I would like to thank Ms. Cleary for the opening and blessing today.

Colleagues, before we get into our daily business, we have a bunch of Grade 5 and 6 students from Weledeh Catholic School. We'll behave ourselves really well, so these young people will say they want to be here in this House in 10, 15 years. So thank you very much for coming and attending.

Ministers' statements. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to highlight the significant strides we have made in advocating for better telecommunications services in the Northwest Territories. Our work with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, has led to transformative changes that will benefit all residents of the Northwest Territories.

On January 16th, 2025, the CRTC announced a groundbreaking decision to introduce a universal subsidy for internet services in the North. This decision marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards digital equity, ensuring that every household in the Northwest Territories can access affordable internet services. This subsidy will ultimately help bridge the gap between the high cost of internet in the Northwest Territories and the more affordable rates enjoyed by our southern counterparts.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has been a steadfast advocate for this change and our participation in the CRTC's proceedings has been instrumental in shaping this outcome. This subsidy will alleviate some of the financial burden on our residents and promote greater access to essential online services, education, and economic opportunities.

The GNWT advocacy work also contributed to NorthwesTel joining the federal Connecting Families program in the fall of 2023. Through this initiative, 1,870 households in the Northwest Territories had the opportunity to access highspeed broadband internet services for $20 per month. This program is also a testament to our commitment to ensuring that every family, regardless of financial situation, can stay connected.

Mr. Speaker on February 13th, 2025 I met with Ms. Nirmala Naidoo, the CRTC Commissioner for Northwest Territories and Alberta, and Ms. Joanne T. Levy, the CRTC Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and commended their recent decisions to improve the quality and reliability of internet services in the North and to hold service providers accountable for their services.

Furthermore, the CRTC has mandated improvements to Northwestel's wholesale connect service, which are meant to enhance competition and consumer choice in the North.

Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to highlight that our CRTC advocacy has also furthered our commitment to Indigenous reconciliation. The CRTC's recent policy decisions include measures to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, such as establishing a new Indigenous relations team, dedicated to ensuring that the needs and perspectives of Indigenous communities are reflected in all its work. This team will facilitate better engagement with Indigenous peoples and support their participation in CRTC proceedings.

Additionally, the CRTC has improved the broadband fund to include an Indigenous funding stream, specifically designed to support Indigenous-owned internet service providers in developing telecommunications infrastructure. These initiatives will promote digital equity, decrease the digital divide, and advance economic reconciliation by enabling Indigenous communities to build and manage their own telecommunications services.

Mr. Speaker, these achievements are the result of dedicated efforts by the GNWT, by Indigenous and regional governments, northern businesses, advocacy groups, and private citizens. We have worked to advocate for the needs of our residents, and these recent announcements are a testament to the power of collaboration and persistence.

The GNWT will continue to participate in the CRTC's proceedings to ensure that the implementation of the retail internet subsidy is effective and equitable. We will provide feedback on subscriber eligibility, the amount of the subsidy, and the disbursement process to ensure that the subsidy reaches those who need it most.

In closing, I want to express my gratitude to the CRTC for their commitment to improving telecommunications in the Northwest Territories. We are making significant strides towards a more connected and equitable future for all residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update Members on the implementation of new community government funding allocations that will come into effect April 2025.

MACA distributes over $110 million in annual funding through the community government funding policy. While this funding was never intended to cover 100 percent of community funding costs, the funding helps community governments cover the costs of core programs and services like clean drinking water, local roads, recreation, and public safety.

Mr. Speaker, these policies have remained unchanged in over 15 years. In 2024, MACA undertook a comprehensive review of the policies in collaboration with elected officials and administrative staff from 17 community governments, as well as representatives from the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and the Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories. The review recommended updates to the funding policies and allocations to bring more transparency and to align funding more effectively with community needs and activities.

In 2023, the Ministerial funding policies were updated to better reflect the current costs of typical community programs and services, allowing funding to be allocated fairly and equitably. These policies also uphold the decision-making authority of elected community councils, allowing them to prioritize programs and services that best meet the needs of their residents.

Over the past year, MACA has been working to implement these changes. The department engaged with 28 of 32 community governments to discuss the details and gather further feedback on various implementation options. I also met with the community leaders to hear their perspectives and insights firsthand.

Mr. Speaker, these updates do not introduce new funding for community governments. As noted, distribution models has remained unchanged for over 15 years. During this time, some community governments have received funding levels exceeding over 100 percent of the standard costs.

These adjustments are being made to ensure that all community governments receive a fair and equitable share of these funds. When the new allocations are implemented on April 1st, some community governments will experience increases in their funding, while others will receive a decrease. These updates are the result of extensive engagement over many years. Some community governments welcome these changes while others have concerns.

I have heard from leaders who are worried about funding reductions, particularly in smaller communities with less financial flexibility. At the same time, I have also heard from community governments that have been underfunded for years and has waited long overdue correction. We took these perspectives seriously, made changes to the policies based on our consultations, and are now moving forward with implementation.

To allow for a smooth transition, operations and maintenance funding levels will remain unchanged for the next three years, except for community governments funded over a 100 percent. That will be reduced to 100 percent giving local governments time to assess priorities and adjust accordingly.

To address longstanding funding disparities, changes to the community public infrastructure and water and waste services funding will be phased in over three years, starting April 1st, 2025. This is being injected as much-needed capital dollars and funding to support core services.

Based on the feedback received, MACA will also make further adjustments to the CPI policy to help address recruiting challenges related to staff housing needs. Additionally, MACA will undertake further analysis of the water and sewer rates with the community governments to ensure this core service remains affordable to residents, meaning no immediate changes to water rates will be required at this time.

