Thank you, Ms. Mary Jane Cazon, for the opening prayer and guiding words. Colleagues. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a personal explanation in accordance with section 1.8 of the Legislative Assembly's rules.

I want to address allegations made by the Member for Yellowknife Centre in his dissenting opinion on the Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review to Date of Bill 26.

The Member for Yellowknife Centre alleged that I, the sponsor of Bill 26, had, quote, refused to meet with the UNW. This is absolutely untrue, Mr. Speaker. I met with the Public Service Alliance of Canada North regional executive vice-president early in the development of this bill to discuss the concerns coming from nurses about section 41 of the Public Service Act.

I initiated a meeting with the Union of Northern Workers president along with the PSAC North regional executive vice-president on March 4th, 2025, to discuss the bill.

While not initially invited, I participated in a closed-door meeting that the UNW executive arranged on March 5th with other Regular MLAs to discuss the bill. After that time, I received no further invitations from the UNW to meet. However, I reached out to the UNW president on April 30th via email inviting her to meet with me or to join an upcoming constituency meeting as long as there were nurse representatives present for the sake of transparency. I never received a reply to that email.

The Member for YK Centre stated in his dissenting opinion also that the committee received no public comments on the bill until after I requested an extension to the deadline. I wish to explain the context of my request.

The committee had set a public engagement period of 50 days over the summer months from late June until August 15th and held no public hearings during that time. Presentations were scheduled for August 28th and 29th from the College and Association of Nurses and from the UNW, and I requested an opportunity for the public to be able to hear and respond to what those important stakeholders had to say about the bill. I never received a reply to my request, and I am not aware of the committee announcing any formal extension; however, it did proceed to hold a formal public hearing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to clarify.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, this summer I had the honour of co-hosting the 43rd annual meeting of the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women here in Yellowknife. Ministers from across the country gathered in this lovely city to discuss shared priorities.

The event kicked off with an opening reception, held in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly, which set a warm tone for the meetings. Guests included partners from the NWT Status of Women Council, Native Women's Association of the NWT, YWCA-NWT, Northern Mosaic Network, Yellowknife Women's Society, NWT Members of the Legislative Assembly and Ministers, as well as the FPT Ministers and their senior officials.

Mr. Speaker, one of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to throat sing with Tanya Snow, our amiable MC. The federal Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Minister Valdez, even joined in and gave throat singing a try. It was a lovely moment in sharing my culture and connecting with guests.

Mr. Speaker, FPT Ministers held discussions with national Indigenous leaders that were powerful and deeply moving. We spoke about human trafficking, ending violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. We also spoke about advancing economic empowerment of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit women. The honesty and emotion in the room were both heartbreaking and healing.

Mr. Speaker, during the formal ministerial sessions, we explored how to increase women's participation in high-growth industries, engage men and boys in ending gender-based violence, and address the emerging gendered impacts of artificial intelligence and online harassment. These are all critical issues that are affecting northern women right now. These threats are real and a reality in the North.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues from Nunavut, Yukon, and I also emphasized northern realities. We spoke about our high cost of living, infrastructure gaps, inflationary pressures, and the growing effects of climate change on everyday life in the North. These realities pose challenges for all northern residents, but the gendered and intersectional impacts cannot be ignored or forgotten. Recent wildfires and floods have displaced entire communities, with disproportionate impacts on women, children, elders, and marginalized groups.

As decision-makers, we discussed how emergency response and recovery planning must be inclusive and trauma-informed with dedicated support for those most at risk. We acknowledged and agreed that funding must recognize the increased frequency of these types of events, especially for the territories where we are experiencing climate change up to four times faster than the rest of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work done by the Gender Equity Division and the Status of Women Council in preparing for this event. Local women across the NWT were commissioned to create handmade gifts for the delegates, beautiful tokens that support economic independence.

Additionally, an artisan market was organized in collaboration with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment to showcase more northern artistry and entrepreneurship. The feedback received from those who participated in the market was quite positive.

