I'd to thank Pastor Newfton from -- I just brutalized that. Nelton from the Joint Task Forth North for our opening our session today. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I had the honour of joining you and other Members of this House at the First Poppy Ceremony, marking the beginning of the season of Remembrance to honour the veterans and serving Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Remembrance Day has been observed in Canada since 1919. It was originally known as Armistice Day and marked the end of the First World War in 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Each year since then Canadians have taken this day as a moment of solemn reflection.

Remembrance is our collective duty. On November 11th, we pause for a moment of silence to remember and honour all people who have served, who serve today, and those who sacrificed their lives for Canada to protect our country from current and future threats, and to safeguard our freedoms through generations.

Mr. Speaker, for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us and for those who continue to protect us, I would ask and encourage all residents of the Northwest Territories to take the time to pause, reflect, and honour them, not only on November 11th, but each and every day. Lest we forget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister from ECE.

Mr. Speaker, during the last sitting, I committed to keeping this Legislative Assembly informed about the steps our government is taking to support adult learning and community-based education in response to Aurora College's decision to close community learning centres earlier this year.

Today, I rise to share an important milestone in that work. Mr. Speaker, I am going to begin my update in Dene Zhati.

[Translation] INSERT [Translation Ends]

Mr. Speaker, this new initiative is about meeting people where they are at home, in their communities, and ensuring they have the tools to succeed in today's labour market.

Over the next 18 months, we anticipate delivering this training in ten different communities, with the first four rolling out in Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution and Fort Providence later this fall. The NWT Literacy Council will engage with Indigenous governments and communities to help identify communities for further deliveries in 2026-2027.

This program includes five weeks of classroom-based instruction, followed by two weeks of supported work placements, volunteer opportunities, or community projects. Participants will gain foundational skills such as resume writing, communication, digital literacy, teamwork, financial literacy, and workplace readiness. Importantly, the training is designed to prepare participants for the demands of the modern labour market while being tailored to the local community context.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a pilot. It is a proven model. In recent years, the NWT Literacy Council delivered similar programming to 60 participants across communities including Whati, Wekweeti, Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Gameti, Aklavik, and Fort McPherson. The results speak for themselves: 71 percent of participants went on to secure employment or pursue further education, including programs at Aurora College. This new agreement builds on that success.

The training will include a strong cultural foundation by incorporating on the land learning and teachings from Indigenous knowledge holders. It also includes wraparound supports such as childcare, mental health supports, training allowances, and access to healthy food. Employers participating in the on-the-job component will receive wage subsidies to support learners.

Mr. Speaker, this agreement is about more than training; it's about empowerment. It's about ensuring Northerners have access to new opportunities and building stronger communities through education, employment, and partnership. I want to thank the NWT Literacy Council for their leadership and collaboration in making this initiative possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update you on progress made by the Government of the Northwest Territories' sector support initiative for non-governmental organizations. In response to the 2023 external advisory committee report on strengthening the non-profit and charitable sector, the GNWT has committed to building stronger relationships, cutting red tape, and making funding more reliable for NGOs. A cross-departmental committee is actively addressing the report's recommendations. This includes updating the NGO funding guide, developing training on implementing the guide, and strengthening relationships between the GNWT and NGOs. As part of this work, we are taking a fresh look at how we fund NGOs to make sure our support helps them deliver services that contribute to GNWT priorities and meet government goals.

NGOs now have access to GNWT training courses, and we have set up regular ways to share information, work together, and hear feedback from people in the sector.

Our territory-wide survey on the anti-poverty fund and on the NGO stabilization fund led to immediate changes to application processes. We made it easier to apply by eliminating the need for applicants to provide the same information more than once, and new processes allow us to notify applicants earlier about whether their application was successful and how much funding they will receive.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs are leading the development of an emergency social supports framework to better integrate NGOs into emergency management planning. We will be asking NGOs that provide human safety and security services to vulnerable residents to help shape this framework.

We have also asked GNWT departments to work with their key NGO partners when developing departmental business continuity plans. These plans lay out how departments will keep their most important services running during and after major disruptions like natural disasters, a cyber-attack, or a pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, NGOs often deliver services more effectively than government and play a vital role in supporting our most vulnerable residents. By moving to a new partnership model based on mutual respect, we can better align our goals, streamline processes, and improve how services are delivered. By working together more closely with clear roles, shared accountability, better communication, simpler processes, and more stable funding, the GNWT and our NGO partners can deliver stronger, more coordinated, and people-centered support to residents across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in this session, I spoke about the importance of the Akaitcho process reaching an outcome that is equitable and respects my people's rights. Today, I want to highlight another First Nation, the Deh Cho, who are also actively engaged in concluding a land claim process that will recognize and uphold their rights and interests.