Funding sustainable municipal services is a shared responsibility across all levels of government. MACA remains committed to advocating for increased funding to ensure local governments to have the necessary resources for core municipal services. Each community government must make its own decisions about what services to provide and how to fund any costs beyond what is covered by MACA's core funding services. We will also continue to work with those who have unspent capital funds to support them in implementing their priority projects.

Mr. Speaker, community governments play a vital role in delivering essential services across the NWT. MACA remains committed to ensuring that they have the tools, resources, and funding required to meet the needs of the residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, long live the King. I'm not referring to the one across the pond but the one across the bay, Yellowknife Bay. Long live the Snowking and the Annual Snowking Festival.

Tomorrow everyone is welcome to come down to the snow castle for the grand opening and the ceremonial smashing open of the snow door starting at noon and featuring the Yellowknives Dene Drummers. It's free admission tomorrow.

The castle is a place of wonder, joy, and pure fun for kids and kids at heart of all ages. You can take a spin down the ice slides. And I saw there are some extra steep ones this year for the daredevils out there. You can enjoy live music and puppetry and marvel at the carvings made out of snow and ice. The International Snow Carving Symposium is also happening this weekend, so you can watch top level carvers from around the world as they craft giant snow sculptures from start to finish.

This is a special year. It's version XXX of the snow castle, which makes it sound racy, but it means it's the 30th anniversary of this well-loved festival. It's been 30 years since Snowking started making snow forts for his kids outside his houseboat on the bay, and it quickly became a community project. It turns out lots of people love to play in the snow, and so the annual project has attracted a loyal team of carpenters, artists, and performers, and countless volunteers.

It has also lured people like myself away from their office jobs. I was once a full-time castle crew member for eight winters, and it's been one of the greatest experiences of my life and the best work environment I've ever had. All team members get to incorporate their own ideas and creativity, everyone is encouraged to take risks, hopefully not fall off any ladders, but to experiment with new designs, take on new roles and challenge themselves. And if it doesn't work out, then it will all melt away in the spring and it's a blank slate for next year. That kind of environment not only brings out excellence from its workers, but it brings an entire community together.

To find the snow castle, you go down to Old Town and turn right at the Woodyard Brew Pub, and while you're at it stop in and enjoy some of their limited edition Snowking XXX lager created especially for this anniversary year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, first responders are real life super heros. They run towards danger to save lives using incredible skills few possess. We rely on them to protect us and they, in turn, rely on us to do all we can to prioritize their safety and well-being because unlike in comic books and action movies, there are no super powers that can make them immune to illness and injury.

When wounded warriors stepped up to provide easier access to services for firefighters, particularly regarding mental health, it revealed a gap that showed PTSD was not covered by WSCC legislation. This gap also revealed several cancers which firefighters are increasingly afflicted with that are also not covered; and, that the latency periods for presumed coverage was too long for those that are currently included in the legislation. An update to this legislation is therefore required to ensure WSCC has all the policies needed to ensure acquiring treatment for cancer is streamlined and more benefits and services are available to firefighters and their families.

In this process to update WSCC legislation and bring it in line with other jurisdictions in Canada, such as British Columbia and Alberta who do provide this coverage, who are working to improve the lives of their workers and compensation, firefighters are advocating for changes that have been -- and become frustrated when it's become clear that our WSCC process is very complicated and slow in both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Mr. Speaker, firefighters have been waiting ten years for those changes, and now they're told they must wait another two years for the next election in Nunavut to take place. They cannot wait any longer as their occupation becomes increasingly dangerous.

The Northwest Territories has already fallen well behind the rest of Canada in protecting our firefighters from serious illness. When will the Minister choose to work closer with his counterparts and establish a clear timeline for this crucial legislation? These are our first responders that keep our communities safe. They've been waiting for too long for this help. We need to help our firefighters and first responders now and give them the support they need. And I hope the Minister will agree with me when I ask him questions later today. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the critical work of food banks Canada in addressing food insecurity across our northern communities.

In December 2024, Food Banks Canada held an important presentation and information sessions in Yellowknife. These sessions highlighted the alarming reality that first insecurity in our territories jumped from 26 percent to 36 percent between 2021 and 2022. With the Northwest Territories having the second highest rate among the territories at 26.4 percent, these information sessions served as a catalyst for bringing much needed food security services to our remote regions of the Northwest Territories.

The December meetings brought together regional community leaders and food security experts to discuss the unique challenges facing our communities and addressing the community food security issues by taking concrete steps to address the current food crisis.

Mr. Speaker, Food Banks Canada are committed to reaching our most remote communities, and this demonstrates their understanding that food security solutions must be tailored to our northern realities. I am glad to announce Food Banks Canada is actively working to plan a tour of the Sahtu regional communities during this spring season. This tour will build on foundations developed from last December and will focus on developing sustainable food systems that respect our unique northern context. As we move forward, I'm encouraged by Food Banks Canada's collaborative approach working with local communities to develop solutions that address our specific needs. Their commitment to understanding, proposing solutions, and advocating for policy change represents a comprehensive approach to tackling food insecurity in the North. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Housing in Monfwi riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a long sitting, and we can all use a good news story.

On February 24th, the Minister responsible for Housing NWT announced that ten new housing units will be making their way to communities in Monfwi riding as a result of a partnership with the Tlicho Investment Corporation:

• Behchoko will receive three duplexes;
• Gameti will get one modular single duplex; and,.
• Whati will get a stick-built two-storey duplex.

I have said in this House many times that housing is needed in communities I serve, and it is a relief to see progress. It is anticipated that these units will be occupied by springtime.

