Please be seated. Thank you, Karen Mitchell for the opening prayer today.

Before we get into today's business, colleagues, I will now bring my ruling on the point of privilege raised last week. The Member from Yellowknife South rose on a point of privilege regarding a social media post made by the Member for Range Lake. I will not rehash the social media post in question or the debate in this chamber on the point of privilege. However, for those who participated in the debate, thank you. You have given me many things to consider.

When a point of privilege is raised, I must consider two things. First, was the point of privilege raised at the earliest opportunity. Second, on the face of it, is there is a question of privilege. This is also called a prima facie case of privilege.

I have decided that the Member from Yellowknife South did raise the issue at the earliest opportunity. However, this does not meet -- oh, sorry. Mixed up my paper.

However, the case does meet the test for a question of privilege. There is no prima facie case of privilege.

Colleagues, our privileges as Members of this Legislative Assembly are important. They are based on our parliamentary traditions and rules. These privileges protect us when we represent our constituents. We could not operate without these privileges.

In this case, I considered two privileges we enjoy as Members. The first is a question of freedom of speech. In our proceedings, we can speak freely. Only our rules limit what we can say. In this case, the words were not spoken in our proceedings. Had they been, they would have been out of order. If you were following our rules, your words in this chamber are protected. Outside this chamber, including on social media, they are not. Remember, there can be real consequences to words spoken or typed outside of our proceedings. Although I did not find it in this case, statements made outside of this Assembly easily could have been found a question of privilege.

Should a similar situation happen again, my ruling could be different. In fact, my ruling in this case may have been different had another Member raised the point of privilege.

The second privilege I consider is our freedom from obstruction and intimidation in our duties as elected representatives. The Member for Yellowknife South was not impaired in her ability to carry out her duties as a Member. The social media post in question did not impact the Member's ability to move forward and advance the 2025-2026 Main Estimates. We continue to review these estimates in Committee of the Whole. Additionally, conversations continue between Regular Members and Members of the executive council, including the Member in her capacity as Minister of Finance.

Colleagues, this is the second point of privilege. I repeat this is a second point of privilege ruling in a short period of time. The previous point was ruled upon at the beginning of this sitting. This is concerning. I do not discourage you from rising on a point of privilege. If your privileges are being interfered with, I want to hear about it. I cannot stress how important our privileges are in this institution.

Colleagues, the points of privilege and points of order raised lately are concerning. The people we represent in this Assembly are also concerned about the behaviour that they are seeing, and I've been spoken to numerous times on the street here and in my own riding. I expect more of you as Members of this Legislative Assembly. The people who elected us do too. We are here to work together for the benefit of all people of this territory. We were not elected to quarrel and bicker. This isn't what our people expect or need. There will be times when you will not see eye to eye. That is to be expected. It is part of the healthy tension that exist between Regular Members and Cabinet. However, this tension is not an excuse to be rude or misrepresent information. We all deserve to be given a fair opportunity to do our jobs representing our people.

Colleagues, as your Speaker, I am asking you to step up, do your part to ensure this institution is the respectful, effective place of debate it should be. I expect you to behave in a way Northerners will be proud of. In our consensus government structure, we hold ourselves and each other to a higher standard. As long as I am your Speaker, I will expect each of you to strive for this higher standard.

Further, I expect improvements in how we treat each other inside and outside of this chamber.

Colleagues, I'd like to thank you for your attention.

Before we move on to the orders of the day, I will provide my ruling on the point of order raised by the Member for Yellowknife North against the Member for Yellowknife Centre on a later date. Now, let's get down to business.

Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, investing in our roads, bridges, airports, and highways is critical to keep communities connected, improve safety, and support economic growth. Whether it is making sure families can travel safely, helping businesses move goods, or supporting emergency response, strong transportation infrastructure is essential for all Northerners.