The Deh Cho First Nations have been engaged in negotiations with the territorial and federal government to secure an agreement in principle that reflects their rights, values, and vision for the future; however, the Deh Cho negotiation leaders report that they have been seeing very little movement at the negotiation table. That lack of progress is deeply concerning and undermines the trust and goodwill that are essential to any meaningful negotiation process.

Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho have tabled a proposal that is thoughtful, principled, and grounded in decades of dialogue and community engagement. They deserve more than a passive acknowledgement. They require action.

The GNWT mandate recognizes that a strong and respectful relationship with Indigenous governments is integral to the future prosperity of the Northwest Territories. Yet this negotiation process has now spanned over two decades and prolonged delays, risk eroding the momentum and hope that communities have worked so hard to build. I call on the Premier to demonstrate his commitment to this process by becoming personally involved. I urge him to immediately instruct the GNWT negotiators to act on the Deh Cho proposals so that negotiators can move forward in a timely and respectful manner. Leadership at the highest level is needed to now ensure that this opportunity is not lost. The Deh Cho nations are showing patience and resolve and are hopeful an agreement in principle can be finalized with the territorial and federal government by June 2026. It is time for the territorial government to rise to the occasion with a meaningful engagement. Let's honour the spirit of reconciliation not just with his words, but they deserve action. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Before we go on to the next person, I'd like to recognize a special guest, our colleague, my former colleague in the 18th Assembly, but the Member from the Deh Cho, in the 17th and 18th, we welcome you here to the Assembly Mr. Nadli.

Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. The Northwest Territories is home to a strong Francophone presence that has long been part of our territory's diverse multilingual tapestry. Since the earliest days of the fur trade, the Franco-Ténois community has carried their legacy forward through generations of our shared northern history. This is no easy task in our smaller and more remote communities where French language services are often limited. Yet despite these challenges, Francophone families continue to pass on their language, culture, and pride, keeping this living heritage strong across the North.

One of our communities where Franco-Ténois have faced significant challenges in preserving their language and culture is Fort Smith where an association of Francophone families has been forced to take the territorial government to court to secure French language education, despite section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing the rights of French speaking communities outside of Quebec. The Minister of ECE is disputing the number of rights holders in the community and suggesting they settle for French immersion classes instead.

[Translation] INSERT [Translation Ends]

Forcing families to go to court to secure the best education for their children places an undue burden on them and can have a chilling effect on the exercise of Charter rights. We should be developing models to deliver public services in as many of our official languages as possible. Whether you are Inuit, Metis, Dene, or Franco-Ténois, you should be able to maintain your culture and identity wherever you live in the Northwest Territories. This government seems more willing to risk costly court battles that they consistently lose rather than work collaboratively with communities from the outset. When will they end this expensive litigation and finally ensure the straightforward recognition of the rights and dignity of our language minority populations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week the Premier's Awards for Excellence recognized the outstanding work of individuals and organizations, and today I'd like to highlight some exceptional work being done by folks based in Yellowknife North.

The Salvation Army has been a key partner in getting the transitional housing for addictions recovery program up and running here in Yellowknife. We've known for many years that in order to set people up for success who are returning from addictions programs down south, they need stable supportive housing and a chance to establish new routines and new social connections. Finally we're starting to fill this gap.

The Salvation Army with government partners has repurposed an existing home into five transitional housing units. They offer flexible, recovery-oriented programming tailored to each resident. It took years of hard work to bring this brandnew program to fruition, so hopefully this process has cleared an easier path for transitional housing programs in the future.

Another Premier's Award for Excellence went to Megan Lowry and Amy Chin, community health nurses who run a street outreach program in Yellowknife. They are effectively meeting people where they're at, setting up mobile clinics, offering outreach and care at shelters, encampments and on sidewalks, throughout the city. They provide culturally safe care ranging from non-emergency medical care to immunizations, chronic disease management, STI screening, assessments and referrals, all in a one-stop shop, which is so rare in Yellowknife where our healthcare services are often so compartmentalized and cumbersome to access.

I think this is a case where Yellowknife is learning and gaining a lot from the small community model of care where community health nurses take the lead. With some freedom to innovate, these nurses have truly gone above and beyond their job description. They have shown what truly integrated care looks like by working in a hands-on way side by side with non-profit shelter providers. Due to their passion and drive to make a difference, the street outreach nursing team has managed to expand health care access, reduce emergency room visits, and measurably improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable residents.

