of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, so I expect this will be a world-class performance. I would also note that for classical diehards, there will be an open rehearsal in the Great Hall from 5:15 to 5:45. Bring your kids.

A third concert featuring a exciting group of performers will occur this Saturday night at the Top Knight, and there will be a workshop hosted by the Canadian New Music Network at Carmen Braden's studio on Sunday, June 9th. Details are available on the Longshadow website.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to Carmen Braden for her vision in bringing this exciting festival to fruition in our community. I encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the performances this weekend. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, last year I brought forward the issue of issue of cultural sites and unmarked graves in the path of the Taltson Hydro Project. I spoke about how the community of Roche River was abandoned to provide a clear path for this hydro project, but it was never made clear how the territorial government would go about identifying cultural sites and burial sacred grounds that could be disturbed by this project.

Mr. Speaker, the burial sites in this location is 60 feet under water. There are cultural sites like all over the North, dating back into time immemorial, and we need to ensure that they are treated with respect. So analyzing what impacts infrastructure projects have on the environment and culture in any region of the North is extremely important if you want to move on from the history of colonialism and systemic racism.

When I spoke on this last year, I was given a clear commitment from the territorial government that they would respect the Indigenous communities around Taltson Hydro Project but since then, I have not heard no updates, neither have the Akaitcho or Metis governments, as this project moves ahead. My constituents and the Indigenous natives of the riding are once again seeking clarity before it's too late. We need to progress on this issue so history and culture and land is respected.

The territorial government needs to show Canada that here in the North we do development differently, in partnership with Indigenous governments and with the upmost respect for the history of the land and its people. I look forward to asking the Minister for clarity on this project today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about an issue that has been years in the making, and it's still happening now. So Mr. Speaker, the issue I am referring to is the final settlement agreement related to compensation for those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of First Nations child and family services.

On January 4th, 2022, the government announced that an agreement-in-principle in the sum of $20 billion in compensation for First Nations children would be provided to children who were removed from their homes between April 1st, 1991, and March 31st, 2022, as well as for their parents and caregivers. The agreement also includes compensation for those impacted by the federal government's narrow definition of Jordan's Principle, as well as for children who did not receive or were delayed receiving an essential public service or product.

Mr. Speaker, the parties to this case, which includes the Assembly of First Nations and other plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, reached a final settlement agreement on compensation in April 2023. However, the issue at hand here, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that the NWT and Nunavut were excluded from this compensation agreement. The federal government says the reason for this is because funding for child and family services in the NWT and Nunavut is provided by the federal Department of Finance through transfer payments with both territorial governments, which make up part of our annual budget, therefore both NWT and Nunavut governments decide how and where to spend those funds within the general revenue. But Yukon was eligible, so this makes no sense as we have the same status.

Well, Mr. Speaker, the problem with this situation lies with the fact that the NWT was excluded from this agreement entirely. In my view, it does not, whether it is the GNWT or the federal government who used public funds to carry out the child welfare system over the last 30 plus years. Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that Indigenous children within the NWT also endured pain, trauma, and hardship within the child welfare system alongside other children in other provinces and territories in this country. The parents, the grandparents, also endured this pain as well. So there is no good reason why the NWT is excluded from that final settlement. I will have questions for the Premier. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Firstly, and I want to make it absolutely clear, there is shelter support downtown whereas in people don't mind having the day shelter on its way. Mr. Speaker, it's a project the community does acknowledge and certainly embraces in its own way. Mr. Speaker, however, the issue has come down to, and continues to be, the size of the shelter. Are we building a premium shelter, the shelter to solve all problems? It's not just big, it's bloated. It's going to solve every problem in the North. That's the fear of the community, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I want to make it absolutely clear, because I don't want the Minister and the government and even those who are half listening out there and only hearing what they want to hear, no, there is no issue with the principles of having a shelter. It's the size, the monolithic structure we're going to build downtown assuming we're going to solve everything with the one shelter, Mr. Speaker.

So the community is concerned, Mr. Speaker, because with we've seen what's happened with the last downtown shelter just around the corner. The moment it was established, it had impacts on neighbours. It had caused further problems, and businesses felt the decline. People felt uncomfortable walking near it. It wasn't supported in the right way.

