Please be seated. Colleagues, before we get going with my opening remarks, I would like to thank D'Arcy Jay Moses for the vest he made for me. It took a little time but I got this beautiful vest, and I can still smell the moose hide. So I greatly appreciate his work, and I thank him very much.

Today's speech is probably not what you want to hear, but it's going to happen anyway.

Good afternoon. I'd like to thank the Dene Drummers for the opening song today. Colleagues, welcome back to the House. Also, I'd like to thank elder Shirley Elias for opening this session with a prayer. Thank you.

I'm also pleased to welcome our pages and interpreters back to the chamber. Your hard work and dedication help us do our job. Thank you.

Members, please, remember to speak slowly and clearly so our interpreters can do their jobs, and they reminded me as I welcome them back today.

Before I continue, I also want to note the passing of former Speakers Pedersen and Gargan since this House last sat.

Mr. Asger "Red" Pedersen was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1983, representing the Kitikmeot West constituency during the 10th and 11th Assemblies. He served as a Member of the executive council, holding numerous portfolios, and in 1987 he was appointed Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He served in that role until 1989.

Despite not being of Inuit descent, he played a pivotal role in establishing Inuit institutions, always advocating for their autonomy and ensuring that membership remained exclusive to the Inuit beneficiaries. His commitment to the North was not just professional but deeply personal as he devoted his life to the people and the land he came to cherish.

Mr. Samuel Gargan was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1983 and represented the Deh Cho for 16 years. He even returned to join us for an elders' parliament in 2014.

Mr. Gargan was a lifelong advocate for Indigenous rights, governance, and cultural traditions. He was respected for his leadership and dedication to his people.

I offer my deepest condolences to the families and many friends of Mr. Pedersen and Mr. Gargan.

Colleagues, the 2025 Fire Season was another difficult one for many communities and regions within the territories, including my own. Once again, we faced evacuations, but I am proud of how people came together to help and support one another. That is what we do as Northerners. I want to send a special thank you to all those who fought these fires and to all the volunteers, families, and friends who provided assistance to residents during the evacuation. On behalf of the Assembly, thank you.

Colleagues, I ask that you listen carefully to this next part.

I am deeply concerned by the divided and partisan speeches that have become all too common in our communities and our legislatures. This is a time when leaders need to be working together for the good of all people. However, we seem to be moving farther apart. So I ask you, what can and should we, as Members of this Assembly, be doing differently? How can we better work together to serve those we represent? Can we be the change that we want to see in this world?

Colleagues, I don't have all the answers. However, some of the answers can be found in the guiding principles of consensus government in the Northwest Territories. We have all seen and reviewed this document. It is available on the Legislative Assembly website. I want to highlight some of these important principles.

Consensus government, our form of government, is defined by the ability and willingness of all Members of the Legislative Assembly to work together within their respective roles for the collective good of the people of the Northwest Territories. We must commit to working together. Open and respectful communication between all Members is the most essential feature of consensus government. Being respectful isn't an option; it is essential. This doesn't mean we all agree. It means we can disagree while being respectful to each other and the decisions we make.

A healthy level of tension must exist between Cabinet and Regular Members. The ultimate goal of the Regular Members is not to defeat or discredit Cabinet, but it is their responsibility to hold Cabinet to account.

Colleagues, these are just three of the eleven principles. I strongly encourage you to review the document in its entirety. More than that, I ask you to reflect on these principles and commit to upholding them. I am asking you to show respect for one another, for this institution, and for the people who elected us, by choosing your words carefully and thoughtfully. Hold yourself and each other to the highest standard expected of us.

Colleagues, we are all political people; it is what we do. We don't always agree however we can do better, and I believe we have. This is a time when we need to come together, not grow further apart. Committing to these guiding principles is one way we can come together and work efficiently for our people.

Colleagues, I have received the following correspondence from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Gerald W. Kisoun. It states:

Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I am recommending to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the passage of

• Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2026-2027;
• Supplementary Appropriation Act (infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026;
• Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026;
• •Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2024-2025,

during the October sitting of the First Session of the 20th Legislative Assembly.

Yours truly, Gerald W. Kisoun.

Now, folks, let's get back to business. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, as we come together for the fall sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly, I want to welcome all Members back to the House and thank the people of the Northwest Territories for their strength, generosity, and optimism about the future of our territory, even in the face of challenges.

The work we do in this House reflects the people we serve. Northerners face adversity with determination and meet change with creativity. Whether it is returning home after evacuations, adapting to new realities in our communities and economy, or finding new ways to support one another, the spirit of the North continues to shine through.

That same resilience and cooperation guide the work of this Legislative Assembly. Every decision we make here is about helping people, about making life more stable and more affordable and more secure for Northerners and their families.

Since our last sitting, Northerners have once again shown what it means to stand together. From Fort Smith to Fort Providence, from Whati to Jean Marie River, communities supported one another through another challenging wildfire season. While this year's season was shorter and less severe than 2023, it still tested our systems and our patience.

I want to thank the firefighters, community emergency teams, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to keep people safe, as well as the residents who helped friends, families, and neighbours through evacuation and return. I also want to acknowledge the communities of Hay River, Yellowknife, and Behchoko, which opened their doors to evacuees and emergency responders from across the territory. Their generosity and compassion reflect the true spirit of the North.

This season, we also took important steps to put lessons from last year's emergency reviews into practice - improving coordination, communication, and preparedness - so that every community is better supported when disaster strikes.

Mr. Speaker, as we gather for this fall sitting, we do so at an important moment for the territory. We are halfway through our term in office; a time to reflect on how far we have come and to set our sights on the work still to be done.

Over the past two years, our government has focused on strengthening partnerships, improving housing, and building the foundations of a stronger, more sustainable economy. We have also been working to address the lasting effects of recent challenges, from the social and economic impacts of COVID to the disruption caused by wildfires, floods, and global economic shifts. Through it all, our focus has remained the same: To make life better for Northerners and to build a territory where people and communities can thrive.

As we look to the second half of our term, our focus must remain on delivering tangible results that build trust, stability, and opportunity in every region of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, strong relationships with Indigenous governments are the foundation of good governance in the Northwest Territories. They are built on respect, trust, and the understanding that the future of this territory must be shaped together. This has been, and will continue to be, a central priority for our government.

When I speak about partnership, I am not referring to a single policy or agreement. I am talking about a way of governing that recognizes the role of Indigenous governments as decision-makers and as leaders. Our progress as a territory depends on this relationship being strong, respectful, and enduring.

I am pleased to report that these relationships continue to grow. Just last week, Cabinet joined the Council of Leaders on a mission to Ottawa. Together, we met with federal Ministers and senior officials to advance key northern priorities, including housing, infrastructure, health, energy security, and economic development.

This was the second time the Council of Leaders has appeared together in Ottawa, united in the message that lasting solutions for the North must be built in partnership with northern governments. Our meetings were productive and demonstrated that when we speak with one voice, we are heard more clearly.

We made it clear to our federal counterparts that investment in the North is an investment in Canada's future. The roads, energy systems, and housing we are building here strengthen the country's sovereignty, economic resilience, and climate goals. We also emphasized that our model of collaborative governance; bringing together public and Indigenous governments to solve shared challenges, is one that works.