I would like to thank the housing Minister for this and also her visit to Behchoko on Friday, February 21st, where she joined community members for lunch and toured the seniors' duplex. Her presence in the community and connecting with community members meant a lot to the people. This is also a great example of partnership between the GNWT and economic developing arms of Indigenous governments, one that I hope other regions can benefit from as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the promotion.

Mr. Speaker, we've seen the news articles and we've seen the press releases that there's a change in ownership of Canadian North Airlines, no longer being owned by an Indigenous -- to Indigenous organizations, rather, but now a publicly-traded company. Mr. Speaker, we've yet to see what feffect that will have on the scheduled service, particularly up the Mackenzie Valley into Inuvik where, of course, I live, and it may, Mr. Speaker, invite competition, it may not, but we do know that currently the airport in Inuvik does not have security screening so if there was an appetite to have direct flights from Inuvik to other major airports in Western Canada, Mr. Speaker, we would need that infrastructure in there.

If I recall when the design for the new Inuvik airport building was completed -- and I know it's still on our capital plan, I believe, for 2027, there was space allocated, if I recall correctly, to have the security screening area put in the building, but I don't think there was a commitment to do it when the building was first built. And I think now, Mr. Speaker, given that there may be other opportunities in the aviation industry in that region, I'm hoping that we'll reconsider that design or certainly look at it again to ensure that we have screening services and security services in there. There's obviously other reasons why we would need that, certainly with -- you know, with the influx of drugs in the territory, certainly having airport security is always an advantage to that with dangerous things coming in and out. We also, as you know, just had our runway expanded so now we can actually accept larger aircraft, potentially international or certainly larger aircraft that can land there. So many reasons as we continue to move forward since the -- since we decided to put the new terminal building up there to maybe relook at that now and ensure that we do at least at the beginning -- and customs may come down the road, but have security and screening in that airport build when we initially build it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I got a little excited when I heard the King was going to be here, because I have issues with him about the treaties.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories faces addiction crisis that is affecting our young and young adults. These are young Indigenous men and women who are the future. I hear from my younger constituents all the time that they want to stay in the North to improve their communities and revitalize their culture. It is a shame that some of these young adults are impacted by the drug crisis, but they are always trying their best to fight back and become healthy again. And when they return to good health, I know they are ready to build a brighter future for themselves and their family and the community.

Unfortunately, many who have succeeded in battling addictions are still not coming back, and they have no choice. They were thankful for support for health and social services to seek treatment, but when they return to the North they find little aftercare they need at a vulnerable time in their lives. Instead, they are back surrounded by the terrible influences this drug crisis has inflicted on their communities with no end in sight. Then they are forced to choose between their health and the community and so many head back down south to be closer to support they need.

This lack of aftercare is affecting my constituents of all ages. Furthermore, not all of them necessarily need to leave to treatment in British Columbia or Alberta. We need to have a treatment option in the Northwest Territories, especially culturally-appropriate and on the land.

The Minister has done some good work already, but my constituents are asking for more resources. I hope that health and social services can work closely with Indigenous governments to improve treatment and aftercare in the North. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's hard to believe, but this is already the last day in February. The sun is coming back on the northern horizon, GNWT procurement officers are gearing up for the final spring to the fiscal year, and the coolest venue in Canada is about to cut its doors open.

As the Member for Yellowknife North already announced, Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Snowking's Winter Festival. 30 years, Mr. Speaker. That is quite the feat. That's 30 years of true grassroots community building.

This festival exists because of the hard work and dedication of a scrappy group of Yellowknifers who wanted to bring some winter magic to the town's children by building a snow castle. They didn't wait for funding. They didn't wait for a communication and marketing strategy. I reckon they didn't even wait for permits, Mr. Speaker; they just did it.

That's true northern spirit, Mr. Speaker. And since its humble beginning in the 1990s, this boldness and audacity has paid off and the festival has grown into a world-renowned institution and, dare I say, the best winter festival in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this year's festival will be running for four weeks, and the castle features a drawbridge, a dozen ice gargoyles, and a two-storey King's hall with four private snugs for your comfort and viewing pleasure. The snow castle will be home to art shows, standup comedy, music concerts of all genres from fiddle music to hip hop, dance events, puppetry, film screenings, and even larping. And, of course, a magical snow playground for kids of all ages, including everyone's favorite, the ice slides. The Snowking Winter Festival also hosts the famous International Snow Carving Symposium with some ten teams from seven countries and five Canadian territories and provinces competing under the theme Medieval Lore.

The castle opens tomorrow, and I'm happy to report that, courtesy of your Yellowknife MLAs, admission will be free for everyone tomorrow afternoon from noon until 5 p.m. so, as I do every year, I encourage everyone to come down. I encourage everyone to come down to the Yellowknife Bay and check out this year's snow castle. As the Snowking likes to say, there's no business like snow business.

Let's congratulate the 25 staff and as many volunteers that are working on this year's Snowking Winter Festival for these 30 years of absolute marvel and wish them all a blizzard of a success for the 30 years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak about the lack of cell service across the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, I've heard from numerous Deh Cho constituents who have voiced their concerns about the lack of cell service when travelling on the NWT highway system. People have safety concerns regarding the inability to call for help if something were to happen while travelling on our highways. Mr. Speaker, some people have told me that this is an issue that affects them so much that they fear driving alone, especially to do business in other communities or to visit family. This issue affects all residents and businesses as well, and it must be improved. The volume of traffic continues to increase, and this is a serious safety issue.

Mr. Speaker, this is an NWT-wide problem that all highways have and all regions are dealing with. All ten highways across the NWT have this problem, and this problem is especially dangerous for people in the event of natural disasters and emergencies when telecommunications can go down.