Mr. Speaker, I worry this is a case of déjà vu all again. Now we're going to go even two or three times bigger. And speaking of two or three times bigger, the last budget was $800,000 and now it's over $3 million. I mean, that's run by government shelters -- or government employees. So the question is, is how big is this shelter going to be?

Part of the issue I'm trying to raise here, Mr. Speaker, is not just the impacts on the community of Yellowknife Centre or Yellowknife at all, it's the fact that we're facing and confronting a couple of issues. The first one is regions have asked support for their shelters, and we're not giving them that chance. If there wasn't a better opportunity to support reconciliation by getting people into their communities back to the communities where they'll be more healthy, and support those communities and regions with funding to help address their particular issues, I don't know what better an excuse or opportunity there would be, Mr. Speaker. And currently, if we send them back -- not that we can just send people back -- but there's nowhere for them to go, so it's a multiprong problem, Mr. Speaker. But to build one shelter to solve them all will never solve our problems, Mr. Speaker. Ultimately, at the end of the day, I need to emphasize the merits and the need, and the principles of the shelter is not the issue. Ultimately, it comes down to the size and the weight dumping it down in the middle of downtown and ignoring the fact of the upcoming impacts it will have on this community, including the lack of supports for our regions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Colleagues, I would like to take this time to talk about the Canadian Biomass and their awards.

On April 19th, 2024 they announce this year's winners. Their awards program celebrates outstanding individuals, companies, and communities working passionately to advance the country's bioeconomy. Inaugural winners will be celebrated in the spring 2024 issue of Canadian Biomass. Awards will be given out in the following categories:

• Champion of the Year, individual award
• Company of the Year, company award
• Thought Leader of the Year, individual award
• Community Project of the Year, community award
• Lifetime Achievement, individual award.

I would like to focus on the Community Project of the Year winner today. The award is given to an outstanding community biomass project in Canada, brought online within the last three years. The award recognizes the community and its stakeholders who worked to bring a project to fruition. It is open to bioheat, biofuels, and bioproducts projects from municipal and Indigenous communities as well as community groups and associations.

This year's winner was the village of Fort Simpson. They made a commitment to heat all municipal buildings with wood pellet heating and this year they underwent two biomass projects:

• A new wood pellet boiler in the water treatment plant; and
• Connecting the community pool and gym to an existing biomass-fueled district heating system.

In speaking with the mayor, he talked about the two biomass projects done last year and will be looking at doing more municipal buildings in the future. They are working closely with the Arctic Energy Alliance regional office in Fort Simpson who helped the village with professional advice and financial assistance.

The village dug a steam line from our community hall to the swimming pool fitness centre and have been tied into the main steam plant which normally runs on wood pellets. As well, they are just finishing off putting a wood pellet system into the water treatment plant with a big hopper for wood pellet supply. Both projects came up to be around $250,000 and they will be a major cost saving moving forward. The village is very proud and excited to be using renewable energy in place of carbon fuel and reducing CO2 emissions.