Mr. Speaker, there are early, positive signals from the new federal government. Ministers were open, curious, and sincere in wanting to understand the realities we face and the solutions we are putting forward. There is a growing recognition that northern issues are national issues, and that meaningful progress in the Northwest Territories depends on partnership with Indigenous governments, with the GNWT, and with Ottawa.

Those conversations were encouraging but now the focus must be on turning that momentum into action. The next step is to translate collaboration into concrete results: *

Advancing joint proposals with Indigenous governments; securing federal support for housing and climate-resilient infrastructure; and,

Moving forward on the strategic, nation-building projects that will shape Canada's future; projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the Members of the Council of Leaders for their continued collaboration and leadership. The strength of the council lies in the diversity of its voices and the unity of its purpose. We are showing that by working together, we can make meaningful progress on the issues that matter most to Northerners.

Our ongoing work with the Government of Canada will continue to focus on ensuring that the North remains a national priority. These discussions reaffirmed our shared commitment to reconciliation, climate action, and sustainable economic growth. The Council of Leaders' recent visit to Ottawa showed what true partnership can achieve. It reflected the strength of our relationships at home and the respect that those relationships earn for us across the country.

When we work together, we not only move the Northwest Territories forward; we help build a stronger Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this approach is already delivering results. One of the clearest examples is the progress we are making on housing.

No issue affects Northerners more profoundly than housing. A safe and affordable home is what allows families to put down roots, children to learn, and communities to grow. Housing is not just about shelter; it is about stability, dignity, and opportunity. We are committed to ensuring that every Northerner has a place to call home.

This shared approach is reflected in the partnership we have built with the federal government and Indigenous governments on long-term housing solutions. Through the recently finalized 10-year, $74.2 million Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund agreement, we are investing in the core infrastructure that supports housing growth, including drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste systems. This investment will help communities prepare land for development, increase densification, and meet the growing demand for housing across the territory. It is guided by the principle that housing is a shared responsibility, one that depends on all orders of government working together.

At the same time, our government is doing its part. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, we have approved a $116 million capital plan that includes funds carried forward from the previous year. This is part of a broader $150 million three-year investment in housing that extends to 2027-2028. Through this plan, 250 units will be repaired this fiscal year and 219 new homes will be delivered across the territory, including 98 modular homes and 54 multi-unit buildings over the next three years, with nearly all construction contracts awarded to local and northern companies. In addition, 81 homes have already been completed since the start of this Assembly through investments made under the previous governments. This approach supports local economies and ensures that the benefits of housing investments stay in the North.

Mr. Speaker, we know there is still more work to do. Too many Northerners continue to live in overcrowded or inadequate housing. But every new home built, every lot developed, and every partnership strengthened brings us closer to our goal of ensuring that every Northerner has a safe and secure place to call home.

Keeping people safe at home is another priority of this government. Northerners expect accountability, fairness, and action; and our work continues to reflect those values.

We are reviewing the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to ensure it continues to meet the expectations of Northerners in a digital world. This fall, government will also begin engagement on the proposed changes to the Civil Forfeiture Act and Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act. These updates are about protecting privacy and safety, while ensuring that the laws guiding our territory reflect fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Mr. Speaker, we have also taken important steps to strengthen the territory's emergency management system. After several seasons of major floods and wildfires, we acted on the lessons learned through independent reviews of our emergency responses. Those reviews made it clear where we needed to do better, and we are already putting those lessons into practice.

We have updated the NWT Emergency Plan to clarify responsibilities, expanded training for community emergency coordinators, and launched new tools to improve communication and public readiness. We have also introduced surge capacity protocols so that more staff and resources are available when major emergencies happen. This work is being done in partnership with Indigenous and community governments, whose leadership on the front lines has been essential. Together, we are building an emergency management system that is more responsive, more resilient, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.

But safety is about more than responding to emergencies. It is about prevention and community well-being. That is why we continue to support initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles, sport, and recreation across the territory. The sport and recreation funding framework is helping to create more opportunities for youth and families, while our 9-1-1 monitoring framework ensures that residents in every community can rely on timely and effective emergency response when it is needed most.

Building stronger communities also means supporting the health and well-being of the people who live in them. Access to basic health care is essential to that well-being. It is one of the most important responsibilities we share as a government, and one of the areas where residents expect to see steady progress and accountability.

This spring, we released the public administrator's work plan; a roadmap to strengthen health and social services in the Northwest Territories. It sets a clear direction to improve access to care, stabilize the health workforce, increase accountability, and streamline how services are delivered. The goal is simple: To make our system more sustainable and responsive so Northerners can get the care they need when and where they need it.

We are also taking steps to better understand and improve the patient experience. The 2025 NWT patient experience questionnaire is now open to residents across the territory, gathering feedback that will guide service delivery and quality improvements. At the same time, public health initiatives like flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics, a new HPV self-sampling pilot, and the relaunch of the We Need to Talk About This Stuff mental health awareness campaign are helping Northerners stay healthy and reduce stigma around wellness and recovery.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, we are continuing to invest in health infrastructure and harm reduction. The Our Healthbox initiative now provides anonymous access to health and harm-reduction supplies in four communities making these important resources easier to access for those who need them. Ongoing water testing and remediation work at Yellowknife schools ensures that students have safe drinking water, reflecting our commitment to transparency and public confidence.

Taken together, these efforts are helping to build a health system that is responsive, community-driven, and grounded in trust. Every Northerner deserves quality care close to home, and our government remains committed to making that a reality.

Mr. Speaker, supporting the well-being of Northerners also means investing in education and opportunity. Education is the foundation of empowerment. It gives Northerners the tools to shape their own futures and the strength to carry forward the languages, cultures, and traditions that define who we are.

We continue to make meaningful progress in revitalizing Indigenous languages and strengthening the education system for future generations. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has launched an Indigenous language instructor pilot to train and support new language teachers. We also recently hosted a gathering of regional Indigenous language coordinators and elders, bringing together language champions from across the territory to share knowledge and guide the new action plan for Indigenous languages that is now in development.

Mr. Speaker, we remain firmly committed to ensuring that every Indigenous child can access the health, education, and social supports they need. We continue to advocate strongly for the full implementation of Jordan's Principle so that children receive the care and assistance they deserve without delay or dispute. Through partnerships like the support assistants Program, we are making classrooms more inclusive and more responsive to the needs of all students.

Looking ahead, we know that the territory's workforce is changing. With mine closures on the horizon, we are working closely with Indigenous governments, industry, and training providers to help workers prepare for new opportunities. Our focus is on ensuring that Northerners have the skills to lead in the next generation of jobs - in clean energy, critical minerals, housing construction, and community infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, education and training are about more than learning skills. They are about giving Northerners confidence in their future and the ability to build it here at home.That same sense of renewal and opportunity is at the heart of our work to strengthen the economy and build the foundation for future growth.

Our economy is at a turning point, Mr. Speaker. As long-standing mines near the end of their life, we are focused on supporting workers and communities through the transition while preparing for a new era of opportunity in critical minerals, clean energy, and strategic infrastructure. This is a moment of transition, but also one of opportunity; a chance to build an economy that is more diverse, more resilient, and more sustainable for the future.