Mr. Speaker, I know this issue has come up across assemblies in the past, and now that improving public safety is part of this mandate of the 20th Assembly, I believe improving cell service across our highway system should be part of our government's plan. I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Coordination of benefits, many of us know what that means, but for those who don't that means when your work two sets of benefits are working together to get the same ends. We often here this when it comes to dental coverage and prescription coverage and, more particularly, we hear it as in the co-pay system works, 80/20. In other words, one covers 80, then the other one covers the 20.

So as a hypothetical example, Mr. Speaker, with respect to co-benefits -- and I stress hypothetical of course -- let's just say I had to get a prescription to stay as calm and as relaxed as I am as you see here every single day, you know -- you probably think they don't pay enough to keep me calm and relaxed. That said, Mr. Speaker, my submitted prescription -- and, again, this is hypothetical -- my first payer pays 80 percent and my wife's coverage picks up the remainder. But now this is what we're really talking about, the challenges of co-pay benefits.

Now this is a real scenario, not a hypothetical one. Imagine now you're sitting at the ripe age of being a senior. That's in some cases 55 or older, and you need to tap into your benefits for spectacles. And if you're a young person, spectacles mean glasses; you know, the old way of describing them. Mr. Speaker, your spectacles have a theoretic cap on extended health benefits of $300. Now, I'm not against the government saying, through our Blue Cross, going, do you have private insurance. Nothing wrong with that. Hey, let's spend someone else's money, no problem. So that said, the private insurance, if they paid $300, the extended health benefits will say well, we're not paying any more. That seems almost prejudice or bias by not allowing seniors to tap into their benefit.

So imagine, Mr. Speaker, if you have $500 prescription glasses -- and I should stress, in the old days we used to call them Hubbell telescope lenses where they were really thick. But nowadays, they have fantastic technology. If you have a very heavy prescription, they can grind those lenses and make them thin so you look -- they look as normal as possible, Mr. Speaker, which is very important for people's confidence and their ability to do what they need to do.

But those glasses, the extended health benefits says well, if your private insurance is already paid 300 bucks, we're not paying the gap, the difference. Seniors are being denied outright their benefit that they deserve and, as Northerners, they've earned. Mr. Speaker, I'll have questions for the Minister of health to fix this gap because we cover co-pay on dental and prescription. We should do it here too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Members' statements.

Colleagues, on Tuesday, November 5TH to Thursday, November 7th, NWT Tourism held their annual 2024 AGM, conference, industry awards recipients and fundraising auction in Yellowknife. They had over 160 attend the AGM, conference, awards ceremony, and auction. I am proud to say one of the awards winners is from Fort Simpson.

The company is -- and I apologize, if I say this wrong. Mary Jane, you can get mad at me later -- K'iyeli Tourism Services. The owners are Gilbert and Mary Jane Cazon. Some of you recognize that name - Mary Jane Cazon's, and you would be correct. She is one of our translators here in the Assembly.

She and her husband received the Operator of the Year Award from the deputy minister of ITI, on Thursday evening. Colleagues, I have read her speech and I can tell you she did an amazing job, which I cannot properly summarize, so the next best thing is to add it to the end of my statement and have it deemed as read and printed in the Hansard.

I have had the opportunity to know both these individuals for a long time. I have witnessed their commitment to share their cultural and sharing the rich traditions of the Dene people whether it was at the school, community celebrations, special events, or one-on-one conversations. It is always about pride in the Dene way of life and sharing this knowledge. Every year, the company delivers two cultural camps for elementary and high school students in Fort Simpson and provides day long and overnight options for each grade and class.
I am happy to tell you the company has taken program opportunities to help assist their tourism operation and staff development with ITI and mentorship of the youth. They have spent the last two years mentoring the same individual, so he has invaluable skills to support cultural tourism within the Deh Cho region. It has been about passing on their knowledge and the region's amazing history to others.

They were awarded and accredited by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada for its mark of excellence. Upon receiving this award, businesses that have been operating for years in the Deh Cho region have now added their services to be part of their seasonal booking packages. I would like to thank them both for the excellent work they are doing in the region and congratulate them on all their success and wish more in the future.

Today, it is my great honour to present the award for outstanding Indigenous tourism to a truly exceptional organization: K'iyeli Tourism Services. This unique venture, owned and operated by Gilbert and Mary Jane Cazon, is based in Fort Simpson in the Deh Cho region of the Northwest Territories. It's more than a tourism operation; it's a beacon of cultural pride and dedication, deeply committed to sharing the rich traditions of the Dene people with visitors from around the world.

This summer, I, along with several colleagues, had the privilege of attending a "feeding the fire" ceremony led by Gilbert and Mary Jane Cazon in Fort Simpson. It was a profoundly moving experiencea chance to witness the reverence with which they honour the land, their ancestors, and the spirits. Standing by the fire, I felt a deep connection to the Dene way of life and the values that guide it. Gilbert and Mary Jane's warmth and guidance made it a truly unforgettable moment, one that left myself and my colleagues feeling both humbled and inspired by the depth of their cultural traditions.

Gilbert and Mary Jane have poured their hearts into K'iyeli, investing not only in their business but also in the people who work alongside them. Through programs offered by Industry, Tourism and Investment, they've taken the time to mentor young Indigenous talent, passing on skills that foster careers in cultural tourism. For two years now, they have been working closely with a young mentee, imparting the knowledge and skills that will help sustain cultural tourism in the Deh Cho region for generations to come. It's a testament to their belief in the power of mentorship and the impact of hands-on learning.