I would like to congratulate the village on winning the award and for helping to reduce the CO2 emissions. Thank you.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On June 6th, the community of Tulita celebrates heroic efforts lead by Mr. Rocky Norwegian, and other community members, in the evacuation of the whole community and building a firebreak during the 1995 wildfires that saw an aggressive movement within one kilometer of the community. Because of their fast action, it saved the community. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, member from the Sahtu. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've been hearing from our local cannabis grower and producer that they are having difficulty kind of gaining a foothold in the industry knowing that they're operating in the North. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister describe -- the Minister of Finance specifically, describe the policy used for supporting our local producers? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a policy in place from the financial management board that supports having our local producers receive a discount on the markup. So the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission places a markup on all cannabis products that come for sale in the North. For our cannabis producers here locally, any cannabis producers here locally, they get a 10 percentage point discount, which equates in real numbers to being almost a 30 percent discount on that markup. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit to reviewing this policy and considering changes to ensure that our fledgling industry is given its best chance to grow and create more private sector employment in our community? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've had the opportunity to tour the facility here and meet with the producers, and I've heard from them that they certainly would, sounds like, prefer to see a discount on the retail end price as opposed to on the markup price. Mr. Speaker, we've certainly had that conversation many times. No doubt it would -- I can't say whether it would make a difference for them. You know, at this point I'd need to know what their numbers are. I can commit to reviewing the policy again. We've done that in the past. We've done that in response to this industry, prepared to review it again. As I've said, I can't commit to what it would look like. It's a financial management board approved policy, but I'm happy to commit that we will review it one more time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that commitment from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to, yet again, meeting with our local producer to discuss these potential changes so we can ensure their perspective is heard as the department is reviewing it, the policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly happy to do that. As I've said, I understand they've looked at having a retail end point. Our perspective has been to put at the markup, which is really the end that we control. So to ensure that we all move forward on a policy that makes sense to everyone, if we're going to do this review, I'd be happy to meet with them and make sure that we're all speaking the same language. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that further commitment. Mr. Speaker, finally, can the Minister give a timeline for when we can expect all of this to occur? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Subject, obviously, to finding an opportunity to meet with these producers, what I could say is we can have a review in front of the financial management board this summer. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of ECC explain how the GNWT is diverting as much plastic from NWT landfills as possible under the current regime? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The GNWT currently has three waste diversion programs. The single use retail bag program, which was the first of its kind at the provincial/territorial level in Canada. Since the program's inception in 2010, it's estimated that we've prevented more than 84 million bags, or 422.1 tonnes, from being used and discarded. We also have the beverage container program, which on average diverts 141 tonnes of plastic waste each year. And plastic components of electronics and electrical items are returned through our electronic recycling program, and the e-pilot are also recycled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And recognizing that this is a little bit of an overlap to MACA's jurisdiction, I hope the Minister can answer this. What is the GNWT doing to support municipalities on waste reduction and diversion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is committed to creating three to five new expanded regulated programs by 2030 as part of the waste reduction management strategy and implementation plan. To date, ECC has identified used oil, tires, and expanded suite of electronics and electrical items. These materials were chosen primarily because they're already segregated in landfills and have been identified for their environmental risk. Work to create regulations to enable the recycling of these materials to update existing regulations is underway and will be undertaken in the next several years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I guess more specifically to my statement earlier today, what is the GNWT doing to fully support Canada's zero waste plastic agenda? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the national level, the GNWT endorses the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment's strategy on zero plastic waste, which aims to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of plastic waste. Canada has also played a key role in moving toward the development and adaptation of a United Nations plastics treaty, which this work is expected to wrap up at an international level in 2025. Once the UN plastics treaty is ratified, we anticipate that any outcomes and commitments will be incorporated into the future work of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment of which the GNWT is an active member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, recognizing that this is a much bigger problem than just our jurisdiction, I appreciate that answer.

Finally, will the GNWT be able to enact extended producer responsibility regulations or policies in the life of this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last Legislative Assembly, the GNWT amended the Waste Reduction and Recovery Act to enable extended producer responsibility. Before the new Act can come into force, ECC will need to amend the existing beverage container regulations and the electronics recycling regulations so that these will be a priority over the next few years. The work is expected to be completed by 2026.