We are working closely with Indigenous governments, industry partners, and communities to advance projects that promote responsible economic growth, and to develop a coordinated approach to major infrastructure investments, from roads and energy systems to broadband and transportation corridors, that will unlock the full potential of our regions.

The past year has shown real progress. The 2025 barging season was completed successfully, ensuring essential supplies reached northern communities and project sites. Planning is now underway for the winter road resupply, applying lessons learned from previous years to improve safety, reliability, and cost efficiency. These are practical steps that support communities, businesses, and the projects that drive our economy.

Mr. Speaker, our government continues to advocate strongly for federal investment in northern infrastructure. Projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and the emerging Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, are not only territorial priorities; they are nation-building projects. They will connect communities, reduce the cost of living, strengthen Canada's sovereignty in the North, and create the foundation for long-term economic growth.

We are also focused on ensuring that Northerners and northern businesses benefit directly from these investments. Ninety percent of businesses in the Northwest Territories are small businesses, and they help sustain local economies by providing jobs, services, and support that strengthen our communities. By improving procurement processes, reducing regulatory red tape, and supporting local suppliers, we are helping them compete for opportunities to grow. At the same time, we continue to work with Indigenous governments to advance the shared goal of greater Indigenous participation and ownership in major projects. The North is leading the way in showing how economic reconciliation can create opportunity, build trust, and deliver lasting benefits to communities.

Mr. Speaker, this work, from critical minerals to clean energy to northern infrastructure, represents more than an economic plan. It is a vision for our future as a territory: A future built on partnership, innovation, and self-reliance. The North is ready to play its part in building the strong, secure, and sustainable Canada that we all want to see.

Mr. Speaker, as we enter the second half of this Legislative Assembly, I want to reaffirm this government's commitment to delivering real results for Northerners. These past two years have brought challenges and change but also steady progress in areas that matter most - stronger communities, more housing, and better support for people across the territory. We will keep building homes, strengthening community infrastructure, and improving emergency management. We will keep working to ensure that every resident has access to quality health care, that our youth have opportunities to learn and grow, and that our economy remains strong and sustainable. And we will continue to work with Indigenous governments, community leaders, and Regular Members to move this work forward.

Mr. Speaker, the past few years have reminded us that the challenges facing the Northwest Territories are complex and often unpredictable. But they have also shown the strength and determination of Northerners. Through difficult times, people have supported one another, and governments have worked together to find practical solutions. That collaboration has made us stronger and better prepared for what lies ahead.

Together, we have proven that when we listen to one another, when we respect one another, and when we act together, there is no challenge too great for the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all Members of this Legislative Assembly for their continued dedication to the people we serve, and to public servants who work every day to deliver services, respond to emergencies, and support our communities. And above all, I want to thank Northerners for their resilience, their compassion, and their belief in the territory. The work before us is not easy, but it matters. And it is work we will continue to do with focus, cooperation, and care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the honourable Member for Kam Lake, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will be absent from the House today as she is travelling back from the forum of Ministers responsible for Immigration in Toronto, Ontario;

The honourable Member for Thebacha, the Minister of Justice, will be absent for today and tomorrow to virtually attend the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety meeting;

As well, the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Minister of Health and Social Services, will be absent today and tomorrow to attend the federal-provincial-territorial health Ministers meeting in Calgary, Alberta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, in the small communities when someone has had a medical emergency, time spent reaching the health centre can be the difference between life and death. In Yellowknife, we often take ambulance for granted, but my constituents in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e don't have access to any dedicated emergency medical transportation, and that puts lives at risk.

Emergency medical transportation is essential no matter the size of the community, even if the health centre is nearby. That short distance means little. It is no safe way to rush someone in a critical condition to the care they need. While the RCMP can offer help, they may not always be able to respond quickly, and asking the health centre staff to leave their facility as the last report is just not possible because they are not capable of treating patients outside their doors. Emergency medical responders are trained to handle these situations.

While the Department of Health and Social Services runs health centres, it does not provide emergency services like ambulance and paramedics. That responsibility falls to the communities but most, they do not have a tax base for funding to support those services.

Similar circumstances exist in the Yukon, but they already provide network and volunteer responders to maintain basic emergency medical services in the community supported by essential infrastructure and proper training. This demonstrates that with innovation and collaboration, community-led solutions can overcome limited resources and deliver effective emergency care. Living in small communities shouldn't mean accepting unequal access to essential services. Community leaders and frontline workers are ready to save lives by building these services together with their partners in the territorial government. Now the time is to act, and I will have questions for the Minister of the Municipal and Community Affairs at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't help but feel that the first day back in the House is like the first day back to school. But unlike school children, our work as Members doesn't stop for the summer, and warmer days bring more extreme weather events driven by climate change. Even though Northerners are the toughest people in the world, we are still recovering from the collective trauma of the 2023 wildfire crisis. But what isn't recovering is our constituents' trust in this government.

We were forced from our homes, separated from our families, and the emergency management system was laid bare to its faults which independent -- the independent after-action review laid out in its 164-page report, including

• GNWT emergency management legislation that is lenient and lacks oversight and accountability;
• The NWT emergency management organization structure is not agile enough for large-scale, multiple, concurrent or long duration emergencies;
• The roles and responsibilities in the emergency coordination centre were ambiguous resulting in hesitation and indecisiveness among decision-makers; and,
• The GNWT's lack of a dedicated territorial emergency management department or agency created challenges.

So why after so much time, and $331,000 of taxpayer expense, is the government rejecting any part of this after-action review let alone a foundational one that the consultants recommended immediate action in 0 to 12 months to implement? It is getting tired to say doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. But how can reasonable Northerners view this decision any other way? The emergency management system is not working the way Northerners want it to, Mr. Speaker. The criticisms from Fort Providence this year, including from a former Minister of this House, should be enough evidence to warrant change.

Mr. Speaker, why has the government put a price on public safety that they say is too great to afford without even looking at how they can make it work from reprioritizing existing resources. This rejection is nothing short than a lack of creativity, a lack of accountability, and a lack of care towards the most important function of any government: Keeping Northerners safe. Mr. Speaker, it couldn't be clearer that Northerners care about public safety, and later today I'll be asking the Premier why so many feel that he doesn't. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Similar to my colleague for Frame Lake, I too wish to speak about the report.

Transitional Solutions Inc., also known as TSI, was awarded the after-action report, not because they were friends with somebody, Mr. Speaker, not because they were a northern company and demanded a sole source, Mr. Speaker. They were hired because they were the absolute experts in their field.

Mr. Speaker, they are certainly way better than good. They are absolute experts in the areas of fire, master plan, industrial exercise, facilitation, organizational review, community risk assessment, fire delivery services. Mr. Speaker, the list keeps going on. But what's key here is I've read their reviews, and they're often defined as the gold standard of what they do, Mr. Speaker. So when the gold standard says things like the existing system, the territorial emergency management, proved ineffective during a large-scale disaster in their release, Mr. Speaker, that's a serious concern someone needs to pay attention to. Mr. Speaker, if anything, may I say it's a call to action.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is is I've talked to people on the ground even this summer, experts in their field, and said it's not that people aren't trying hard, it's not that people around working hard. They need what's called ongoing leadership training and that relationship just as the report was pointing out, Mr. Speaker. TSI doesn't make these recommendations willy-nilly. These are important key ones to set the narrative and tone of how we manage these problems. So a dedicated emergency management agency needs to be done. But no, no, according to the Government of the Northwest Territories; it knows best. It says our population is too small, we don't have the money, we don't have the problem.