K'iyeli's dedication to excellence has earned them accreditation and the prestigious Mark of Excellence from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. Since receiving this recognition, K'iyeli has seen an influx of new business, partnering with well-established companies like Black Feather and even national Geographic. Their contributions to Dene Culture Awareness and unique cultural offerings have set a new standard in Indigenous tourism, showing that they are not just delivering services they are sharing life-changing experiences.

K'iyeli's tours and cultural workshops take guests on a profound journey. Whether it's paddling along the mighty Mackenzie River, learning the craft of beading moccasins, or engaging in moose-calling and rabbit-snaring, Gilbert and Mary Jane have created an immersive experience that offers guests a rare window into the Dene way of life. It's no wonder that their business has grown and that they're booked season after season.

But perhaps one of the most inspiring aspects of K'iyeli's work is their unwavering commitment to community leadership. They are well-known figures in Fort Simpson, regularly visiting schools to teach traditional practices and foster pride in the Dene culture among youth. Their programs address community needs, focusing on vital issues like mental health and addictions, and through these efforts, they strengthen both the cultural heritage and social fabric of the community.

Gilbert and Mary Jane's leadership at K'iyeli demonstrates how powerful cultural tourism can benot only as an economic driver but also as a force for cultural preservation and community resilience. K'iyeli is a remarkable example of how a business can elevate and protect a culture, and their dedication is an inspiration to us all.

Please join me in congratulating K'iyeli Tourism Services, and Gilbert and Mary Jane Cazon, on this well-deserved award. Thank you for the work you do, for the stories you share, and for the legacy you are creating for future generations. Congratulations!
Thank you.

Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that; I thought you forgot about me. Mr. Speaker, I wish to echo the sentiments made by the Minister for MACA yesterday and expand on them just slightly.

Mr. Speaker, our territory runs on the sweat equity of volunteers. Many of those volunteers are well-known figures in our community, and some were recognized formally yesterday. I applaud all nominees and recipients of the Outstanding Volunteer Awards this year and each year.

Mr. Speaker, we should always applaud exceptional individuals, but I also want to take a moment to applaud everyone who sits behind a raffle ticket table or bags groceries for a kids' sport fundraiser. I want to applaud all the volunteers at the upcoming Snowking Festival which is free to all tomorrow, as mentioned by my colleagues, this Saturday. I want to applaud all ushers at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre and the Subarctic Safety Squad, or SAS, at Folk on the Rocks who ensure everyone has a safe weekend of music and cultural fun. There are endless examples, of course, but those are just some that spring to mind.

Mr. Speaker, as someone who has worked in and out of the non-profit sector for 20 years as a staff member and a volunteer board member, I'm passionate about what our fellow residents do heart forward and with no personal gain, except for the feeling of being in community which is priceless. Mr. Speaker, any and all efforts to commit yourself to helping your community is welcomed and appreciated. Everyone has different strengths and abilities, and no amount of effort is too small. So thank you to all the residents who volunteer. The social fabric of our territory is richer for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I'd like to recognize two pages from the Nahendeh riding, Jackson Martineau and a special one, Serena Gargan who is the granddaughter - granddaughter - of our translator Mary Jane Cazon. So I think this is a first. We've had a father and son in the Assembly. Now we have a granddaughter and a grandmother helping provide services to our MLAs. So thank you very much for your commitment to us here today. Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Oh, Member for Yellowknife North.

[Translation] And Zachary Messier who are from Allain St-Cyr School in Yellowknife, and they're both residents of Yellowknife South. [Translation Ends].

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me pleasure to recognize the services of our page and our translation ladies in the back and Jonas Lafferty as well. Enjoy the weekend. Mahsi, and thanks for your services.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Monfwi.

Mr. Speaker, masi. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, thank you. It's at the end of the month, and today is last day of the Indigenous language month, so I'd like to recognize all the interpreters in the house. When we interpret, it's a difficult job, we know that, and I just want to say thank you to them. As Dene people, we love our languages, and it relates to who we are. A good example of this morning is all the children in the gallery, when we say in our language, we don't say Weledeh, we say Wee Lee Deh. So I just want to correct that, and that's where they're coming from is the Weledeh School. I'd like to thank them as all. Thank you. [Translation Ends].

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from the Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Mary Jane Cazon and Sarah Gargan who do the Dene Zhatie translation. The work that they do is very important and needs to continue in assemblies such as this. Thank you. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, can the Minister of Infrastructure confirm that there is, indeed, a security and screening piece of infrastructure included with the new airport terminal build -- thank you -- in Inuvik.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was listening intently to the Member's statement. At this point in time I can certainly confirm that there is a design that is meant to balance both the current needs and future opportunities but as to what that might specifically mean, Mr. Speaker, I might need a little more time, and I'd be happy to get that information for the Member. Thank you.