Congratulations to the Salvation Army and to Megan and Amy of the street outreach community health nurse team. Now it's our job to ensure the government continues to enable and support this kind of innovative and effective work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we gather here for our last session day for 2025, the federal government is preparing its upcoming budget address, fall economic statement, and second nation-building announcements. Our future concerns me there, Mr. Speaker, past disasters, and the future uncertainty.

Mr. Speaker, there's positive solutions. For example, for infrastructure deficit we can recruit EPCM for project execution.

Mr. Speaker, our fiscal position grows more dire by the quarter, and yet our nation-building projects that could secure our economic future, the critical infrastructure and essential transportation links remain trapped in regulatory processes.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a time for cautious optimism or patient negotiations; this is a moment that demands decisive action from this government. We must ensure that we are doing everything in our power and making our case forward for investments.

Mr. Speaker, as we close the calendar year, previous years to date showed costly disasters, old community evacuations, threatening wildfires, floods, costly fly-in essentials. Adaptations are our solution.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the possibility of a federal election. There is a possible two-year timeline schedule for our NWT nation-building project security. I urge this government to submit the business case for the Mackenzie Valley Highway as soon as possible. Our economic future depends on the investments. This will create disposal economy, jobs opportunities, business opportunities, and taxable income.

I also want to thank my colleagues here today and wish you a safe travel home and winter season. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today it's our last day of session. It's usually a day of reflection for myself like many others, I'm sure, reflecting on all the hard work that's been done by committees, all the hard work that we've done throughout this budget process. And then, of course, Mr. Speaker, I reflect on thinking about those that the reason we can do this work and we're here to do this is the sacrifices of those that came before us, Mr. Speaker. I know personally I have and have had and still have members that serve in the military. I have family members that served in both the first and second world war, as well as other conflicts in the Middle East and around the world. And I know, as I said, other Members, Mr. Speaker, here likely do as well. So I'm just -- a reminder and to, please, everyone take part in your Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th, support your local poppy drives where you can in your communities, Mr. Speaker. It's very important. These organizations do great work. Your local legion, if you have one, do amazing community work, and that money is greatly needed for that poppy drive. So I would certainly remind and encourage everyone to take part in that, Mr. Speaker. And I just want to say thank you to the members that served. On November 11th, I look forward to seeing my community and family members out at the event, and lest we forget, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about education in the Tlicho region and the importance of helping our students succeed.

Mr. Speaker, many students face challenges that make it hard to stay in school. Our region has the worst overcrowding in the Northwest Territories. For many families finding a quiet space to study or do homework is not possible. We cannot accept this reality when the well-being of our children is at stake. Even with a lack of housing, we must develop strategies to support students and make sure they have every chance to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho region also has one of the lowest attendance rates in the Northwest Territories. About 60 percent of students attend school regularly. That means many young people are missing valuable time in the classroom, time to learn, time to grow, and to build the skills they need for the future. We must work together as families, schools, and leaders to find ways to help our students stay in school and reach the graduation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to speak directly to the students and families in my region and other region as well. To the young people, education is a gateway to opportunity and a safety net for life. It helps you build the skills to find good jobs, support your family, and contribute to your community. It gives you confidence and the ability to make your own choices. When life gets hard, your education is something you can always rely on. It is a foundation that stays with you and helps you move forward. Education opens doors. With it, you can build a good and stable career, work towards a comfortable retirement, and enjoy the life you've earned. We all grow older, so make smart choices now that will help you live well later. Your education matters, to the young people. Mr. Speaker, I will have question for the Minister of Education. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on this Halloween Day, I would like to revive a dead debate of a previous Assembly and join my colleague from Great Slave, and the former Member for Yellowknife North, in talking about scrapping the time change. Mr. Speaker, we fall back to standard time this weekend on the night of November 1st and November 2nd. And as I do every year, I've been hearing from constituents on this.

Mr. Speaker, when the 19th Assembly studied the possibility, NWT residents overwhelmingly supported the idea. As the Member for Great Slave mentioned in her statement, over 3,500 people participated in the survey, 87 percent of respondents stated that they would like to scrap the change. And, you know, Mr. Speaker, I know that the Premier, when questioned about this, mentioned that it wasn't a priority, but I continue to hear from constituents about it, and I felt the need to raise their voices today.

Mr. Speaker, it was not followed through, primarily -- and, you know, I had a conversation with the Premier offline, and since other neighbouring jurisdictions were not immediately on board, there would be costs and difficulties to go through that route alone. And he shared some information with me on lessons learned from the Yukon, and I think it did give me pause. It's certainly something that doing it alone would be costly and difficult. And we have enough problems coordinating with Alberta as it is, and we don't need to add a time differential to those issues. So I was certainly disappointed personally when I saw the plebiscite results in Alberta that they chose not to scrap the change. But, Mr. Speaker, I also want to communicate a bit of a message of hope.