The GNWT is committed to creating programs for used oil, tires, and the expanded suite of electronics and electrical items. ECC will consider EPR approaches for all three programs that will engage with communities, residents, and stakeholders for their input on the proposed programs and regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, I've raised the issue of recreational land leasing in this House before. It seems like we don't have a clear path forward. What has the Minister been able to accomplish on his end since I've raised this leasing issue in the North Slave? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Since I last spoke of this item in the House, Mr. Speaker, I've had the pleasure of meeting with several Indigenous governments to discuss the topic. Primarily, in early March, I met with the Chief Sanguez and Chief Betsina and my staff and their staff at the YKDFN to discuss this exact topic. And at the end of that meeting, both sides have committed to ensure that our officials are going to work together and discuss the issues as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, that's good. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's good, it's good to work with the First Nations. It's essential to work with the First Nations. But the Akaitcho process has obviously never been settled, so why have we been issuing these leases in the past? There are cabins out there. There are homes out there. Why have we made these decisions in the past, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stand here today, I think I'm more than comfortable speaking to decisions that I've made but I'd rather not try and stand here and explain the decisions of my predecessors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I can respect that because I could have a lot to say about decisions of his predecessors, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister have an answer for my constituents any time -- will my constituents have an answer, yes or no, any time soon? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to the Member for the question. This is truly not a yes or no question. There are a lot of factors at play and certainly one of the most important ones -- and this was something that I brought up with the discussions with all of the Indigenous leaders that I've met with to date and, you know, it's the respect for the consultation process and to ensure that this is a collaborative effort going forward and that both parties have the ability to ensure that their perspective and point of view is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister issue a moratorium on all future land leasing until he can get this problem solved? Because it's unfair to raise expectations in the hopes of my constituents and any other Northerner looking for a recreational land lease. Let's just call it quits. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, this is not a one-party decision. This is a collaborative process involving Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, and I will not stand in the House today and make a unilateral decision on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of ECC. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services with respect to the monolith challenge and the impact challenge the day shelter is going to have on the community of Yellowknife Centre and Yellowknife at large.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask in the context of when a road is built, we have impact funds and other types of things similar. And that is particularly the issue. So my question for the Minister specifically is now what impact fund is being designed to support the impacts of the community of Yellowknife Centre once this giant shelter, to solve all the problems of the world, is built? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are many shelters that are in Yellowknife and have been for many years. You know, there are many of our Northwest Territories residents, a large population of Indigenous people that struggle from historic traumas, and they are not a road. And so what we are doing here in Yellowknife is -- you know, the federal government gave a large sum of money to the Northwest Territories to specifically, in Yellowknife, to build, to replace, to provide a space that -- you know, that was worked with the Indigenous advisory board. There was consultation as what it should look like, where, what it should do. It is to provide shelters to those people that are living in the Northwest Territories, in the capital, that are struggling with homelessness and addictions right now. So right now, there is no impact to the community. There are already homeless shelters here, and we are not providing impact monies to the city of Yellowknife for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, I want to reaffirm that the merits and principles are not the issue of the shelter, so I want to make sure we never go on a tangent in the wrong direction on that.

Mr. Speaker, the last shelter that was downtown had impacts. Security cameras to be put on buildings. Homes were threatened. People were doing people things in yards -- I'll leave it at that, I won't use that language. But that said, Mr. Speaker, it impacted neighbourhoods and changed neighbourhoods specifically. What is the Minister doing to meet the needs of the community that this giant shelter will cause once they establish it and have it up and running? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like again like I said, I don't understand whether it's where it is now, it's downtown Yellowknife, where it was before, it's downtown Yellowknife, where it's going back, it's downtown Yellowknife. There's nothing changing, it's downtown Yellowknife. I don't know where the Member wants me to put our Indigenous homeless people, predominantly, that are here that are struggling. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we're getting awful close to a point of order wherein she keeps saying Indigenous people, and I feel it's drawing the attention of I'm trying to separate our field some motivation. There is none. So, Mr. Speaker, as I qualify that point, it's not about a racialized issue in any way. It's about impacts on the community.