Mr. Speaker, crews have already been working across the territory over the last year to improve road conditions and safety. And I have a few examples to highlight:

• Highway No. 1, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, received about 39 kilometers of chip seal overlay and work is underway to widen embankments and improve drainage.
• Highway No. 3, the Yellowknife Highway,
  received 89.5 kilometers of chip seal overlay and surface repairs to major dips that are scheduled for this summer.
• Highway No. 4, the Ingraham Trail, sections of the highway underwent embankment widening and culvert replacements, and work will then be continuing in the summer 2025.
• Highway No. 7, the Liard Highway, extensive rehabilitation has work begun, including chip seal overlay, road widening, clearing, ditching, and culvert replacement. This multi-year project that continues until 2026.
• And finally, Highway No. 10, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, crews focused on seasonal maintenance, including soft shoulders, wash-boarding, and culvert work. This season rehabilitation work will begin, continuing over the next few years.

In total, more than 150 kilometers of chip seal overlay was completed across Highways No. 1, 3, and 7.

Mr. Speaker, access roads are lifelines for smaller communities, and we continue to invest in their improvement as well. Significant upgrades have been completed or are underway in this area:

• Improvements to the Whati Access Road were completed this summer while the Rae Access Road received resurfacing and new chip seal.
• Rehabilitation work began on the Liard Access Road, including chip seal, road widening, clearing, ditching, and culvert replacement. This multi-year project will continue until 2026.
• And lastly, the Prohibition Creek Access Road, a key piece of the future Mackenzie Valley Highway, opened for year-round traffic this past fall.

Our bridges and crossings are just as critical. The Northwest Territories has 115 bridges and 247 bridge-culverts across our all-weather and winter road systems. GNWT bridge engineers regularly inspect all structures to ensure safety and reliability. Mr. Speaker, major bridge projects include the following:

• The Deh Cho Bridge, which received critical repairs to a broken cable and all connecting pins were replaced. The bridge reopened to regular two-lane traffic in early February.
• Replacement work on the Jean Marie River Bridge will begin in this summer and is expected to be completed by fall 2026.
• And work will also begin on the Redknife River this summer to replace culverts with a permanent bridge and should be completed by the fall 2026.

Beyond maintenance, we are investing in the future of our transportation network. The Mackenzie Valley Highway continues to advance with the Prohibition Creek Access Road marking a key milestone and, of course, we are currently undergoing an environmental assessment.

The Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge replacement project is also moving forward. We have recently held public engagement sessions in Behchoko, and we are using the feedback to help shape future plans. Construction is expected to begin this fall.

Mr. Speaker, aviation plays a vital role in the North, and investments in airport infrastructure are key to maintaining a strong, reliable transportation system:

• The Yellowknife Airport is developing a strategic plan to guide long-term sustainability and future capital improvements. This includes fleet renewal, accessibility upgrades, geotechnical studies on the airport's two runways and ongoing discussions with the Department of National Defence about potential investments through the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, modernization project.
• In Inuvik, the Mike Zubko Airport is undergoing a federally funded runway expansion to support northern air sovereignty operations. The runway is being extended by 3,000 feet to accommodate modern military aircraft, including the F-35 fighter jets. Additional upgrades include widening the runway safety area and improving drainage to address permafrost degradation, modernizing lighting, navigation and military landing systems, and resurfacing of the existing runway pending funding approval. This project is expected to be completed by 2029, with paving and electrical work scheduled for 2027, following permafrost stability assessments.

Mr. Speaker, maintaining infrastructure in the North comes with unique challenges. Climate change, extreme weather, and permafrost degradation all impact our roads, highways, and airports, and that is why we continue to work with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, academic institutions, and federal partners to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to keep our transportation system resilient. These investments reflect our government's commitment to build a safer, more efficient, and better-connected Northwest Territories.

I want to thank the engineers, contractors, maintenance crews, and everyone who works hard to make these projects possible. Their efforts ensure that residents, businesses, and visitors can travel safely and reliably. Together, we will continue strengthening our transportation network today and for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, effective emergency management and preparedness are critical to the safety and well-being of Northwest Territories residents. Today I want to recognize individuals and groups whose dedication and efforts have helped keep the NWT communities safe.

The Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award is a national recognition for outstanding contributions to emergency management. Federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers present this award to highlight efforts in prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. This year's NWT recipients are the Department of Environment and Climate Change's Hydrology Team consisting of Shawne Kokelj, Ryan Connon and Anna Coles.

Since 2021, the Hydrology Team has played a vital role in flood preparedness by providing critical updates to the GNWT, communities, and residents. Using satellite imagery, hydrometric gauges, and live camera feeds, they monitor ice conditions and water levels, regularly reporting on risks to support emergency planning. Their expertise and commitment have been instrumental in responding to severe flooding events.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the Hydrology Team on this well-deserved recognition and personally thank them for their above-and-beyond dedication to public safety.

Mr. Speaker, NWT community governments are on the front lines when disaster strikes, and the Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to supporting their preparedness efforts.

In April 2024, we updated the NWT Emergency Plan to better define the roles and responsibilities of community governments as they lead in emergency management. The updates confirm our mandate commitment to ensure that emergency management and preparedness initiatives strengthen our capacity to respond to more frequent and severe climate-driven disasters and other emergencies.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, a new Incident Command System, or ICS, training plan is underway, aiming to train up to 10 percent of the Government of the Northwest Territories workforce to assist during major emergencies. Additionally, we continue supporting community governments in updating emergency plans and preparedness activities.

The Government of the Northwest Territories also conducts an annual Be Ready campaign to educate residents on the risk, personal responsibility and practical steps to be prepared when an emergency is imminent.

Mr. Speaker, while progress has been made, there is more to do. Recent disasters have had lasting impacts, with recovery taking years. We must continue to enhance our efforts in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to help communities rebuild quickly and effectively. Success depends on strong collaboration at all levels: Individuals, non-government organizations, communities, Indigenous governments, and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the dedication of first responders, community governments, GNWT employees, non-government organizations, and all partners who work tirelessly to keep our residents safe. Once again, congratulations to the Hydrology Team and their well-earned recognition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Hay River North, the Premier, will be absent from the House today due to illness. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Deputy Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump's illegal tariffs on Canadian exports come into place tomorrow. We were optimistic in our hopes that diplomacy was an option, but, unfortunately, no matter how unlawful, unwarranted, or irrational these tariffs may be, they are the new reality for our country. After decades of friendship, the American President has betrayed our values of mutual benefit to initiate a bitter trade war where any cooperation between nations has become purely transactional. The United States has become a bully akin to Russia or North Korea using threat and intimidation to pursue their foreign policy. Therefore, we must now pivot as the Northwest Territories and Canada towards a new economic strategy that focuses on securing our future and markets elsewhere in the world.

While Northerners have felt left out of the great national debates in the past, on the topic of Canada's economic future, we find ourselves front and center because we have the critical resources the world needs. We have copper for electrical wiring, tungsten for hardened tools, nickel and zinc the steel industry could not go without. Recently, we have also discovered lithium and cobalt deposits vital for producing batteries and alloys and plenty of rare earth minerals which are highly sought after by specialized tech industries around the globe. These vast deposits of critical minerals will, once developed, grant Canada resource sovereignty needed for self-sufficiency and opening the door to new markets around the world. Most importantly, they will provide us with the strategic leverage required to negotiate better trade terms with the United States.

More locally, these industries will certainly kick start our economy back into high gear with employment opportunities our communities need and revenues the quality of our public services rely on. Yet, there are still many hurdles we must overcome as we set our future into motion. We've heard from Indigenous governments and industry are leaders that our regulatory system is prohibitive. Our permitting timelines glacial and consultations inadequate. The infrastructure needed to unlock our more remote regions is limited, and the capital costs to get these projects off the ground are high. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. We just need to find the political will. The only question now is are we ready to take the lead to keep Canada's North true and strong and free, or will we let the moment slip by as many mines lay dormant for the foreseeable future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, we've talked a little about energy initiatives in this House, renewable energy projects, opportunities for local gas development, but we hardly ever talk about energy efficiency; how we can help community members and local businesses avoid using so much energy in the first place. Too often, when we're tightening our belts, we consider energy initiatives as a luxury we can't afford.