There's momentum gaining behind this issue. A recent poll shows that a majority of Americans are in favour of scrapping the change. Only 12 percent are interested in keeping it. I heard that a bill was introduced in the American senate to get rid of daylight savings time, and I also understand that there's a Private Member's bill being studied in Ottawa to reiterate this interest and reset this debate. And, Mr. Speaker, I just want to take the opportunity to reiterate my support and note that this is something that's important to my constituents. I think it's clear to me that this is something that needs to be done on a national, potentially a pan-national basis just to get everybody in line and that the misalignment is the problem. But I think my constituents, and thousands of Northerners who participated in the survey, would like to see the Premier expressing support for scrapping the change when he has the opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Spooker. It's that time of year again I give my annual statement. And I encourage people to see it for what it is, a little humour into the Assembly, and hopefully the Cabinet isn't offended. And, certainly, that isn't the intent.

Mr. Spooker, in the theme of Addams Family, I'll start again this year, Mr. Spooker.

They sit there in their spooky chairs with powers they refuse to share;

Members eating day old spam while Cabinet feasts on suckling ham;

The Simpson Family.

They get their briefings and act like czars; they stuff their ridings with trucks and cars.

Cabinet sits and laughs away while Members poke, toil away;

The Simpson Family.

We slog with motions in this House; the Cabinet sits silent like a mouse;

They call it consensus; we say gross;

The Simpson Family.

They sit there in their spooky chairs with powers that they refuse to share;

Members eating day old spam while Cabinet feasts back on that suckling ham;

The Simpson Family.

The budget's too thin; they're too cheap;

The Ministers all are fast asleep;

No dust control for my hometown; money never seems to go around;

That's the Simpson Family.

Bring it home, Mr. Speaker.

My goat trail repairs are too steep; they take our money to build their heaps;

Through slush and snow, our roads no go;

The Simpson Family.

And finally, Mr. Spooker, in his creepy chair, his egor watches far too close;

As Members are truly engrossed, we have to work with the Simpson Family.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank all Members for the fact that once a year we can take a little fun and enjoy it in the spirit it's intended. And, lastly, Mr. Speaker, noting I don't have any time on the clock, I will say please have a safe Halloween and enjoy it in the spirit it is that we are coming together. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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

Good morning, colleagues.

Today, I rise to share the passing of the loving member of the Fort Simpson community. On September 1st, 2025, the Norwegian and Godbout family, along with the broader community, lost a cherished mother, wife, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Rolande Marie (Godbout) Norwegian.

Rolande was born on March 8, 1951 in Drummond, New Brunswick to Dora and Roland Godbout. She was third of seven children and grew up surrounded by her siblings with a deep love for animals on the homestead.

After graduating high school, Rolande pursued a teaching career at university. This career brought her North, and while it was not known at the time, Fort Simpson would become her forever home. Although she eventually realized that teaching was not her true calling, her move North lead to discover something even greater - her lifelong partner Andy Norwegian. They married in December of 1975 and were just four months shy of celebrating their 50th anniversary. Today Rolande and Andy built a beautiful home and loving family, raising a daughter Zita, a son Guy, and welcoming two more daughters Sharlene and Hilary in their family.

Colleagues, Rolande was a kind and generous woman who gave freely of her time and heart to her family, friends and community. One small story shared about her passing speaks volumes. A woman of the community contributed food for the reception recalled how when she arrived in Fort Simpson without transportation, Rolande would drive her to various communities without a complaint. The simple fact of kindness left a lasting impression as did many of Rolande's gestures throughout her life.

I had the honour of meeting both Rolande and Andy when I arrived in the community. They were warm, welcoming, and deeply committed to both Fort Simpson and to the values of education. Rolande was always friendly, always smiling. Whether she was working or volunteering, she gave her full effort with grace and dedication.

Rolande's funeral was well attended by family, friends, and community members from Jean Marie, Sambaa K'e and Fort Simpson. Four of her siblings were present. The service held in three languages - English, French, and Dene Zhati. It was beautiful tribute and one Rolande would have truly appreciated. Her sister-in-law Gladys Norwegian delivered a eulogy which I have attached to this statement and respectfully request it be deemed as read and printed in the Hansard.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff at the West Edmonton Kidney Care Centre, Stanton hospital, University of Alberta Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Kamloops hospital, and the Fort Nelson health centre, as well as the dedicated teams at the Fort Simpson home care, long-term care, and health centre. Their gratitude also goes to the many family members and friends who offered prayers and support during Rolande's sickness.