Mr. Speaker, look around. Fires are sooner, longer, laster. I'm going to quote Steve Austin: They're bigger, stronger, and faster, by goodness sake, Mr. Speaker. Times have changed. It's time this government hears the bell ringing before no one's left to ring it, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the government complains it's about money. Okay, I hear you. Give us a proposal. Ask us our opinions. I will give recommendations. I'll give a recommendation now, Mr. Speaker. We have the low hanging fruits of the $440,000 paid senior envoy position. I would say as a recommendation, if I was asked, there's a spot to start to hire a director to manage these problems. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of MACA about the analysis that the government did to come up with this glaring gap of service we should have risen to the occasion on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm here for my annual report on the conditions of the Dempster Highway once again. Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the section from Rengleng River to Inuvik. I have received several calls, emails, texts, from community leaders, from business owners, from residents in the region -- as I know my colleague the MLA from Mackenzie Delta has as well -- on the condition of that road, Mr. Speaker.

Over the past few weeks, as is normal for this time of year, we've had a considerable amount of rain up there, and that section of the highway, Mr. Speaker, simply cannot handle that rain. It turns into mud, and it's almost undriveable.

A little research: I spoke to some of the contractors in our region who have been working on that road for several years, some of them when that road was built back in the late 1960s, and the issue being, Mr. Speaker, is that while there's maintenance happening on the road, they're simply out there grading mud. The section from Rengleng River to the border seems to hold up okay, and if you do some of that research you'll note that that work over the past ten years, that section has been resurfaced. So they've actually added some additional crush on there, and built that road up to a standard where it can handle that, those seasonal rains. The section from Rengleng River to Inuvik, Mr. Speaker, has not.

As you know, my community, the region, rely on that road for goods and services, businesses rely on it to stock their shelves. You know, residents rely on it to access services to Inuvik. It's such a critical piece of infrastructure for us, Mr. Speaker. I think again, you know, the only solution to this problem is for once and for all is to rather we do the maintenance, let's do it in June, not September, and let's look at resurfacing that highway, Mr. Speaker. Let's get out there and get that road brought up to a condition that once we do have the spring and fall rainy season, that that road can actually handle that rain and be maintained and be safe for all the residents of the Inuvik region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, accessing services, especially for elders.

Mr. Speaker, many elders in the Tlicho region continue to face serious barriers in accessing housing programs and services. In my role as MLA for Monfwi, I have sent numerous emails and correspondence to Housing NWT advocating for my constituents, and the response is often the same: Elders are encouraged to contact the North Slave district office here in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, many of our elders face mobility challenges and language barriers. Asking them to navigate automated phone systems or travel long distance to access programs and services is unrealistic, unfair, and inappropriate. This situation highlights a serious gap in Housing NWT's service delivery. These systems are not designed with our elders in mind. Our elders deserve dignity, respect, and direct support while in our communities.

Housing is in crisis across NWT the, Mr. Speaker, and the Tlicho region is no exception. There are currently approximately 140 people on the housing waitlist in my region alone, and we have families in Whati sleeping in the living room floor with young children due to no housing. Not only that, their application was denied due to income.

Mr. Speaker, this is outrageous and unacceptable. People have to live and eat. Mr. Speaker, when housing outcomes are improved, so too are our social outcomes will improve. We know families are going to be stronger, children will do better in school, and communities will thrive. With this in mind, Mr. Speaker, I urge Housing NWT to consider placing a housing position directly in one of the Tlicho communities from North Slave housing office in Yellowknife. This would ensure that services are delivered by someone who lives in the community, understands the culture, and speaks the language. It would allow for more effective and respectful communication with elders and residents, ensure that housing programs reach those in need the most. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, it's been a long wait to receive the after-action review of the 2023 wildfire season and the government's response. If I can paraphrase much of the response, it was 'well, those are nice suggestions but now we have to start a whole new consultation process with all the Indigenous leaders and set up multiple working groups before we can commit to holding ourselves accountable through new legislation or regulation'.

We just had a year and a half of extensive consultation with leaders and residents in all the affected communities, including confidential interviews with staff who worked on the front lines of the evacuation, of the evacuations, and this was led by independent experts who most northern residents would trust more than they trust politicians or civil servants to guide us in emergencies. The idea of starting all over again in closed-door consultations amongst political leaders feels like a delay tactic and a way to avoid establishing enforceable standards and accountability.

Throughout its official response, the government describes MACA's role as primarily to provide communities with templates, workshops, information, as if the only thing preventing local communities from effectively managing emergencies is just not knowing which template or website to read. It's not enough to say, local communities, you're in charge of communities, and if you find you're in over your head in the middle of a crisis, just call us then. We need the GNWT to take responsibility beforehand for the big and expensive challenges around evacuations and the mass provision of emergency social services that no community could ever handle on its own. The GNWT needs to plan ahead how it will arrange, for example, the series of airlifts or how a group of vulnerable people will be housed and cared for in a host community.

I understand it is likely not feasible to hire a bunch of new people to set up a brandnew emergency management agency. What is critically needed, though, is some kind of trusted, independent governance mechanism during emergencies, a chain of command that leads somewhere other than the MACA Minister to ensure that decisions are being made by trusted experts rather than a particular politician that happened to get the MACA file. We have to get serious now, Mr. Speaker, not after several more years of consultations about setting hiring standards and clear duties for decision-makers rather than vague assurances. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think sometimes people wonder what MLAs are up to over the summer between sittings of the Assembly, and I noticed there was even a news story on this topic. So I wanted to take that opportunity to highlight some of the work that proceeded this summer in our standing committees. I think committee work does not get the credit it deserves for how important it is to moving the business of the Assembly forward. Committee work is integral to advancing important issues, holding our government to account for advancement of our priorities, and preparing legislation for adoption. For this reason, committee work has quickly become a strong focus of mine and some of my favourite work as a MLA. Our committees were certainly busy between our last sitting and now.

Between May 20th and October 15th, 56 different committee meetings were held where a significant amount of work proceeded. I note that the Standing Committee on Social Development was busy reviewing several pieces of legislation and had a marathon meeting last week where they were able to wrap up work on a number of reports which I'm excited to see tabled in the House. In particular, their report on housing as a human right.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations was particularly busy this summer considering two private Members' bills, and that work continues along with our projects reviewing the heritage fund and governance of the power corp.

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment published its review of our regulatory framework in our last sitting, and I'm looking forward to reading the government response to that report in this sitting. Over the spring, this committee held briefings about clean energy, economic development strategies, and winter road caribou harvesting, to name a few key issues the committee is putting its lens on.

Our procedures and privileges committee held important discussions about electoral reform, and rules of debate that guide our work in the Assembly. Our public accounts committee, hot off the contentious subject of the Stanton P3 audit, held meetings to discuss the Auditor General's report on the protected and conserved areas in the Northwest Territories. So you can see, Mr. Speaker, it's been a busy summer for our standing committees.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for all their hard committee work, and also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our committee staff, who are so integral to advancing this important work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

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

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Sahtu.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Welcome back, colleagues. I hope everybody had a wonderful and productive summer. I know I did.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share some positive news from the Sahtu. First of all, our region's graduation season saw a record 28 students complete their studies. This achievement reflects not only the hard work and dedication of these young people, but also the unwavering support of their families, educators, and the community, and the community leaders. It's a testament to the bright future of the Sahtu region.