Mr. Speaker, wasting energy is a luxury we can't afford. In each year's budget, we devote more and more millions to energy subsidies, electricity rate subsidies, seniors' home heating subsidies, fuel subsidies for communities in crisis, such as Norman Wells. These offer much needed relief, but they don't address any of the root causes of high energy costs, leaving the government on the hook for ever increasing subsidies. We could reduce the amount of subsidies needed by ramping up our energy efficiency rebates and incentives.

The Arctic Energy Alliance has been busy delivering these kinds of programs in all NWT communities and can point to many successful case studies. For example, a family in Yellowknife took their 1970s era trailer and added insulation, sealed up air leaks, and replaced old windows, saving them over $6,000 per year in utility costs and paying back their investment in only around six years.

The Arctic Energy Alliance also helped a family in Fort Liard buy an energy efficient washing machine which is saving them $50 a month on water bills, plus lower electricity bills for the dryer.

AEA has worked with 13 communities, including Tsiigehtchic, Deline, and Gameti, to replace old wood stoves with more efficient ones that use 50 percent less wood. They're also way more convenient, and I know because I have one myself. They burn longer, so you can get up in the morning and it's still burning 12 hours later. A new wood stove represents about $3,000 a year that people don't have to spend on heating oil.

With sunsets in federal funding, we have significantly reduced our rebate programs, leaving more and more folks choosing inefficient furnaces, boilers, and appliances because they seem cheaper upfront but it's costing them much more in the long run. It's also costing the climate and costing this government. We are sliding backwards.

Mr. Speaker, failing to support our residents and businesses with energy efficiency is a luxury we cannot afford. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Adequate supports for seniors.

Mr. Speaker, many elders want to stay in their homes for as long as they can. This is their right, Mr. Speaker. However, this can be difficult because the cost of living is high for Northerners and, especially, for seniors with limited incomes. Mr. Speaker, some GNWT programs already help elders, but these programs need to be revised to provide more financial support.

One example is the seniors' home heating subsidy which provides financial assistance to NWT residents who are 60 years of age or older who reside in a home that they own or are renting a self-contained unit. The program provides $460 to $750 depending on where you live. The amount of the subsidy is based on income. Mr. Speaker, I know elders who are receiving home heating bills in the thousands. The fuel subsidy is not enough. These people receive a fixed income and need more help.

Families are forced to consider moving elderly parents into a senior home for cost saving alone. This is not right, Mr. Speaker. We should have supports in place to help elders. It should not come down to cost saving. Many senior residents are still able to work and take on jobs for extra income, but this can be punitive, punishing, as it can disqualify them from GNWT programs.

Mr. Speaker, I think this government needs to look at how it is treating elders in the NWT and how they can provide better supports. I know the Minister of education is not here but when she returns, I will have questions for her. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to share some words from Dr. Julia Christensen that hit me like a ton of bricks on the weekend. Dr. Christensen is someone I grew up with. We sang in the Yellowknife youth choir for many years. She is best known these days for her work in critical research of northern governance, especially as she is surrounding home and homelessness in Canada's North. These are her words that I share today with her consent.

Quote, I can be concerned about the current threats to Canadian sovereignty and also see it as an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the longstanding violence of refusal of Indigenous sovereignties by settlers colonial Canada. Canadian sovereignty has been built upon the disposition of Indigenous lands and the denial of Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty. We are at a critical point wherein our collective resistance to threats from the south of the border. We need to simultaneously reckon with how Canadian assumptions of sovereignty have been built upon *tare and millus and the exclusion of Indigenous legal orders. We are standing in a place of incredible opportunity for solidarity building, land back, and decolonization if we are willing to take IT and do the work. End quote.