Mr. Speaker, I'm asking what type of discussion is the department of health having with the neighbourhoods about these pending impacts that are coming to the neighbourhood? As I've given examples, I won't repeat them, will the Minister agree to meet with the neighbourhood and call a neighbourhood meeting to discuss these things? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was already consultation done within Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a petition that I'll, in the near future, table before the House, not today, but it has over a thousand signatures. The point being is there's a lot of people concerned about the impacts. Would the Minister go to the community again, call a community meeting, and discuss about how to address the impacts? Again, not about removing the shelter, the impacts the shelter will have on the community. Will she do that for the community who needs that conversation again and again until we get it right? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was extensive engagement done. The wellness and recovery centre isn't expected to be opened until 2027. At that time, you know, the operations and all of those things that are going to come into play with that and following the opening, you know, that's where we can discuss ongoing, you know, issues that may come arise. But, you know, as of right now, we don't know what those issues will come, you know, how this facility will support those residents that are here in Yellowknife going to be utilizing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The elderly homeowners do not have an advocate that they are aware of. Due to this problem, their homes are neglected until it becomes a major problem and too costly to repair. My question to the Minister responsible for Housing NWT is can the Minister provide an annual housing inspection for the elders so that they can take action before it becomes a financial burden on the elders? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT has many programs in place to help homeowners with any type of repairs they require in their homes provided they fit the core need income threshold and the policy around these repair and maintenance programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The local housing authority conducts annual inspections on public housing units to cut down on major costs. Can the Minister and/or the department direct local housing authorities to have their maintenance staff conduct annual inspections on these few elders' homes within their respective communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT can book a trip into Tsiigehtchic, and other communities in the near future, to meet with homeowners interested in applying for the program or requiring program assistance. We will advertise well ahead of time and also communicate with the MLA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister consider contracting an Indigenous government or company to conduct these inspections? This is just to bring comfort to the elders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We recently signed the collaborative agreement with the Gwich'in Tribal Council, with Housing NWT. So this might be an opportunity to work with them and work with the elders in the communities for homeownership repair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister. I am aware of the agreement. Can the Minister provide programs that these elders are eligible for and provide those directly to the homeowners by mail? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a number of programs with Housing NWT to encourage elders to age in place, including our preventative maintenance program, our repairs program, our mobility program, our seniors' program specific to seniors, and we also have an emergency repairs program. We can provide this information to the MLA and all the MLAs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI. Dene Fur Clouds is a successful example of a locally owned and operated business. How is this department working with Prosper NWT to expand subsidiaries into other communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Minister for ITI.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would definitely like the opportunity to see a lot more entrepreneurship across the territory, especially ensuring that we're supporting the development of entrepreneurship in our small communities.

With the subsidiaries that currently fall under Prosper NWT, they employ roughly eight full-time positions annually, and they cost Prosper NWT about $1.3 million a year. And so one of the goals that I have throughout the term of this Assembly is to work with the very skilled board members of Prosper NWT, who bring a lot of entrepreneurial experience with them, in order to ensure that we're making or creating an opportunity for these subsidiaries to become as independent and sustainable as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. What tourism development or economic development initiatives have taken place in my region, the Deh Cho region? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the Deh Cho region, ITI spends about $1.3 million, and that's divided up between community futures to the tune of about just over $200,000, through the community transfer initiative to the tune of about $150,000, SEED contributions at roughly $734,000, economic diversification using the northern food development program at almost $57,000, the Canadian agriculture program as well as other various contributions account for almost $165,000 as well. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for that response. How does the department work with successful artists and entrepreneurs to encourage more of the development of more entrepreneurs?

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Final supplementary. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the department track the number of business startups? Can the Minister commit to providing a list of businesses in the Deh Cho riding and the number of businesses that have started in the last three years? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some businesses start up and quietly happen from people's living rooms. And so I would love to know exactly who wants to become an entrepreneur and ensure that they have the support that they need. But I can certainly commit to providing the Member with any information we have, especially when they relate to BIP'd companies and entrepreneurs. But any information that I am able to provide the Member from both ITI and Prosper NWT, I will certainly be happy to do so. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the 19th Assembly I brought forward a concern that was brought to my attention about the burial sites located in the Taltson River area and where the hydro dam is, and the elders have told me that the burial sites in that location are buried almost 60 feet underwater. And so, Mr. Speaker, I brought this issue up to the 19th Assembly Minister of Infrastructure Diane Archie, the Minister of the day, and I just wanted to find out if the Minister of Infrastructure here today could give me an update on this. Thank you.