Thank you. So I guess my second question will be then, so based on the Minister's answer would she commit to certainly having a -- reviewing that design to ensure that that important piece is included in there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I certainly am happy to confirm and to commit that we will take a look at the design. Certainly, this project began pre-COVID, and the world has changed significantly since then and continues to change. So if this presents us an opportunity now today to ensure that we are truly looking at the opportunities tomorrow, then I'm happy to take that opportunity. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, presumptive coverage for firefighters and first responders for PTSD and ten forms of cancer and event specific coverage, such as catastrophic disasters like the Fort McMurray wildfire or the wildfires we experienced here, are not currently covered by WSCC legislation. This means firefighters have to go through a lengthy approval process and, in some cases, they're dealing with terminal cancers and had to spend all this time fighting with insurance rather than enjoying the time they have left. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister -- can the Minister provide a reason why this work hasn't been done? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister responsible for WSCC.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's not that the work hasn't been done. It's ongoing. And, you know, I've been a firefighter for 30 years. I know it doesn't look like it, but I will say that this is something that's near and dear to my heart, and I think it's something that I've echoed that we need to keep working on and actually continue working on. This is something that's been also -- from the previous Minister responsible for WSCC has been addressed. So part of the complication is is with two territories sharing an organization, we have to work together with the legislation, and I know they're hardworking on this to get this pushed through. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one other thing that needs to happen that's not covered by legislation is the latency periods for testicular, colorectal, and esophageal cancer. These latency periods need to be shorter. They're currently not to the national standard. Is the Minister also looking at working with his counterparts -- or sorry, is the WSCC working on shortening these latency periods as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know every province and territory is different on their coverage for different types of cancers, and I know that some of the cancers that he's raised, I know, like, some of them are, like, 20 years in the service, that kind of thing. So I'm unaware if the work is being done on changing the timelines on them. But this is something we can look into and see if it's reflecting on what's the -- you know, the kind of standard or what's going on across the jurisdictional scan across Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of WSCC. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I provided a lot of information to the Minister so he could start there. He's welcome to do his own research. Mr. Speaker, we do have a peculiar set up with the WSCC unlike other jurisdictions. Could the Minister work to secure an agreement that we can move forward with this and start drafting our own legislation? We could pass the updates now, get it out of the way, and then Nunavut can catch up. But I think it's high time we did this. Every day we wait is a day that firefighters have to take more time to get coverage. It's not just firefighters; it's sheriffs, it's police officers, it's frontline responders. And we deserve to give them the best care that they're -- that we could possibly give them. So can we get this process started here in the Northwest Territories and then get Nunavut to catch up? I'm sure there's something possible. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and I hear the Member, and I do agree this is something that we need to work on. We'll continue to work, and we're in a unique situation where we share with Nunavut the responsibilities, and we'll continue to work with them and see how we can push this or get this through.

However, you know, workers are covered, and that's what emergency services are. They are workers. So there are some cases where they are covered under the Workers' Compensation Act. In fact, in the Act on page 28 shows a list of items that can be covered under workers. So there is some coverage, and I do hear the Member and we'll continue to work to try to escalate this. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister responsible for WSCC. Oral questions. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure on the cell service. When will the connections between the communities begin? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a situation that we are somewhat dependent or really quite dependent on right now on NorthwesTel. They are our provider of cell services. What we have done in this space is certainly encourage them directly as a stakeholder here in the North but also encourage CRTC to ensure that their funding pots and funding pools are available to provide supports for exactly this service. And, Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest reasons -- or one of the biggest barriers isn't necessarily just the cell towers themselves. It's the lack of energy to actually power those cell towers. So, Mr. Speaker, we've raised these issues both, as I said, with NorthwesTel and CRTC and certainly are hoping that we will continue to see positive responses from them in this space as we have on some other issues that we've raised. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, are there any communication safety alternatives that can be put in place between Fort Providence and Yellowknife and the other communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that actually is an opportunity to raise something that has been changing in the last couple of years where some of the vehicles that are used by the GNWT staff and fleet are installing satellite-based technology in those vehicles. This is not a perfect solution but certainly if folks are finding themselves in need on the highways, our staff now are better placed to actually provide cell coverage. And, Mr. Speaker, there's other opportunities that we may be able to use, again, to set up towers that would be localized at key points. Again, so just to provide at least some emergency services. So happy to speak to the Member more and perhaps there may be specific areas along the way that we could work towards having some emergency locations of that sort. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there a record of traffic incidents on these isolated stretches of highway that lack cell service? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is, indeed, and I certainly can get those numbers for the Member. I don't have all different stretches of highway. But I would certainly be able to provide that to this House.

And, Mr. Speaker, I just want to make one more note. There are -- there is a movement in some phone abilities now for people's cell phones to actually connect directly to satellite. I want to say that here because, again, this is an issue that affects residents, and I appreciate the opportunity to bring attention to the fact that people should look at their own new -- the newer cell phones because they may actually have the ability to connect via satellite without a cell tower. So that technology is changing very rapidly and, again, we want to support residents to use what's available for their safety. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to raise a point of order. A few minutes ago in the House, when yourself mixed up the Member for Yellowknife South with the Member from Yellowknife North, myself, there was a comment from the Member for Yellowknife Centre stating that, well, it's just the same thing from our perspective, implying that I am somehow the same person as the Member for Yellowknife South, which is clearly not the case, but I think what was meant by this implication is that somehow we are inappropriately aligned. And, obviously, I think people know that I am an independent Member. I have my own positions, I speak for myself, I make my own decisions based on what is best for my constituents, and it feels inappropriate for the Member to imply that I'm somehow the same or just following the lead or, you know, following the will of a Member of Cabinet. So I wish to raise that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Just a brief second here.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. I am going to take it under advisement, and I'll make my decision by Monday. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's tax time. We're at the end of February. So I am going to bring up a perennial issue but not with the Minister of Finance, with the Minister of Infrastructure. Some folks might know Canadian North is no longer supplying the lowest return airfare. You have to go to CRA. And I have constituents asking me, and I will ask the Minister, what sort of engagement has the GNWT, Department of Infrastructure, done with the airlines to make sure that the CRA is considering our northern context? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we certainly have in the past, through Department of Finance, tried to work with CRA to encourage them to have a more flexible approach to determining what the lowest return airfare is. They do now have a tool that they put out. As far as them requiring or requesting the private actors to do that, Mr. Speaker, I can't say that I've certainly myself had any direct requests to them to do that. This issue did come up just recently from the MLA, and I haven't necessarily been able to sort of determine who to ask. In fact, there's been some change obviously of late in terms of who the owners of these organizations are. Happy to take it away, Mr. Speaker, and see if they would be open to some cajoling on that side but, Mr. Speaker, right now it's they're private companies, and it would be up to them whether they want to undertake something different than what they have now. My point of contact, really, would be with CRA to try to continue to get them to improve their processes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that, and I'm sorry if I misstated my intent. It's not that I am wanting the Minister to cajole private industry but rather to cajole CRA, as always, as her counterpart in the federal government. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance next. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