I urge this House to do this critical work together with Indigenous governments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, Assembly colleagues heard me speak on the Fort Good Hope construction centre on numerous occasions. Mr. Speaker, last week it gives me great privilege that a proponent, Ne'Rahten Developments of Fort Good Hope, seen deliveries of three modular homes over the winter road, for a total of six. This achievement produces results for two issues: Number one, the housing demand and meeting that demand; number two, costs for the modular homes including transportation. This data will help.

Mr. Speaker, this is wonderful news to see the private sector addressing the NWT's housing crisis. This cost data will assist management with additional knowledge for local construction cost once the construction centre's up and producing modular homes and outside -- comparable to outside costs of construction, particularly transportation.

Mr. Speaker, my mid -- my winter road mid-term season resupply review raises the questions on Housing NWT's Sahtu resupply. Mr. Speaker, critical to ensuring the Sahtu communities can feel in comfort knowing their community fuels, groceries, materials are delivered.

Mr. Speaker, as you can understand, the mild weather has created a high level of unease. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu is on the last month of their annual affordable winter road resupply. The soft snow texture will see rapid road surface deterioration. This will extend the trucking turnarounds on the delivery of these materials. Later, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions to the Minister of Housing NWT. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to reiterate my concerns for the Dempster Highway conditions between Rengleng River and Inuvik.

Since the fall of 2024, just before the ground was beginning to freeze, I brought up the concerns and safety of this section of the highway. I bring this concern up again because of the safety of the users. We have local traffic and semi-truck users on this section of the highway on a daily basis, and their safety, when driving that Dempster Highway, should be a priority to this government. As it is starting to warm up again, the highway conditions are starting to worsen, and I am starting to get calls about the upgrade and maintenance of that section of the highway.

Mr. Speaker, last week an empty tanker heading south jumped off the highway because of the condition around the Rengleng River. It is fortunate that the tanker was empty and there were no environmental concerns to the water or land or any harm to the occupant of the tanker. Local contractors were able to pull the tanker out after a few days. This section of the highway must be given priority for the safety of all users because tourist season is fast approaching, and the highway will be very busy this spring and summer.

Mr. Speaker, because the warmer weather is upon us again, the residents and users of this highway are starting to show their frustration and concerns towards myself and this government. I have residents with many years of experience out building roads, upgrading roads, and maintaining roads, giving me suggestions on what should be done and when these upgrades and maintenance should be conducted. This section of the highway, the section in question, is starting to get rough for the drivers again because it was not attended to in the fall of 2024 and froze with potholes, and it's making driving hazardous and damage to their vehicles.

Mr. Speaker, this government has to be more proactive to our concerns rather than reactive but for the fact that something tragic has happened. This is not only for the infrastructure within the NWT but to all the concerns that are brought to the attention of each department in this government. The safety and well-being of our citizens of the Northwest Territories is the upmost importance for me and hopefully this government. I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And happy Monday, happy Monday to my colleagues. I look forward to another exciting week of budget review.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak to building codes, or rather lack of building codes in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. All GNWT buildings, as I understand, do adopt or abide by the National Standards Building Code. That building code includes the electrical code, the plumbing code, the fire code, the energy code, as well of course as the building standards code, Mr. Speaker. However, all other developments, there is no code, and, Mr. Speaker, we're the only jurisdiction in Canada without a building standards code. I've heard this in my riding. I'm sure others have as well from both builders and contractors, perspective builders, electrical companies up there as well as plumbing companies, Mr. Speaker. So today I'll be asking the questions of the Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, as to when will the GNWT create our own building standards legislation with full analysis, risks, and gaps, as well as funding for staffing, inspections, and enforcement, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

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

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

Colleagues, this past September I had to travel to Fort Smith for personal reasons when I ran into the trades awareness coordinator, and he informed me that their fall introductory program was taking place at Aurora College. As we discussed the program, he reminded me the purpose of the program was to provide grade 9 to 12 students with an awareness to trades occupations through a one-week hands-on experience at the College in trades such as carpentry, cooking, gairdressing, plumbing, electrical, mechanics, mining, welding, communications, and aviation.