Rolande will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Her legacy of love and compassion and service will live in all those whose life she touched.

Rolande Norwegian

My name is Gladys Norwegian. I'm Andy's sister. Today, it is my honour to share memories and.

Achievements of Rolande (Godbout) Norwegian's life, a kind-hearted woman who loved giving. Her warmth and compassion with her beautiful smile that lights up her face touched everyone she met. She was a woman of unwavering strength and boundless love. She appreciated neatness and organization. Zita and Guy will never forget their Saturday morning cleaning rituals, which they've continued, with Guy taking them just slightly further.

Rolande Marie Godbout, Norwegian, was born and raised in Drummond, New Brunswick, surrounded by her siblings and various farm animals. Cherished memories were shared and retold of her sibling's antics and her love for the various animals her family kept throughout their childhood.

Rolande grew up and attended university, where she studied Home Economics, which led her to Fort Simpson for a teaching position. Very quickly, she realized that she did not enjoy teaching. And this is when she met Andy. It was a 70's romance. Peace out! Their love was strong, not only in words but also in how they spoke to and cared for each other.

They got married in December 1975. They have been married 49 years and 8 months; 4 months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary.

They started a small family with Zita and Guy, which later grew into a larger family, with the addition of Charlene and Hilary Deneyoua, followed by grandchildren Chris, River, Keegan, Jaxon, and Ava.

Rolande worked at several places throughout her life. She worked at the Power Corp office and Midnight Petroleum, as well as the Fort Simpson Health centre, and even took on the challenge of running a home daycare when her granddaughter, River, was young. She also taught as a teacher's assistant alongside Andy when they lived in Jean Marie River. In recent years, she volunteered at the.

Catholic Parish Church until she was no longer able to do so. Whatever she took on, she did it with integrity.

In closing, her daughter Zita said. "This is what I have learned about death and dying. It can push you into new experiences and emotions that you are not ready to deal with, but it also brings family and friends together, sharing memories and stories of the past. Creating new memories with the loved one."

Our elder Laura expressed that Rolande came to live with us when she was very young.

Rolande, you will be missed. Memories of you will stay forever in our hearts. You may be small in stature, but your presence is mighty. Mahsi for being in our lives and brightening our world.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my former colleague and good cousin Michael Nadli who is here in the gallery today. Great to have you back in the House. And I'd also like to recognize some pages from my riding of Range Lake:

• Ava Fuentes
• Hayden Purcka
• Savannah Martin-Maitland
• Tristan Taggart
• Mathew Sison

It's great to have you working. You've been good spirits with long days and lots of talking, but we couldn't do this job without you. Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize one of our pages, Alexis Grant from Yellowknife North.

Again, I want to thank all the pages for their work this week, their patience with us, and always keeping our water glasses filled and hopefully having a little fun and learning something along the way too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to also recognize the former MLA Mike Nadli, and, also, he used to be the grand chief of the Deh Cho region as well. Also I'd like to say thank you to all the translators that are here. Mahsi for your services. And also the pages and staff of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize one of our former colleagues, Mr. Michael Nadli, and current negotiator for the Deh Cho First Nation. So if Members want to support that Deh Cho process, maybe we can wrap up question period early so I can sit down and meet with Mr. Nadli today. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Hay River North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Michael Nadli. I had the pleasure of working alongside him during the 18th Assembly and also recognizing our pages and the endless services they provide. Have a good weekend. And our translation department, may you all enjoy the weekend. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to recognize today our interpreters. My favourite day of session is the day that you and I get to have lunch with all of them. I appreciate the time they spend with each of us and the extra time they spend with me helping me on my statements. I'd also like to do a special recognition of Susie Napayk-Short, our Inuktitut translator. It is her birthday today, Mr. Speaker.

Happy birthday, young lady. 29 for the first time? Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