Mr. Speaker, hosting this 43rd annual meeting of the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women was a true privilege. The warmth and hospitality of the North left a lasting impression on our own visitors. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made it possible. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the participants who represented Team NT and the NWT Youth Ambassador Program at the 2025 Canada Summer Games that were held in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, from August 8 to 24. The Canada Summer Games provides an opportunity for Team NT to engage and compete with other athletes from across Canada. Not only are the games an athletic competition, but they also provide an opportunity to develop athletes and coaches, strengthen sport systems and create lasting social, cultural, and economic impacts.

Mr. Speaker, sport, recreation, and active living play a crucial role in ensuring healthy people and communities by addressing physical, mental, social, and economic aspects of well-being. That is why the Government of the Northwest Territories continues to support all residents, including the youth, and to provide assistance to attend events like this in Canada.

In St. John's, Team NT was represented by 182 participants from 10 communities across the Northwest Territories. Representation included small and remote communities like Ulukhaktok, Tulita, Gameti and Lutselk'e as well as the larger centers like Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that Team NT participants competed in a variety of events, including athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling. While no medals were brought back to the NWT, I would like to highlight and congratulate the male basketball team in their victory over Prince Edward Island. This is the first-ever win for Basketball NWT over a provincial team at the Canada Games.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the various territorial sports organizations that are responsible for assisting in selecting and managing their representatives at these games. Their contributions are a significant part of preparing Team NT for these games. I would also like to extend special gratitude to Team NT's Chef-de-Mission, Rita Mercedi and assistant Chefs-de-Mission Damon Crossman and Lexie Letzing, and the rest of the mission staff for their outstanding efforts in organizing and supporting the team they brought to the games.

Mr. Speaker, I would especially like to say thanks to the many volunteers and sponsors during this time to prepare them for the Arctic Games. Whether you are volunteering, organizing, or someone who's assisting, all your contributions and preparation of Team NT are very much appreciated.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the 13 NWT youth ambassadors who volunteered a total of 457 hours at these games. The youth ambassadors had several opportunities to learn and develop leadership and life skills. Their volunteer roles included being parade marshals for the opening ceremonies, supporting venue operation services, sustainability green team, village services crew, and participating with the entertainment crew. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and leadership made long-lasting impacts, not only on the success of this event, but also on everyone who had the pleasure of working alongside of you. I sincerely hope all participants enjoyed their experience! Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, as temperatures drop and nights grow longer, winter is coming. But Northerners aren't afraid of White Walkers or of Undead Dragons. No, they're bracing for power bills they simply cannot afford. My constituents can't remember the last time they caught a break on their energy bills, and with each passing year they're forced to make even harder choices just to keep the lights on. It's no surprise that the cost of electricity is one of the most frequent concerns I hear about as an MLA. Northerners have a right to be frustrated when they are paying the highest power costs in the country, and as life becomes increasingly more unaffordable, these costs pile up. Yet every time my colleagues and I raise this issue on the floor of this House, we're told there's no problem. The Minister has a plan, a subsidy, a strategy, an investment. It's all very complicated economic stuff, we're told. But don't worry, it'll work out so don't think too hard about it.

Well, Mr. Speaker, it's time to worry because this government is pouring millions of dollars into our energy grid to reverse the upward trend of our electricity prices, and it's clearly not working. Costs are escalating, outages are increasing. And who's footing the bill? Taxpayers. Now the Minister must answer not only to an affordability crisis caused by soaring electricity costs but also to constituents demanding to know why every move this government makes on the energy file only leads to higher costs and ultimately higher taxes.

Mr. Speaker, a responsible government is a responsive government. When our constituents are hurting, it's not enough to just listen; we have a duty to act. This government talks about affordability, but their commitments haven't been backed by real solutions to our energy issues. What working people need are real policies that make a real difference in their lives for them and their family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last sitting the Standing Committee on Economic Development published its report on the review of the NWT regulatory framework, and today I want to highlight the government's response to that report. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to note the government fully accepted seven of the committee's recommendations without caveat and partially accepted the rest of the recommendations. While there are some areas, I plan to keep pressure on the government for improvement, I am really happy to see the government take committee's recommendations seriously and consider this to be the most positive government response I've seen yet in this Assembly. So kudos to staff and Ministers for that.