A couple highlights of the conversation were:

• • There are a host of success stories where northern students exposed to trades have gone on to pursue careers in the trade of their choice.
  • The trades awareness program provides opportunities for high school students to explore and experience the world of trades in a college setting while considering future opportunities for a viable career.

After the conversation, he informed me that two young ladies from Liidlii Kue Regional High School won top student awards in their respective trades. After hearing this, he told me that the closing ceremonies where happening the next day and asked if I would be interested in attending.

The next morning, I went to watch as the trades awareness instructors celebrated 48 youth from the South Slave and Deh Cho who completed the program and witness seven students win top student certification and prizes. Before the awards ceremony, I witnessed the trades olympics. It was amazing to see the students use the skills they were taught throughout the week. The winner of the competition was Connor Landry from Dehgah School from Ft. Providence.

After the competition, we went to the concourse to hand out the awards. Much to my surprise, the two winners from the Nahendeh region were Addyson Erasmus, who was the top student in carpentry; and, my granddaughter Paige Isiah-Tanche who was top student in the mine training and equipment.

As well, I would also like to congratulate two participants from the Deh Cho riding, Chief Sunrise School, for winning their trade. Amy Norn was the top student in cooking and Emily Norn was the top student in welding. These trades winners represent the sometimes-untapped potential that exists in our small communities. Congratulations to all the participants and for the college for offering this great opportunity for our youth. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize Mark Heyck for providing services there and efficient means of programs and services to the Sahtu through the Arctic Energy Alliance program. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague beat me to the punch here, but I also wanted to just recognize executive director Mark Heyck from the Arctic Energy Alliance. Thank you for being here.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I'll get on the Mark Heyck train as well. I'd like to recognize former Yellowknife mayor and current Arctic Energy Alliance executive director Mark Heyck. It's good to see you here today. Thank you.

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

If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your chambers. I thank you very much for allowing us this honour to represent the people of the Northwest Territories. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to see people in the gallery.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to follow up with the Minister of Infrastructure. Last week, she issued a statement about the Connecting Families initiative, shared the exciting news that 1,870 households in the NWT are now eligible to receive internet services for $20 a month. Could the Minister just elaborate on this point. Which households will be eligible, Mr. Speaker?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to see the federal government finally extend this to the North. The eligibility is determined by the federal government, by ISED, so we don't have a lot of ability to control that. But it does extend to families who receive is the maximum amount of the child benefit. It also extends to seniors, Mr. Speaker, or seniors who are receiving the maximum amount of their guaranteed income supplement. So with that, Mr. Speaker, that is where we get to 1,870 families or households in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, how do residents find out if they're eligible? How are they going to find out how to apply for this program or if they're eligible for it and how they go about receiving this benefit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in sort of an unusual approach, perhaps, the federal government is -- they issue invitation letters. So anyone who is eligible does receive, in the mail, a letter from ISED, I-S-E-D. That's the industry, science economic development. So people do need to be watching their mail for these letters. Those letters were going out over the fall and into December of last year. If someone thinks they are eligible, so if they fall into one of those categories, there is a process. It's on ISED's website about what to do if you lose your letter. And so, Mr. Speaker, I won't read all that out here, but perhaps what we'll do is just make sure that we can share that on social media channels and would certainly welcome people to share that information. So it's not -- the matter's not closed if you've lost your letter or thrown it away, but there would be a process that folks would have to follow to get themselves back on the radar of this federal opportunity. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Final supplementary.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Infrastructure. So the Arctic Energy Alliance has experienced major funding reductions in recent years and struggle to meet the huge demand from NWT residents, businesses, and community governments for its programs and services. And as of October of 2024, they had actually run out of money for their energy rebate programs and were no longer accepting applications. So given the reductions in federal money for energy efficiency rebate programs, has the GNWT considered stepping in with territorial money to support those programs, especially where this could directly save the GNWT money in subsidy payments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we were quite disappointed to see the federal cuts to the low carbon economy funding that had a significant impact on the Department of Infrastructure and on our energy programs and particularly with respect to the funding that's provided to Arctic Energy Alliance. So it was a significant impact on our budget. We have not -- we don't have other or additional independent funds necessarily to come up with in areas where we could realign. Obviously the department's budgets are under review right now, and certainly I would look forward to answering some questions in that regard. But there was not a new source of funding identified, so we don't -- other than what is being presented in mains estimates that are before the committee, we don't have any new sources of funding from which to draw. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So there's also been a huge demand to Arctic Energy Alliance for home energy evaluations to find efficiencies that could save homeowners money, but there's been a huge backlog, especially since COVID, due to a shortage of certified energy advisers. So what role could the GNWT play in helping to train or bring in more energy advisers to help address this backlog? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, without being able to source some additional funding, it's difficult to come up at this point in time with a simple answer or simple solution. We certainly do look forward to continuing to work closely with Arctic Energy Alliance. They're a critical partner in terms of delivering programs in this space.