It's up to the Spooker. Mr. Spooker, I too wish to say hello to and acknowledge my cousin from the Deh Cho, Michael Nadli. I was a former Member with -- or he was a former Member with me, or we were Members at the same time, however you want to put it. I know he's very passionate about the Deh Cho process, and I'm convinced that if anyone can help bring that process home to a completion, it will be him. Thank you very much for his hard work and care. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [Translation] INSERT [Translation Ends] Masi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize another resident of Yellowknife South, a politically involved sports mom like myself, Nicole Csar. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, we welcome you to your chambers. Like I said numerous times, you've given us the ability to represent -- us 19 to represent the people of the Northwest Territories for the four years, and I thank you very much for that honour. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It is always nice to see people in the gallery.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government has committed to continuing to strengthen our relationship with Indigenous governments and work in partnership towards shared future based on system of cooperative governance. My question is to the Premier. How does the Premier reconcile that with a reported lack of progress at the Deh Cho negotiation table? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been enhanced cooperation around the territory with Indigenous governments. I can attest to that. Indigenous governments can attest to that. Maybe not every single person in the territory is on the same page and has the same opinion, but I hear it all the time that we are collaborating, cooperating in a different way, and it's much appreciated. That being said, there's collaborating in general, and then there's the negotiating table, and those are two different things. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the Deh Cho negotiation process has spanned over two decades, what specific steps will the GNWT take to accelerate progress and rebuild trust with the Deh Cho First Nation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So recently the Deh Cho First Nation and the Minister of Crown and Indigenous Relations committed to working towards an agreement in principle early next year, and I've said that the we are -- the GNWT is not going to be the party that slows that down, so I'm committing to working alongside all of the other groups in the negotiations to ensure that we are doing our part to move these negotiations along as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to personally engaging in the Deh Cho process, negotiations to ensure that the GNWT responds meaningfully to the proposals that have been tabled? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will engage in the process as the Minister as is appropriate. I don't want to say that I am going to sit at the negotiating table. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I can just do, you know, Mr. Nadli's job without a lot of background information, a lot of training, and a lot of time spent digging deep into the file. We have people who do that work, and it's my role to ensure that at the high level I'm providing the direction needed to get things done. And I am going to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of ECE. I'm really happy to hear that our NWT nominee program will be opening up again to another intake. We have about two months before the end of the year, so can the Minister please tell me how ECE is preparing to deal with the inevitable rush for applications? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, luckily through conversations, both at the political level and officials' level, we had a tiny bit of pre-warning that some increases would be coming. We didn't know exactly what those numbers would be, but that little bit of time allowed us to work diligently behind the scenes to ensure that we were getting ready, ensuring systems were in place, ensuring staffing was in place. Staff will need to work overtime in order to get these applications processed and have committed to doing their darndest after a very busy year in order to help us process as many of those applications as possible, and so I'm very thankful to the hard work of staff in that department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, thank you to ECE staff as well.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain -- we had folks apply in February and July of this year; they didn't make the cut for a space in the NTNP. So how many applicants in this intake will that cover? Will we go back to those original folks, or will they have to reapply again? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, all eligible applicants from both February and July 2025 intakes were accepted and are currently being processed. Anybody who was not an eligible applicant was immediately notified that their application was ineligible, so they will need to reapply for the third intake of 2025. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from the Yellowknife Centre -- or sorry, Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, thank you for that from the Minister. And if we do not fill the full allotment of spaces that we have retained back to the 300 level, will we lose spaces in the 2026 allotment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this was also a concern of mine. I was able to clarify with the federal government that they acknowledge that it will be a challenge to fill all of the spots in the remainder of the calendar year. And while they have indicated to us there is no opportunity for carryover of spots into 2026, our inability to process some applications on the back end is not going to have an impact on the allotment that we get for our program in 2026. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the June 2024 budget commitments, health and social services committed to expand midwifery services to two more communities without birthing services. Mr. Speaker, what progress has been made on the establishment of midwifery services in Behchoko?

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Sorry. Can you repeat the question, Mr. Speaker.

Member from Frame Lake, can you please (audio) --

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to reiterate the question -- and I didn't specify I was asking it of the Minister of Health and Social Services. But, Mr. Speaker, in their June 2024 budget commitments, health and social services committed to expand midwifery services to two more communities without birthing services. My first question is what progress has been made on the establishment on midwifery services in Behchoko? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry, Mr. Speaker. The midwifery leaders at the department and the health authority have explored what it would take to expand service to Behchoko and a second community within the existing fiscal resources. These discussions led to a thoughtful and holistic proposal of the future expansion of midwifery services. However, the level of financial investment required, combined with the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, makes the expansion beyond the current service not possible right at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm quite disappointed to hear that. I understand, Mr. Speaker, this was a budget commitment made in response to a committee and was committed to on the floor by the finance Minister. It's difficult for me to understand them saying now it can't be done. Can the Minister elaborate on that and why are we reneging on the commitment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Tlicho government, as a self-governing Indigenous nation, has indicated through the Tlicho Community Service Agency that they are not ready to integrate formal midwifery services into their system at this time. We must respect their position and continue to work collaboratively to support the community health priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly, I respect that response. But the commitment also did speak to expanding to communities outside of that region. So, you know, the point is that midwifery services are needed in many communities. There was an additional community on the list. Why is an additional community not being considered? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, the department's focus remains on sustaining and strengthening the existing midwifery programs in Fort Smith and Hay River, which are foundational to our midwifery care in the Northwest Territories. Expansion is not solely a matter of funding, but it also depends on the availability of qualified midwives, community readiness, and the ability to maintain high quality, culturally safe care. Recruitment and retention challenges continue to be a significant barrier, and efforts are underway to address these through targeted strategies, including the midwife recruitment campaign that was launched in December 2024. However, there hasn't been any -- the recruitment challenges still remain. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

[Translation] INSERT [Translation Ends].