Mr. Speaker, in July, the community of Norman Wells, joined by the NWT Premier Simpson and the Member of Parliament federal Minister Alty, celebrated the milestone Tlego´hli Got'ine Government self-government ratification. This historic moment marks a significant step forward in self-determination and Indigenous governance in our territory.

Mr. Speaker, since the federal election, we have seen several positive announcements focus on economic resilience, a clear pathway for economic recovery from tariff impacts and pressures and strengthening our domestic resources.

Mr. Speaker, I draw your attention to the August 29th news release where Prime Minister Carney launched the new major projects office to fast-track nation-building projects. The principles of engagement include Indigenous equity ownership, partnerships, and participation. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't be more encouraged by these principles, especially as they support the fully qualified Mackenzie Valley Highway project. Mr. Speaker, the extraordinary benefits from this project, set at $1.7 billion, in generating tax revenues to both governments, demonstrate how nation-building projects create real economic resilience.

Mr. Speaker, one example, projects in this industry allocate 30 percent for labour costs. Within this workforce cost, tax revenues accrue at 40 percent, creating substantial returns for our communities and government alike. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Colleagues, Hilary Yvonne Norwegian was born on October 22nd, 1990, to Wanda Norwegian and Harold Sanguez. She was the eldest daughter of the family. She passed away suddenly on February 12th, 2025. She grew up in Jean Marie River where she attended school and was a very happy child and a favourite among many in the community. She was living in Fort Simpson with her partner when she passed away.

I had the pleasure of knowing this young lady in the community. She always had a smile on her face and was willing to help whenever she could. I could say she was a very hard worker. She liked to do a lot of yard work in the spring and summer. Her work ethic was amazing. Once she started the project, it had to be completed, even on the hottest days. The same with projects in the winter.

She was known for her contagious AND uplifting, and unique laugh. Just listening to her started a chain of laughter for those among her. As well, she was a caring, passionate, loving, and understanding person.

Hilary leaves behind three children, her spouse, her parents, siblings, and many other family members and friends. Hilary will be greatly missed and will be remembered by her family, friends, and many people who knew her. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming amount of support, all the community kindness and generosity at their time of grief. They will never forget the love, prayers, kindness, and support shown to them during their time of sorrows.

As well, thanks to the Fort Simpson Medical staff and Fort Simpson first responders for all the help during this difficult time. Hilary will be sadly missed.

Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember Moses Larel Luwalira. Moses was born in Entebbe, Uganda, on December 31st, 1992, to the late John Kyebambe and Proscovia Nakayima. He was a beloved brother to Sam and Job. Moses leaves behind his mother, extended family, and many friends.

Moses' life was defined by faith, kindness, and service. He received his early education at Iganga Boys School, Busoga College Mwiri for high school, and then pursued his passion for construction at Niagara College, Welland Campus, in Ontario. Moses moved North to Yellowknife in 2023 to continue building his future. But what he built here was far greater than a career. He built community, friendship, and faith.

Moses was deeply involved with the Holy Trinity Anglican Church and supporting youth in Yellowknife and was always guiding, mentoring, and supporting young people. He believed in building not only structures but also lives by offering wisdom, encouragement, and compassion. He had a true gift for listening and lifting others up, and many youth looked to him as a role model.

Beyond his service, Moses carried a passion for philosophy, learning, and family life. He loved to discuss life's big questions and share thoughtful insights that made people stop and reflect. Family meant everything to him, whether by birth or by community, and he never missed a chance to connect, support, or celebrate those he loved. His humility, compassion, and joyful presence enriched the lives of all who knew him. May Moses's soul rest in eternal peace.

Condolences go out to the family and friends.

Members' statements. Motions. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Justice, I have a return to oral questions asked by the Member for Monfwi on May 21st, 2025, regarding the Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories.

The Member asked about the current capacities of the Legal Aid Commission, noting a vacancy for the North Slave region on the Justice website. This vacancy was filled by the appointment of Jennifer Frankie-Smith commencing July 25, 2024, but the department did not update the Justice website to reflect this. The website is now current and correct, and the department thanks the Member for bringing this oversight to the department's attention. The Legal Aid Commission is currently full and operating with no vacant positions.

The Legal Aid Commission provides Legal Aid and Legal Aid Outreach Clinics to the Northwest Territories under the terms of the Legal Aid Act. Legal aid is jointly funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada.

The Legal Aid Commission operates at arm's length from the Department of Justice. The Northwest Territories Legal Aid program covers among the broadest range of matters and provides among the most generous financial eligibility criteria in Canada. Financial guidelines are being reviewed and Legal Aid is working with the Bureau of Statistics to ensure they properly reflect the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories Legal Aid operates clinics with criminal and family lawyers in Yellowknife. These clinics are client-focused, and all staff are diligently engaged in serving the citizens of the Northwest Territories. Court Workers are also available with offices in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, and Behchoko. A hybrid model of staff and panel lawyers has been effective to ensure that the people of the Northwest Territories have access to Legal Aid services.

Legal Aid is always striving for improvement. Since January 2025, the court schedule has changed to allow lawyers to spend more time in communities. Legal Aid is currently working to ensure that there is continuity of council, meaning that clients, where possible, are assisted by the same lawyer for all their court appearances.

The Legal Aid Commission also operates an "Outreach" program providing legal information services to the public without requiring a legal aid application. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 1,094 clients received help from the Outreach Legal Aid Clinic. Demand for Outreach services is consistently higher than what is possible to provide. Recruitment is a recurring issue, and a designated Outreach Lawyer was recently appointed.

The Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2023-2024 will be tabled this session and provides further information on the work of the Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories. The Legal Aid Commission is always open to receive feedback on how it can best serve residents of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from the Mackenzie Delta.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize three pages from the Range Lake riding: Ava Fuentez, Hayden Perka, and Matthew Sisson. I had lunch with them and yourself, Mr. Speaker, and it was lovely. They reminded me of what the Pythagoras theorem is, which I had forgotten. So thank you for that. We don't use much as math as perhaps we should, at least that complicated. But I can still read a budget.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to recognize Tom McLennan who is a Yellowknife city councillor. Thank you for taking an interest today, and thank you to the pages for their hard work for our sitting.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to recognize Matthew Unka who is also a page here. I want to also recognize all the translators that are here today. It's good to see you guys here again, and all the visitors in the gallery. Welcome. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize counsellor Tom McLennan visiting from city council and from the Frame Lake riding, and also extend a special welcome to his father Sandy McLennan who is visiting Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, I'd like to recognize is Kenan MacDonald. Kenan is a page here, and I believe if I'm correct, from Mildred Hall as well. And at the same time, I'd also like to recognize the pages who are here from the Mildred Hall School. It's a great school, a community school. It's a school with a big heart. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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

If we've missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your chambers. I hope you're enjoying the proceeding. It's always nice to see people in here, and I thank you for allowing us the privilege of representing the people of the Northwest Territories.