Mr. Speaker, I'd already actually spoken to the Member with respect to setting up my own meeting to make sure that we can do what we can to work directly with Arctic Energy Alliance, identify where the shortcomings are, identify if there's particular communities that have specific needs, and then perhaps, you know, firstly and certainly advocate more effectively when we are advocating together, and if there's an opportunity to work, even within schools or within our own training programs for our staff, certainly be open to do that. But if it's an independent budget line item, again, Mr. Speaker, what's in our budget proposal right now is on the floor, and it is -- it's unfortunately a bit what it is without -- with the significant drop in federal funding. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I mean, one area that the GNWT did manage to find funds in the last year was for Arctic Energy Alliance to work with homeowners in Norman Wells to look for energy efficiency opportunities. So I wonder if the Minister could explain what successes or lessons learned have come from that initiative which we were able to find funding for this past year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have a bit of information with respect to some of the work that was underway in Norman Wells. I don't know that we have a full evaluation done or an analysis done, which would certainly be helpful in order to determine what that might look like for others. But there was a program that was undertaken with Arctic Energy Alliance staff for a winterization walkthrough. It really is an opportunity to help, particularly folks from low or medium-income households, understand some simple solutions. So examples in that regard would just be even insulating window plastic which can have a fairly significant impact on heating costs. Weather stripping around doors, similarly, was something that came out of this which, again, they're simple solutions, Mr. Speaker, but sometimes those simple solutions don't cost very much; people just need to be educated. So, again, happy to follow back up, see if there's other specific items that came after that initiative in Norman Wells, and we'll make sure to get that out so that others can benefit from that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard from a constituent today who had to wait nine -- or sorry, had to wait 11 months for an ultrasound appointment. He tells me that it's a 9 to 10 monthly wait for a routine ultrasound. We've recently changed the appointment system here in Yellowknife. It was supposed to speed this up. We heard early reports that we were getting more people into appointments, not less. Why are we continuing to experience such a great backlog for people who are just trying to get routine appointments like this? We're not talking about major surgeries; we're talking about an ultrasound. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of health provide an answer?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is the first time that this has been brought to my attention, so I don't have any answers for the Member at this time on wait times for ultrasound. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, earlier when these changes were made, the Minister was able to provide some details on how many more people were being seen. It seemed like an improvement. Does she have any updated numbers for the House today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have that level of detail for that specific area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'm also being told that people have to -- are being told in the departments when they want to change appointments or if they need to change appointments with the doctors, they have to call the central booking mechanism, whether that be a phone call or an email or something like that. Why are we making it more cumbersome? Isn't there a way to do this more or less on the fly; why are we adding extra steps for patients when they're trying to access health care? Should we not be making it simpler, let people talk to their doctors, they're health care providers, and change appointments as needed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So for switching the line of questioning with how accessing the primary care clinic, there is a process that there -- that each clinic runs throughout the whole of the Northwest Territories. How it is in Yellowknife, you know, the process of the accessing the walk-in clinic or creating a same-day appointment downtown, if it's primary care clinic you have to go through the primary care receptionist. If there's more detail or if there's a certain concern, I would have -- gladly have the Member bring that to my office and so we can figure out what the issue is. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement there, my first question to the Minister for housing, can the Minister confirm the housing-related materials, or the inventory destined for the Sahtu over the winter road season. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The volume of material being shipped over the winter road. So Housing NWT's contractor anticipates approximately six dedicated loads for two new housing construction projects that Housing NWT has underway in the Sahtu communities. The first is the Tulita seniors' duplex. This modular duplex is now on the winter road and headed to Tulita. The second project involves two hybrid modular duplexes for Deline. The construction materials for this project are now in the community. The hybrid core components will be delivered via the winter road shortly. So no delays are anticipated at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister. That's wonderful news here. It really provides comfort knowing that the end is in sight there for material delivery.