I won't do them in French because I am a product of the immersion system, so I will spare the House that.

Our French, how we manage our commission scolaire is very different than our neighbouring territory, the Yukon. The Yukon government gives far more flexibility to the commission scolaire to make their own decisions within the policy set where our government has very restrictive -- restrictive models of controlling admissions and other aspects of French first language education in the Northwest Territories.

Will the Minister commit to adopting a model more similar to the Yukon's where there's more autonomy given to the commission scolaire so French language education is in the hands of French language -- or Francophone communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also a product of the French immersion system and believe that representation certainly matters. And that said, Mr. Speaker, I am currently working on some regulation changes alongside the CSFTNO here in the Northwest Territories. Specifically, our regulations speak to the fact that currently French-first language schools are found in Yellowknife and Hay River, and so we are removing the designation of those two communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are provisions that allow that Francophone minority language communities to ask for education services to be provided if they demonstrate a need. Can the Minister explain what processes are in place to ensure that when rights holders are applying for their constitution, their Charter rights to education, that those are met regardless of capacity challenges from this government. But when a right is asserted, it needs to be honoured. So does the department have processes in place that when Francophone communities are asserting that, or language minorities are asserting that, they will be heard? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have processes in place, and it's not just the Department of Education, Culture and Employment working alone. We also work quite closely with the Department of Justice to make sure that we're working together, that we're gathering information that we have available to us, and working through this process with French-first language communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And yet they keep getting sued, Mr. Speaker. So clearly something's not working. So will the Minister commit to a full evaluation of this system? And let's take one aspect of it, the 85 percent capacity threshold for enrolments, will she convert that to a capacity threshold on non-rights holders as they have in the Yukon so we can allow these schools to grow, to thrive, these students to thrive, and Francophones to have their rights respected in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while absolutely we respect section 23 rights of Canadians and uphold those rights as a territory, we've also heard frequently in this House this week about the need to make sure that we're also balancing the needs of all kids in all schools across this territory. So one of my responsibilities is to ensure that that need is balanced across the territory and that we are able to maintain and invest in the assets that we do have. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently there was a proposal for housing that had gone out and been awarded. Dozens upon dozens of people pulled the contract to look at it, and it boiled down to five people presented a bid and ultimately four out of the five were disqualified for that housing bid and hence there was one that remained. Now, I'm not here about saying one bid should matter over the other, and I'm not picking a bid or a winner, but the fact remains is that after the bid was awarded there's a thing called an appeal period. But the bid continues to be awarded to the one standing company only. So what's the point -- sure. To the Minister, what's the point of having an appeal period if it just gets ignored and the contract just follows through as if no one else matters at that point? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, a contract was recently awarded and announced for the Northwest Territories, 84 modular units in the North. There is an exemption period, an appeal period, and housing is moving forward with the construction. And the exemption or the oversight of the bid will be used as a lesson going forward if there's any discrepancies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in the standard we use for hiring process, if there was a competition and the job ends up finding one winner and there's an appeal period, no one's technically awarded the job until that appeal period is going. Why is this so much different given the fact that it's the exact same concept except we award millions of dollars and we put millions of dollars at risk during the appeal period that we could end up paying for it twice in theory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, thank you to the Member for the question. It is quite concerning and -- to him. But Housing NWT needs to move forward with our modular construction because, as everyone knows in this Assembly and in the Northwest Territories, we need homes and we need more homes for Northerners. So if we continue to wait for appeal periods and vendor complaint processes, holding up the entire process, that means we're losing time to build homes and move those homes into communities. So it is a vendor complaint process, not an appeal process, and this will inform future process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, these are very complicated processes and waiting a week or two does not change the ultimate outcome of this. Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask the Minister would she be willing to go back and revisit this process because if a contract eventually identifies the successful bidder, we should allow the people who want to appeal at least a reasonable amount of time to put their case to say maybe an error was made in awarding the process but yet only courts will solve that problem, and we could have a full transparency process if the Minister is willing to investigate this and see if she can amend the policies. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, just repeating my answer, it is a vendor complaint process and this will inform future processes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a question for the Minister of education.