Acknowledgements. Oral questions -- oh, there we go. Just like we just got here. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today will begin for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. So the after-action review emphasized the need to put standards for training and emergency preparedness into legislation and to establish detailed regulations, whereas currently we don't have it, regulations. To quote the review, regulations bring it to a concrete actionable level adding the clarity needed for partners to do their job. Provinces and territories with regulations have better compliance and enforcement of their Act and demonstrated more effective emergency management plans. Now, the government in its response said it would consider maybe drafting new regulations, but that would up to the new working group.

Can the Minister explain why can't the government commit at least to developing new regulations with defined standards while consulting with partners on the details? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I would first off say that we're not going to not do that. We are committed to, you know, making regulations. However, we didn't want to put the cart before the horse, so updating the Emergency Management Act, updating the legislation, and then having to go back and fix it after an after-action review was completed, the third party independent after-action review, would, again, just cause more confusion. So we're not saying we're not going to do this. It's we have to actually sit down and look exactly what we need to do. You know, most times this wouldn't include Indigenous governments; however, this government has committed to working with Indigenous governments to implement this as part of our review and also put it into some of our -- you know, some of our plans, some of our legislation, some of the work that we have to do. So it's -- the process is that it's not going to be done; it's we're starting to work on it now, and hopefully it will all flesh out over time there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the review, one of it's specific recommendations is that we amend our legislation to describe how a territorial state of emergency interfaces with a state of local emergency, noting that the transfer of authority away from and back to the city of Yellowknife in 2023 was unclear to everyone involved as well as which authority actually decides when to evacuate. So will the Minister commit to changing our Emergency Management Act to make these unclear authorities actually clear to everyone? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I guess that's the good thing about this third party independent after-action review, is that it brought out all these things. It brought out the -- you know, some of the issues that we were having, including this one that was raised. Yes, we are looking at making these changes in the Emergency Management Act. This is all part of the after-action review. You know, the whole point of this is clarifying our roles and responsibilities. You know, I guess after that, in 2023, having been part of it, you know, I understand the confusion and everything else that was there, and it definitely is a trying, difficult time; however, the role behind this is learning from it, and that's what this government is doing right now, is we all are following the after-action review, we're reviewing the Emergency Management Act, and we're going to implement our clearer roles even in the working with like, the city of Yellowknife, for example, so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'm hearing from the Minister that the government is going to move forward with the recommendations of the after-action review, yet the government's written response was that it would take these ideas into consideration as it consults with the new working groups, etcetera.

Can the Minister clarify is the government going to wait to see what is the outcome of these discussions with working groups, or is the government committed now to actually implement these recommendations around new regulations and legislative change? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So out of the 35 recommendations, there was, you know, one that we really didn't agree with. You know, the rest of them were partially agreed. And part of this is not just that we weren't going to do this; it was the fact that we need to see what we need to do. We can't just update the Emergency Management Act, like I said earlier, and update all the legislation to find out that's not what we needed to do. In fact, going through the after-action review has obviously highlighted some of the things that we need to do and part of the process of updating the Emergency Management Act and the legislation and how we work with communities. So the after-action review isn't being ignored; it's being implemented in a way that's going to be working with everybody, the communities, the municipalities, you know, the Indigenous governments, so that all the concerns are taking into place and we're able to encompass it in all our responses of the 35 recommendations, so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will join the MACA pile-on.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that while the GNWT says they're learning from missteps and disasters in evacuations, we continue to see elders and folks with disabilities and those who support them struggle when they're displaced. Equity of support means that for some folks we need to do more. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what is the GNWT doing to improve how we provide compassionate support to elders and folks with disabilities before, during, and after emergencies, especially evacuations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the government has been working with communities to identify residents in the community that require extra assistance in case of an emergency. That being said, the government may not be fully involved at that time, especially if it's a local emergency. Even in that scenario, the government may still be involved locally in the fact of helping, you know, assist somebody out of an apartment building or whatever that may have been evacuated. So the process is updating. We're learning from the things that have happened. You know, we're -- I will have to say even this year, I've noticed a big change in how we are working with other departments within the government as part of the whole emergency management scene and dealing with elders, persons with disabilities, and people that require extra assistance.

So the 2023 wildfire season and the after-action review has opened a lot of eyes. We're working with NGOs to, you know, also get some assistance for people with disabilities, for, you know, whoever may need some extra assistance. So we're continually working on this and as we go through the after-action review and update everything, I'm hopeful and I'm pretty certain that a lot of these concerns will be addressed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past year, we saw elders and folks with disabilities getting mutual aid support from community members and not the GNWT. However, I'm glad that the GNWT agrees that emergency social service plans are required at community and NGO level but not every elder or person with a disability is within those structures. So will standard operating procedures be developed and demoed with NWT communities, the regional and territorial EMOs, and the external jurisdictions to the south, to prioritize folks with more complex needs in evacuations, including those with disabilities and our elders? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. So when it comes down to the training and the development, working with the communities at the all the levels, the local level, the regional level, you know, we're working with the community governments to make sure that the things are in place to help out these residents. A lot of the problems that we've seen even just recently are not really related to the government. It's related to circumventing the process, and it's been a very frustrating thing for me to even see because we have the resources in place, we have the opportunities in place, to assist with the residents that require those needs. So for myself, you know, with the resources that are required, the government is working hard to make sure that we're covering all that off. I know the EIA is working with ESS to build a framework that outlines the roles and responsibilities in dealing with these types of scenarios. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate my colleague from Deh Cho's September press release that stated that safety alone is not a sufficient measure. A constituent's well-being in regards to this year's evacuation of Fort Providence. Since the GNWT has elected not to create a standalone emergency management agency, how does the GNWT expect to have dedicated capacity to work through ongoing policy development and identify operational needs on an ongoing basis so as to ensure the dignity of residents in exceedingly difficult situations like evacuations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have the staff within MACA to deal with this type of stuff. We have the staff that are trained in emergency management. We have the staff that are able to, you know, build the plans and also work with the legislation. I'm quite confident that the department is able to manage the types of emergencies that we've been dealt with the last little while. I know there's also concerns about the capacity. The Government of the Northwest Territories have -- it's actually even still advertised -- have requested for GNWT employees who wish to step up. There are trained GNWT employees who in their regular line of work may not be involved in emergency management, but they're also volunteer firefighters, they're also something else in a different community, but they're willing on stepping up and helping out the GNWT during those times. So we have those surge capacity lists that are available for the government to use in the time of need. So is the government doing everything they can to work during emergencies and emergency evacuations and local emergencies? I believe we are, and we'll continue to improve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every time the SPCA comes up in the context of funding and the services they provide for the community, I see an overwhelming tide of support from my constituents and from across the Northwest Territories. There was a news story just yesterday about dire funding straits for the SPCA. This is a matter that's been -- I've risen in this House, I've risen in committee. It's certainly something that's of mind to Northerners.