I'd like to highlight several items of success. One is continued progress on targeted amendments to the water regulations. I've made a number of comments on the timeline, which I stand by, but I am happy to see this progressing nonetheless, Mr. Speaker.

One item that I'm excited to highlight is the commitment by the government to collaboratively establish an NWT regulatory web page as an interim step to creating a one-stop shop for project proponents seeking authorizations in the NWT. I am looking forward to obtaining more information about this project.

Mr. Speaker, recommendations 11 through 16 of committee's report address capacity building to assist meaningful participation in the regulatory system. I want to stress the importance of these recommendations to improving operations of the regulatory regime. In my time working in the system, it was clear to me that a significant amount of delays related to engagement and moving projects to the complete application stage were related to capacity of Indigenous governments to respond and participate. This is one area in the government response where commitments to act are a bit mixed. Addressing these recommendations needs to be a high priority and considering several of them address federal funding and programming, I think this needs to be added to our federal engagement strategy. This systemic capacity building is directly related to the Liberal government's Build Canada strong plan. If we want to see projects proceeding through regulatory in a timely manner, we absolutely have to address these capacity issues, and this needs to be a key message to the federal government for how they need to be investing in our territory if they want to help us achieve mutual goals.

Mr. Speaker, there's much more from the response to this report than I can capture in a single statement so I'll have to leave it there, but I will have a number of lines of questioning for Ministers on this topic. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, echoing my colleagues yesterday and, once more, I'd like to talk about same-day health services, including lab services, in Yellowknife. Far and away the most concerns I hear as an MLA are about trying to get same-day appointments, either for lab or for speaking with a health professional. There are a lot of threads to pull on with this persistent problem, and I have gone back and forth with the Minister many times as she and her staff continue to work through technical and procedural barriers to ensure fair and equitable access to health care for the residents of Yellowknife.

Importantly, Mr. Speaker, I'm concerned for residents who, as of right now, depending on the random volume of patients on any given day, often need to line up outside the downtown primary care centre for same-day lab appointments. Right now, it seems that we will be asking our elders, folks with disabilities, and those in chronic pain, to queue in the dark, cold winter weather outside the lab for an hour until staff arrive to let them in just before 8. This is not a viable, compassionate solution.

Mr. Speaker, I know that the crux of this ongoing issue boils down to a couple of key factors. The availability of appointments relies on the number of lab staff on shift, and we are seeing more people seeking lab tests while there are fewer staff available to provide services since COVID.

Mr. Speaker, I would also contend that sometimes miracles do happen. I had the unique experience this past summer of attending a scheduled test at Liwego'ati. As I was leaving, I asked the admin staff if I could book another appointment down the line for other concerns. To my surprise, they said how about now? I was seen immediately by a nurse who addressed all my concerns and did blood draws on the spot because seemingly, at random, I was present at a time when no one had come to get a same-day appointment at the clinic that morning. The nurse and I had the time and space to get through my questions that I couldn't address from an earlier appointment.

Mr. Speaker, I know that that was blind luck, but this also means that sometimes there is capacity, even if it's just in a blue moon. I want to know what is possible to triage those with urgent needs, especially for those who can't physically wait outside in the cold. I will have questions for the Minister of health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing a lot on slowing in our mining activities in the Northwest Territories and, more importantly, the economy and the urgency for a response from our government. Having knowledge, there is a huge potential in the mineral sector. As our esteemed Member from Inuvik Boot Lake had said many times, we are resource rich and cash poor. We have -- we must enhance by moving rapidly, supply our process to attract investment responsibly. To do this, Mr. Speaker, the North needs infrastructure and affordable access to our valuable resources. Compounding our recovery is the inability to authorize our own plan as we remain content to rely on Ottawa's formula funding policy. We must act faster in securing NWT's generations.