When students face challenges like overcrowded housing, what supports are available to help them stay in school and finish their education? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many of our schools in the Northwest Territories have a staff member that they dedicate to supporting students and families. These days as well, we have many of our schools who have our kind of peer counselling program or wellness worker program, and so those are roles as well that also help students work through the variety and spectrum of challenges that our students are experiencing these days. And other programs that have seen quite a lot of success are our healthy foods program in our schools, which do draw students in. We end up with warm breakfasts, warm lunches, multiple meals during the day. And then in addition to that, education bodies can look at their staff and cohort and what the needs are of their students and have chosen different ways to address that and make sure that they're supporting students' needs where they're at. Thank you.

Yes, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of ECE explain how the department is working to connect with young people and keep them engaged in school in small communities? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within our system, the department of education largely connects with the teachers themselves and the educators and makes sure that they're providing them with the support that they need. This can be either through meetings that I have with chairs and superintendents, along with officials from the department in our ed leaders' meetings that happen multiple times a year. This happens also when I sit down with the NWTTA multiple times a year. But there's also professional development that happens from the department to the teachers, and a lot of that can be led or directed by what it is that the education body is looking for, because it's our teachers that spend all their time with students across the territory at the end of the day. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of ECE commit to working with families to better support students and improve attendance and engagement? Thank you. In small communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the opportunity I have to connect with education leaders is through our education leader table meetings, and I can certainly commit to continuing to bring this forward to them. Attendance is something that we talk about quite often, and the Member has my commitment absolutely to continue to keep this top of mind and top of discussion because it's vitally important that our kids are in school. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have more questions for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Can the Minister tell me when the GNWT sets securities, does that process take into account the wide spectrum of future possibilities from bankruptcy to planned closure? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question. The answer is certainly, yes. As the regulatory process proceedings roll along, the department provides a number of estimates, you know, whether it's regarding a regular closure and what that remediation process looks like. So I'll give a couple of examples. We would offer, you know, advice on water management, fuel and equipment, mobilizing and demobilizing in the event of a regular kind of process of shutdown. We also provide estimates in the instance of the worst case scenario where a business was to go bankrupt. And, you know, those security estimates take various things into consideration. You know, it assumes that the third party contractor will have additional costs because they'll have to be brought into site. It assumes that the fuel on site would potentially not be salvageable so that cost is calculated in as an example. And it also assume that crews and equipment, in order to do that work, would need to be mobilized to site. That's an example of some of the work that we do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what happens if and when a resource development company goes bankrupt and the GNWT is left with the bill? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a question that really has a number of possible directions as to how it could be answered. Certainly, you know, at the end of the day we have securities that are set through the process which we hold as a government to ensure that we have resources to do that cleanup at the end of the day. Having said that, you know, we have processes here where we may come for supplemental appropriations if that was to exceed the budget that was available. But we would also look at other possible ways to ensure that that work is done in the most economical way to ensure that we're staying within the commitments that are made and realizing that part of that process is really ensuring we have a balance of securities held overall to ensure that we're able to do the work at the end of the day but we're also, you know, considering that there are instances where things may not go as planned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the previous Minister of Infrastructure committed to establishing a building standards framework or Act which addresses accessibility concerns repeatedly raised by the human rights commission. Mr. Speaker, does the current Minister of Infrastructure have an update on the initiative to create a building standards framework or Act? Thank you.

Thank you. Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm aware of this, and there is a commitment to continue this process; however, obviously, with priorities of the government, things do change and do slow down different lines of work however we know that there's a need for this, and we'll continue to work on it. The Department of Infrastructure, municipal and community affairs, department of housing have been reviewing all the existing regulations, and we're hopefully going to advance some of this here in 2026. And, yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was a fairly non-committal answer. Hopefully advanced -- I would like to get a bit more concrete from the Minister. This is certainly one that's important to me and repeatedly raised by the human rights commission. Would the Minister be able to offer a commitment that we're going to advance work on this and perhaps have a legislative proposal in 2027? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's always nice to try to commit but we all know how we work here in the government, and we get sidetracked with doing other lines of work and our priorities on legislative proposals change. And yeah, so, I mean, at the end of the day, the policies, the legislative work, and all the background's being worked on. Obviously, I should be clear; it's not a current priority but there is work being done to try to move this along as we know that this is an appetite for many Members of this government. So, again, the commitment is to continue to work on this and move it along to try to get this out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

No, thank you, Mr. Speaker.