Minister for Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some good news to report in a broad sense. The project for the Taltson watershed area and the potential expansion of the Taltson is proceeding under an MOU. And it's an MOU that involves the Akaitcho First Nations as well as Metis governments of the region and of the Taltson watershed. And we've had more than one steering committee already in the time of this government. One, in fact, in person, where the group travelled to see what underwater tables would look like along with members of the steering committee as well as members of their council. I say all of that because I want to emphasize the fact that this is not a GNWT project. It's not GNWT led. We really are one party at that table. And under that MOU, there is funding for Indigenous governments to conduct their own investigations to understand the traditional knowledge of the region, both from a permitting perspective but also to understand the legacy. I've said very clearly to our partners, and I'll say it again, this project will not advance if legacy issues are not resolved.

So as far as the specifics of what individual groups might be doing, I believe there's -- and I know that there has been work conducted by individual members of the steering committee, individual First Nations and Indigenous governments of the region. I can't speak, as I say, to what their work is. I know there's contribution funding, and I know they're working on it. So I'll certainly commit to the Member to try and get that information put together so that both of us have an up-to-date list of what's happening. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for her response. I am happy that this government is working through the MOU with the Indigenous governments on this issue. And it's a very important issue that I keep hearing from my constituents, and this issue need to be addressed. So I think in terms of funding, from what I could understand, there was a funding commitment by the previous Minister of about $1.8 million, additional $1.2 million annually. I just want to know if this commitment is still part of that MOU? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the existing or the specific amounts under the MOU in front of me. I'll have to just double check. There's been no reductions to the Taltson work, and there is federal funding involved. And, as I understand it, the federal funding that we have does take us forward to a point that is satisfactory to get this work done. So I've not been under any impression of any cuts or funding drawbacks. I expect that if there was an understanding from the federal government -- or from the Indigenous governments, then it should indeed be there and be satisfactory. It's not been raised from the members to me that it's unsatisfactory. So a long way of saying I think the money is still there. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And she answered my third and fourth question. But, no, I am happy that there's a commitment here to continue to look at this project and -- because the burial sites in this area, you know, we need to come up with a plan as to how we're going to get it out of the water and move it to locations. So Mr. Speaker, I'm just happy that the Minister responded, and I don't have any further questions because she already answered my questions. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question, following up on my Member's statement, is directed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The Sahtu businesses have not only incurred additional expenses, extra transportation costs, loss of revenues, now let's explore the designing of a relief program.

My first question, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister initiate business funding grants that support Sahtu businesses to withstand all of these business pressures and disruptions for 2024-2025 fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of ITI.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by acknowledging the difficult, difficult time that the low water levels are causing for many, many residents and businesses across the territory.

Mr. Speaker, we know that government supports won't replace work across the territory and in our communities, work that is vitally, vitally important. And we also know that these supports won't be all things to absolutely everyone in communities, but I want to assure the Member that we are heeding the urgency of this. I appreciate the Member making a Member's statement today on this, and that we are working on an all-of-government approach to respond to this situation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for that response. I'm glad to hear an all-of-government approach. We would need all hands-on deck here for this situation.

Can the Minister provide interest free loans to the Sahtu businesses to support cash flow to cover inventory and operating expenses for the Sahtu region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to interest free loans through Prosper NWT, they do not have currently the authority to offer these to businesses. However, this is definitely something that, through this all-of-government approach to looking how we can respond to this situation, we are considering all tools that are available to us in our toolbox. Thank you.

Mahsi cho to the reply of that. It's very encouraging to see that we are here to support our business community.

Mr. Speaker, my third question to the Minister, can the Minister immediately freeze loan payments owed to Prosper NWT from businesses in the Sahtu region without penalty for a period of time to weather this financial storm? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Prosper NWT, I can confirm for the Member, is currently working with ITI and reaching out to affected clients to discuss immediate needs, such as interest only payments or other accommodations to help clients as necessary. I can also confirm for the Member that Prosper NWT has already approved interest only payments for a client in the Sahtu with multiple loans resulting in significant monthly cash flow savings. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Final supplementary. Member from Sahtu.

Final two, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister work with the Education, Culture and Employment department to provide supports to Sahtu businesses to maintain their employees during this challenging time? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that I have reached out to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and although departments don't currently have a specific program like this at this time, ITI is working with ECE along with other departments to determine what supports are available, how they can use the tools in their toolbox to ensure that we are responding to the needs of businesses in the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.