I'd like to ask the Premier why the SPCA is not considered a critical service as it relates to funding NGOs given the important work they do across the territory for all of our communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I very much appreciate the work of the SPCA. I've had pets most of my life and, you know, when there's an emergency, I know that the trauma of being separated from your pet. So the work that they have done over the years is -- you know, is very important. What we are doing as a government is looking at the services that we provide, the services that we would have to provide if other service providers didn't do them. And so what we're focusing on now as we strengthen our relationship with the NGOs is those types of services, the services that if that NGO was to stop providing those services, such as the homeless shelter, the GNWT would have to pick up that slack and do that work. And so that is the -- those are the area that we are currently focusing on right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, this summer Yellowknife's down to one vet, which means for pet owners, there's one vet in the Northwest Territories, apart from people who fly in to do work, largely brought in by the SPCA. There's some vets who work for ECC, I believe, who do wildlife work. So is the Premier offering to use our veterinary technical experts in the department to offshore this should the SPCA fold its doors because it can't pay the bills and they have no more funding to operate these essential services? Because I'm not hearing any other solutions. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. It's second line of questioning. Can you come back to -- I'll put you on the list. That was very much different than your original line of questioning. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'll start off by saying I heard the Minister of MACA's response in -- to the question provided by the Member for Great Slave, and I kind of wonder if the Minister has had the opportunity to read the fullness of the report and recommendations. And I'll let him answer that. Because recommendation number 4 I have says, very specifically, it says to create one dedicated emergency management agency for the NWT.

So my question specifically, ultimately boils down to, is what analysis did the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs do to create this decision to ignore the recommendation provided by TSI, who is the gold standard in this industry? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So when it comes down to having our own department essentially for emergency management, we have the services available, we have the opportunity to do emergency management, operate emergencies under our current operating system. And what I would say is when I first ran for MLA, one of the things that I was saying through the whole thing is, you know, I believe in fine tuning in what we have. I believe in fine tuning on what we do. And this is exactly my point is that we have the staff, we have the personnel, we have the ability, and we've also had to, you know, also hire essentially more staff with emergencies. You know, we have regional emergency management coordinators throughout the North right now. You know, it's do we want to have a standalone department? And we could hire a deputy minister, we could hire an assistant deputy Minister, but the government felt that we can manage it within our -- sorry, the department figured and we realized we could manage it how we operate right now. I believe that we can do it. You know, my background in emergency services, I may not be like TSI who contracts people in to come in and do these things like myself, but the reality is is this can be done the way we operate now. And if we're all up on quotes, I will steal a quote from the associate professor of the disaster and emergency management of York University said a standalone agency doesn't automatically solve all the issues. There's ways that could be helped by a stronger presence; for instance, of an independent territorial emergency management organization standalone as an agency, he said. So the reality is we can do this with the way we're doing it now with the trained and educated staff that we have now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear any analysis. I heard we did an internal, and if the Minister wishes to cherry pick quotes -- which is fine. I mean, it's the nature of the business -- I would hope he'd also spend time on the CBC article where they had two experts say this is the direction this problem is going, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know how much a dedicated agency would cost. And I'm kind of hoping the Minister would have spent a little time in that 15-minute answer -- or it felt like 15 minutes -- to tell me how much it would cost given the fact that the last major emergency cost this government over $330 million. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. That could have been a written question. But I'll turn to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it's nice to -- for the Member to bring out that article because that's actually where that quote came from, so thank you.

I also will add the department has not specifically pulled out numbers on what it would cost to stand up a department for operating emergencies; however, we wouldn't know what that looks like. If people were around back in the '80s or early '90s, people would remember the Department of Public Safety where Justice was under, fire marshal's office was under, and that's gone. We're now operating the way we operate. So typical government, vicious cycle, build another department again that was already existing. So I don't know. We can find out. I'll ask the department to run some numbers and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the guidance you provide in the House.

Mr. Speaker, that's the creativity I'm asking for, and that's where I was going with my third question, which is, you know, I'm concerned that that analysis wasn't done. The Minister confirmed it and said he would do it. So thank you for clarifying that.

Mr. Speaker, my final question is built around the decision of no. So who did the department consult with to come up with this final determination. Did they speak to Indigenous governments? Did they speak to other type of territorial leadership? Did they talk to MLAs? Did they write committee for their opinion? I'm trying to find out did they make this sole decision in isolation when they keep sitting around the table saying we're the best, no you're the best. I want to know what independent advice they had that said this is the best idea. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the fine detail that he likes or would want, I will get back to him with that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Colleagues.

Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last year I raised the issue in the House about emergency medical transportation for small communities and services they provide to help save lives for our members in our community. I spoke to the Minister of MACA and health in collaboration to look for a solution. I have a question for the Minister of Community affairs, and my question is will the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs commit to a plan establishing life-saving paramedic and drone ambulance services in the community of Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe it was this spring I had similar lines of questioning, and at that time I pretty much kind of laid out what the plan was going forward. The reality is I think it's important that we really work with the communities on what's needed in the communities. And that's still the continued goal. We are, the department of health and the department of MACA, are working together to come up with plans for the communities, and Fort Res is one of the communities in our mind when we're talking about this, is having something in place to help respond in the communities to emergencies. And that's -- there is no full plan involved right now or full plan in place right now, but we are working on something to go, to move forward with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If there's no plan to introduce paramedics and drone ambulance services any time soon, when will the Minister commit to establishing a volunteer emergency first responder program to address this critical services gap in our small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like any small community, you know, volunteerism is very important. And I hope that members of the community would step up -- and I know there has been recently -- to establish their local fire department and maybe take on roles of responding to other emergencies. However, when it comes to talking about paramedics, that's a field, a detailed line of work that is similar to being a nurse or a doctor. You know, that's a different type of qualifications. It falls under department of health. But when it comes down to emergency response in the communities and first responders, you know, we are looking at supporting them here in the near future, you know, of hopefully having some established training in the communities, like even the simplest thing of basic first aid. So hopefully we can have something out here shortly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister committed to working with community leaders, as well as his Cabinet colleagues in health and social services and justice, to ensure that volunteers EMR services can be community-driven initiative that is not tied up in the bureaucracy of the system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the goal is to support what the community is requiring or what the communities' needs are. We're not going to slow anything down as the government. We're going to work and try to find a path forward in supporting communities when it comes down to emergencies. We have the ability in place to support these communities, and we'll continue to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to this program, this grew after the initial -- well, the most recent evacuations that we had in 2022 and then in 2023 and 2024, and initially there was no additional supports beyond those which were provided by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, which do include transportation to an accommodation facility, food and meals at the accommodation facility, some basic toiletries, and often support for the United Way who will step in and provide additional supports through either NGOs locally or to municipalities. It was as communities were experiencing multiple evacuations that the Government of the Northwest Territories decided to step in, and that's where the amounts were -- that were determined, we looked and did some jurisdictional scans.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you we continue to be at the very top of the whole of the country in terms of what we provide to residents, which doesn't speak to the reality that evacuations are deeply difficult and can bring on financial costs. So with that, Mr. Speaker, we reviewed the program that we had back in 2024. It was very clear that folks found that to be cumbersome, difficult to apply, and so the program we have now, which is what the residents of Fort Providence were relying upon, is one where there's a portal, a window, it provides comparably timely to what it had been and a much easier process. So it's not looking at people's individual bills or their individual circumstances, which, of course, are going to vary by the individual. It's meant to be one that provides quick -- the gap fillers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question certainly has come up over the last few years when individual communities have been evacuated, some, honestly, for very lengthy periods of time or on multiple occasions in the course of one year.