Okay, colleagues, remember, this is oral questions, not opportunity for Member's statements. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no matter how small the community is, it needs to have aftercare options so people can live there after treatment. How do we get more aftercare programs into the communities of Dettah, N'dilo, Lutselk'e, and Fort Resolution? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the Member's advocacy on this area. This is a hard discussion. Like, we always are having this discussion because we see it so much. We have it in our families. Addiction recovery is a personal journey, and there's no one size fits all so, yes, we have to provide different ways for people to be able to provide that journey.

Aftercare, you know, we provide a different variety of ways for people to help them to get sober or to deal with their addictions, whatever their addictions may be. But one of the things, and especially I'd like to highlight, is the community wellness and addiction recovery fund. You know, the Member comes from Indigenous communities, and this fund is designed for Indigenous communities to build their own program. It can be used for that aftercare support. There is money available every year for this, and they can design it on how it best fits their needs. We have staff that will support them in creating the proposal for the money. We've tried to make it as seamless as possible. So I would like to highlight that with this Member and, you know, and continue to work with them and his leaders and his communities to access this fund. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know if I got any more questions; she answered them all.

But anyway, Mr. Speaker, health can include services from other departments that promote healthy living such as recreation. What about the idea of the health and social services putting coordinators in small communities that can help coordinate all the options for my constituents from multiple departments, especially for the young people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I'm going to highlight -- and I'm going to continue to highlight the community wellness and addiction recovery fund as well as the suicide prevention fund that each community regional government can apply on up to $72,000 a year. I think the regional wellness and addiction recovery is up to $300,000 plus a year. Those dollars could be used to -- if it's part of their wellness in their community to enhance -- to hire somebody to work with youth, to do recreational programming, that is -- that's the flexibility of these two pots of funding, is to be able to use that money to create the program that will work in their community. So, again, I look forward to working with the Member and being able to -- for his community to access this funding for the betterment of his community residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you for that information. That's really helpful. How is the health and social services department coming along to establish a treatment centre here in the Northwest Territories? If that can happen soon enough, will the department work with the Indigenous governments to help make this happen, that would be awesome. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not going to -- you know, I want to highlight, you know, within the Inuvialuit region they have the Inuvialuit on-the-land camp that they have structured. We've heard and we've seen in the news the Gwich'in camp that they've created. Those are funding that they work bilaterally, a lot of that with the federal government, with some money over the years from GNWT. The Tlicho has recently gone to the federal government for their polysubstance use funding from the feds. There's many pots of funding out there so that Indigenous communities can build. We have heard loud and clear from Indigenous governments that they want to be able to run treatment facilities in the way that they want it close to the land base and provided by Indigenous in Indigenous values. The GNWT is not the place to do that. And so I encourage Indigenous governments to continue to reach out to our department for the community wellness and recovery addiction fund. If there's ways that they can work with our department to highlight other pots of federal funding, I look forward to having those discussions with other Indigenous leaders to access those dollars because I think across our territory, every Indigenous group wants to be able to provide that service in their own way, and we want to support them in that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.

So in meeting with Yellowknife shelter operators and local business owners and business advocates, a need was identified for a published list or a resource listing all the different shelter options available in Yellowknife, but specifically identifying hours of operation and where someone can go if they're intoxicated or not intoxicated, man, woman, you know, different age groups, so that if someone encounters someone who is struggling on the street or that's coming into a local business, they have an easy resource showing where that person might be able to go, you know, someone who fits into their situation and what is actually available to them. Can the Minister explain whether such a resource is already available? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have that level of detail on hand. I apologize to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister happen to know whether any gaps have been identified in terms of there are certain times of the day or night when someone who, you know, man or woman, who may be sober or intoxicated might not have anywhere to go; has that challenge been examined or identified by the department? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned yesterday in the House, the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs is working with NGO partners in Yellowknife. There's a meeting coming up in early March, another one in early April, and so that's the forum often where those types of discussions would happen, and those types of gaps would be identified. There's been a number of conversations over the past many months since last summer between the government and NGOs, and so I'm confident that the department is aware of those gaps. I don't have a list on hand, and I can't point to an itemized list for the Member but given the relationship that has been developing with the NGOs I'm confident that there is an awareness of that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the fact that there's people often working in silos, each doing their own separate effort, would the Minister commit to producing such a sort of easy to use resource not just to be able to give out to shelter operators, but to distribute amongst Yellowknife businesses who are really asking for this resource? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a -- I'm happy to look into this and see what we can do. It makes sense to have that information available. You know, even for MLAs, we often get inquiries from constituents and we need that type of information at hand, whether you're a Yellowknife MLA or you know some folks who wound up here and might need that information. So I will look into it and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the admonishment; I will not grandstand in my questions anymore.