Mr. Speaker, the fiscal update shared by the Minister of Finance is beyond concerning. The NWT government projects, it has lost more than $150 million in its annual surplus this fiscal year. Our projected operating surplus has shrunk from $170 million to just $16 million. Mining, which amounts to 20 percent of our GDP, is facing big challenges. But, Mr. Speaker, there is also a story of opportunity here. The NWT has the NWT advantage. We have world class mineral deposits that are still largely untapped. We have a maturing regulatory framework that respects the balance between sustainability and prosperity. We have Indigenous communities with major control over regional land use and resource development.

Mr. Speaker, governments receive revenues from taxes. Our colleague from Range Lake highlighted a reclamation economy. However, it is not royalty generated revenues. The federal government has shown a real desire to move forward on investing into infrastructure. We often hear about major projects that are nation building, shovel ready. What is more shovel ready --

-- Member from the Sahtu, your time is up.

(audio).

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Member from the Sahtu is requesting unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Seeing none, Member from the Sahtu, please conclude your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. We often here about major projects that are nation building and shovel ready. What is more shovel ready than having two existing permits for the Mackenzie Valley Highway phase one?

Mr. Speaker, in closing, waiting is not an option anymore. We have the resources, we have the regulatory framework, we have the willingness partnerships. We must design a financial model that reflects our current fiscal and solutions. This is coming. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to address an issue that affects those who make the choice to go to treatment facilities away from their homes to get help for their dependency and the lack of resources available to them when they return home. Often, these people who return home fall back in the same cycle of substance abuse because they do not have any follow-up or acknowledgement for their efforts to get sober.

Mr. Speaker, making the choice to attain sobriety is not an easy choice for most people to make. Due to lack of treatment facilities in the NWT, people usually leave their homes to go somewhere like Alberta or BC for long periods of time to do the work to address their issues and heal the parts of themselves that caused them to use substances. Those who successfully complete their programs are welcome home with congratulations, but that's usually when the real work begins to maintain their sobriety because they are back in the same environment that enabled their addictions. They return home to little to no resources to help them stay consistent in their sobriety, which is challenging and discouraging to them.

Mr. Speaker, our people need more programs to ensure they are supported, recognized, and celebrated in their post-treatment journey. There needs to be AA meetings, on the land activities, job and training available to them to begin moving forward in their life that keeps them healthy and productive. We also need to utilize those people by acknowledging and celebrating those through community gatherings like feasts and dance and create spaces for them to share their stories. It's important for this person to feel safe and to share their story, for the community to hear it, because it may inspire and motivate others to follow in their path. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak today on Arctic sovereignty and infrastructure, something that, of course, the debate is very live, the topic is very live in this House. I know our Premier and his Cabinet are very, very keen to the topic. We know our federal government, again, Mr. Speaker, continues to have an eye on the Arctic and the North. Whether you're talking major infrastructure projects, Mr. Speaker, or smaller ones, Inuvik, my region, my riding, being named as one of the northern operations hub as well as the city of Yellowknife; I think it's very significant. I understand that both the town of Inuvik and the city of Yellowknife are considering an MOU where they can share the information, Mr. Speaker, in their discussions with DND. Pulling them together on Arctic security topics and discussion, I think is very important. I think it bodes well for our territory and certainly bodes well for us as we pull people together to build these infrastructure projects.

And, Mr. Speaker, not just the major infrastructure projects. I mean, Mr. Speaker, as we know, Inuvik is obviously a very strategic location for the Arctic. We have a forward operating location up there. Hopefully there's potential more work to be done, either through upgrades and through other infrastructure put in there by our federal government. And, Mr. Speaker, even more importantly is our airport terminal build. We know we have the runway expansion. That project, again, done locally, done through Indigenous governments, with Indigenous companies, partnered with them. The project thus far has been on time, on budget, and very successful, and we look to that completion in the next couple of years. But we also, Mr. Speaker, since 2018, have had the new airport terminal build on the books. As I mentioned, being a northern operations hub, there's certainly going to be more traffic in the region. We're going to ensure that we need that new building. I know there's been some delays in the past few years but, Mr. Speaker, I'm hopeful that's still something we can get done sooner rather than later, get that project underway and, again, work with the local contractors, local Indigenous governments, to ensure that smaller but just as important piece of infrastructure gets completed on our journey to Arctic sovereignty and security. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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