So again, the program we've landed on at this point is really meant to supplement. So it's supplementing the fact that there are accommodations provided, that folks who need accommodations outside of the group-type accommodations are triaged and meant to get access to hotel accommodations and as well as transportation. The goal being that most people should not be experiencing significant additional costs.

Again, it's abundantly clear individuals all have a variety of different circumstances. So, Mr. Speaker, at this point, there's not a plan to further evaluate this program, which was just evaluated after the 2024 season. And what we can be, again, doing is making sure that we are continuing to work with municipalities and the service providers through the United Way so that their programs are making their way to those who need it. Thank you.

Final supplementary. Member from the Dehcho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, obviously, the department does certainly take a whole-of-government view. We do work with municipal and community affairs and to look at what programs and services they are offering through the emergency services that they are leading and coordinating and keeping ourselves, as much as we can, within the parameters of programs that are at least somewhat funded by the federal government and their programs, Mr. Speaker, and, of course, working too with ECE. They also provide emergency funding for income assistance clients and at the same time wanting to encourage employers who can to be able to continue to pay their staff, as does the GNWT. So, Mr. Speaker, with that, at this point, there's no plans to do yet another review. The review, as I mentioned, was done in 2024 after the 2023 evacuations. And at this point, we just want to make sure we are focusing on getting the money moving quickly into the hands of those who need it from what we are providing. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for Minister of housing. So I want to ask the Minister what specific measure is Housing NWT taking to support elders with language barriers, not just elders, but there's others, vulnerable, with language barriers who struggle to navigate automated phone systems and remote offices? Thank you.

Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize that there is many communities in the Northwest Territories where elders do have language barriers and many times English is not their first language. In terms of the Monfwi riding in the Tlicho region, we do have three staff that regularly go into the riding and meet with constituents or tenants for Housing NWT, but they also provide a translator for that work as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has Housing NWT considered placing a dedicated housing officer or position from the North Slave office in one of the Tlicho communities to improve accessibility and communication for elders and other vulnerable residents? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And again, recognizing the number of concerns that we have from the Tlicho region and Monfwi riding that these discussions could be -- we could have internal discussions, but we can also talk to Tlicho government. We do have a memorandum of agreement with Tlicho government. So this could be a discussion item with the Tlicho government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So what is Housing NWT's plans to address the growing waitlist of 140 people in the Tlicho region, and how does it prioritize elders and unhoused people in urgent need of housing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A huge question, because this is the type of question that I asked Council of Leaders in Ottawa when the Minister, the federal Minister, Gregor Robertson was attending the Council of Leaders.

Considering the waitlist, considering we have over 900 families on the waitlist, considering we have probably 140 of them in Behchoko alone, how do we address housing needs across the Northwest Territories? One thing we need to do is we need to work in collaboration, and this is what I spoke to with Indigenous leaders at the table, is we need to work in collaboration, we need to communicate, we need to work together, because the GNWT, Northwest Territories government, we can't do this alone. Like, we've provided $150 million over the next three years for housing and for public and social housing. That's going to give us about 300 units, and we're going to fix about 500 other units through renovations and modernization techniques. But we still have, according to our Territorial Housing Needs Assessment, another thousand units that are required. So the efforts of this Assembly, plus the efforts of Indigenous governments, plus the efforts of the federal government, who recently announced Build Canada Homes -- and with that Build Canada Homes, there was an announcement to include transitional and supportive housing which is really critical because we're finding, as Housing NWT, many people are not ready to move into their own unit, but with a supportive living component, they can be successful.

So that's what I'm hoping for every riding, for every region, moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, continuing on with my Member's statement on the condition of the Dempster Highway, again specifically from Rengleng River to Inuvik. I know, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister is aware of this. I know I'm not the only one that's received letters and emails and texts from constituents and from businesses on this. So now that the Minister's had a little break and was able to take a breather, I'll ask the Minister of Infrastructure what plan do they have going forward to ensure that this section of highway doesn't continue to deteriorate and gets resurfaced to be able to handle the seasons, spring and fall? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, this is definitely an area of concern. It's been brought up many times, obviously. This is one that's definitely been a hot radar topic area. So they've done a lot of work on it. But, obviously, during this time of year when it's raining as bad as it is, it shows that it's getting a little slushy and mucky. So the department has reached out to the contractor to do some work on it. Obviously, we can easily -- we can obviously easily say it's going to go away as soon as it freezes and the snow fills everything in. But you're right, when the spring comes around, we're going to be obviously looking at some more issues with that. So I will work with the department to see what solutions we can have to be prepared for the spring and the summer and see what our options are there. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, and if you look at the sections that were redone on the Inuvik-Tuk Highway, certainly some of the sections that were redone on the Dempster Highway to enable -- again, resurfacing work that enabled that road to be able to withstand the rains that we get every spring and every fall so we don't have those conditions, so we don't have transport trucks coming in and almost sliding off the road, so we don't have this spine-rattling, shock-busting road that we get for that section coming into Inuvik that, you know, will create an hour-and-15-minute drive and now it's taking two and a half hours for residents to get in there.

So will the Minister commit to looking at the work that's been done on those other sections to mirror that with this section coming into Inuvik from Rengleng River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So with that section there, I assume part of the issue is with the material going away, falling off the sides or whatever it may be, so it makes it all muddy this time of year. So I'll commit to working with the Member and getting to the department to finding out what a solution is going forward to make sure that if we don't fix it right away or fix it initially that we can build on it by putting layers of gravel on it and fixing it over the next few -- while. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think I almost got a commitment out of the Minister on that one, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, the issue is the amount -- I mean, and I've spoken to contractors. When you're putting a putting a small amount of crushed gravel, when it's one-quarter inch crush, you're doing it at a time of year where it's not appropriate. You're doing it in September; you should be doing it in June. You should get to working on this thing in June and maybe even looking when the ferry service is out, so you have less traffic to get out and build that road up. And that's the issue. And the only thing that will solve it is to resurface that section of the road, similar to what they've done on the ITH and what they've done on other highways. What I'm looking for is a commitment -- and I realize this is resources -- a commitment to actually once and for all resurface, upgrade that section of road, so we don't have those issues going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear the Member, and I agree with his concerns. Again, I will work with the Member to work with the department and see what we can do to find a path forward to make sure that it's corrected and repaired properly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last year, or this fiscal year, the SPCA was given $13,000 from the NGO Stabilization Fund, which is under the Office of the Premier. Can the Premier find a way to provide more funding to this vital organization as if it ceases to function, we will have a big problem in a lot of communities, in particular small communities who don't have access to veterinary services, and this is an important and, I believe, a very critical service for communities. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, I definitely value the work of the SPCA. Not everything that happens in the territory is government-supported, nor should it be. There are some things where the community, where people have to step up. I'm happy to make a donation. I'll commit to making a $500 donation to the SPCA here. I encourage other Members to do it. There are some things that we as citizens of the territory need to come together and support. There's other things only government can really support. So while I'd like to be able to stand up here and say every NGO gets money because they all do valuable work, the fact is that we have a certain amount of funds, and we have to ensure that we're distributing those where they're going to make the largest impact to the people of the territory. So the SPCA, again, a wonderful organization. I value the work that they do. The government values the work that they do. But the Government of the Northwest Territories can't be everything to everybody all the time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.