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance. As she knows, and from my previous line of questions, there have been changes to the CRA posting publicly the information around the lowest return airfare. Can she confirm as to whether or not her department is sharing that information widely with residents to make them aware of this change and to be able to access that information? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's always a bit of hesitancy to be seen to be giving or suggesting how people should go about their taxes, but I take that point and I certainly commit to go back to the department and make sure that we are sharing what we can about where to access more information, what to do if people are uncertain about where to go with questions around CRA and to use their calculating -- calculators. So, again, I'll go back and make sure that our comms folks are active in this space and we're doing what we can to help educate residents. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I think that would go a long way for folks to understand the new lay of the land.

There is an outstanding issue that I am not aware of the answer to yet, but it was raised in this House in the 19th Assembly, which is northern residents tax deduction which is a related by separate issue. Can the Minister tell me if indexing of that residency amount has been raised since 2023? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe that it has, Mr. Speaker, but, again, this is where I do want to be cautious. I'll want to just confirm that I've got the right numbers and the right dates and will certainly by Monday have something on the table to the House just to confirm. It is an area where we do want residents to have accurate information and information that is, you know, certainly not seen as being advice from me or necessarily from the department. They should be seeking that from tax professionals. So to the extent that I can confirm that or provide access to those resources, I will have that tabled for Monday. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's a great privilege to have a question to the health Minister today, and we're going to talk about spectacles, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I'll put them on later.

Mr. Speaker, seniors who go and try to get their coverage are denied through Blue Cross if they have private insurance. Mr. Speaker, this issue's been brought to the department, but the department has said, sorry, we're not interested in talking to you because you provide health care. But, really, they're trying to ensure seniors get their benefit.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what she can do to help deal or wade -- help us wade through this quagmire of coverage. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And as I talk, my spectacles get fogged up because of the mask, so. So just with extended health benefits, if somebody else has other coverage they may be qualified, you know, through work or some other benefit. The extended health benefit is the payer of last resort. That is the policy. Therefore, residents have to claim through their first -- the first plan, and then if it's not all covered, then Alberta Blue Cross will pick up the difference up to the eligible amount. And if this is not happening, then we need to discuss this with Alberta Blue Cross because the policy isn't being administered properly. And so I thank Minister, if this is not what's happening, to inform us of this discrepancy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's the best answer I've heard out of Cabinet this whole session, Mr. Speaker. And I want to acknowledge that.

Mr. Speaker, the only other question, assuming it goes well, is that can I have the Minister agree that she'll investigate this and report this back to me or the House by -- well, say, can we get an update or some sort before the May session? Because I suspect the next two weeks is too soon. But if she can commit to do a public clarification as to what isn't being done but what will be done and etcetera, she understands. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and I would also like the Member if he wishes to bring the certain instance directly to my attention at my office so we can deal with that resident immediately. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for WSCC.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act; and, Statement of Consistency for Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for WSCC. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for WSCC.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member from Hay River North, that Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, be read for the second time. The bill will amend the Workers' Compensation Act to improve and update the way long-term benefits are calculated for permanently injured workers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 12 has been read a second time and is referred to the standing committee of the Assembly for further consideration.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Bill 11, Tabled Document 275-20(1), with the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh in the chair.

I now call the Committee of the Whole to order. We'll go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, as well as Tabled Document 275-20(1), 2025-2026 Main Estimates, Executive and Indigenous Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. We'll take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I'll get your attention, please. Before I move on to the bills and other matters, we have in front of us, I just want to take the time to recognize some guests in our gallery here today. I just want to recognize Mary and Gerry Darter, Christine and Eric Gornitsky. They come from California, United States of America. Welcome.

The next one I have is -- I hope I say this right. Tsuyoshi Nagao, and he is from Japan. I want to say welcome to the House. Mahsi.

Thank you, and we're going to continue on. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act. I will ask the Minister of Infrastructure to introduce the bill. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am here to present Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act.

Bill 11 is a package of amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, which include changing how information held by the registrar of motor vehicles can be shared.

First, Bill 11 will protect consumers by allowing anyone shopping for a used vehicle to independently verify its registration history.

Second, the bill will support the NWT Bureau of Statistics to conduct its population count by allowing the registrar to share information from driver's licenses with government agencies.

Third, the bill will prevent fraud by authorizing the registrar to use facial recognition technology to verify that anyone applying for a driver's license or general ID card does not already hold one.

Finally, the bill will reduce red tape by making minor changes to the application processes for persons applying for copies of their own data from the registrar.

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment conducted a clause-by-clause review of Bill 11 on February 13. And At that meeting, the standing committee adopted three motions to clarify wording in the bill, at the recommendation of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. I have agreed to all three motions.

That concludes my opening remarks, and I would be happy to answer any questions Members may have. Thank you.

Thank you. I will ask the Minister of Infrastructure to go to the witness table and, also, I'd like to get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses into the chamber.

Thank you. Would the Minister please introduce your witnesses, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left, Jeffrey Nichols, senior legislative advisor at the Department of Infrastructure. And on my right, Sue McKinney as the legislative counsel from the Department of Justice. Thank you.

I will now turn to the chair of the standing committee. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before I begin my remarks, I want to thank you for introducing our guests in the gallery. I happened to meet them earlier during the break. Of course, you mentioned they're from -- some of them are from the great state of California, which is quite a trek to come here, and, of course, the gentleman from the island of Japan. I should say island nation of Japan. So thank you again for acknowledging all our guests on the record.

So, Mr. Chairman, thank you. Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 30th, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for review.

On February 13th, 2025, the standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Infrastructure and completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill. I thank the committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. On behalf of the committee, I also wish to thank the Minister for assisting us with our review. And as always, individual committee members may have additional comments on their own. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your assistance. Thank you.

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on the bill, Bill 11. Any Members that have questions? Does the committee agree that there are no further general comments; can we proceed to clause-by-clause review of the bill? Committee, agree?