My next question there, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain how many home repair projects are reserved for the Sahtu and if the materials are going to be shipped on this winter road season? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question. In terms of home repair projects for the Sahtu, I don't have those exact numbers on hand, but I can provide that information to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is more of a comment. I was going to say I look forward to working with the Minister on getting the information so that we can relay that information on mobilization of materials to the Sahtu leadership. So I will be working with the Minister over the coming days. Mahsi.

Colleagues, it's oral questions, not opportunity to do Members' statements or follow-up. Please follow the process. Thank you very much.

Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement earlier on the building standards code, can the Minister provide if, indeed, the department has begun to work on having their very own buildings standards code for the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an area of quite a lot of interest to me as well, and I was very pleased that the department was willing to undertake this area when -- beginning of this government. It is not only the Department of Infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. It involves municipal and community affairs, housing, as well as infrastructure. I can say that we certainly have come together as multiple departments. There is a working group in place, and what the next step is is to really put in place some recommendations of what it will look like to bring all the different pieces together to have a consolidated framework from the National Building Code and one that can be made-in-the North and applied for in the North and relevant to the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for that; that is excellent news. Can the Minister tell me in the meantime, I guess any guidance that is offered if you do have a developer certainly in one of the regions that are reaching out, looking for that kind of information, is there anything currently set up in place that can offer some guidance to contractors or even individuals looking to build. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly don't want people to think there's not something in place. As of April of 2021, the Good Building Practice for Northern Facilities Fourth Edition was released by the department, and certainly would expect and consider it appropriate for all private developers in other levels of government and really any other non-GNWT bodies to be using this as their reference place. It does, in it, describe and explain what the model codes are and gives some guidance as to what we have found to be appropriate and workable for northern infrastructure. So certainly do want to point people to that document while we are working to have our very own set of codes in place. Thank you.

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

Thank you. And that's good news, if something. Certainly not something enforceable like I know we will have once the -- as the Minister's committed to, we do get our own set of building standards codes. Can the Minister commit to internally what kind of timelines they're looking at to hopefully have this completed? Is this something we can expect to have by the end of this legislature or what the timelines be on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, how about if I commit to having a plan for a plan? I don't have a final date at this moment in time, but I certainly have asked that we, as the 20th Assembly, walk out of here with that in place. So that certainly is my goal at this time. Our next step is for the working group to put forward their recommendations of what it will look like and with that, I expect we'll have a more firm timeline. But, again, it's certainly my hope for this at this moment that we are walking out of the 20th Assembly with this in place. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, I'd like to direct my questions to the Minister of Infrastructure.

With the warmer weather upon us and the conditions of the Dempster Highway worsening there, I applaud the Minister on her infrastructure improvements project but there was no mention of Highway No. 8 in the upgrades or regular maintenance. What is the department doing at the present time to ensure the safety of the users of the Dempster Highway between Rengleng River and Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do maintain a watch on all our highways, and members of the public can access that through the Drive NWT website. It is now being kept up to date almost immediately or instantly. So certainly do want to point people to that as a resource.

With respect to Highway No. 8, I have -- my latest update for the highway in its entirety is that it was in a fair state. We do have a grader out doing some ice blading from Tsiigehtchic to Rengleng River. And, again, Mr. Speaker, certainly do appreciate getting updates from folks who are driving. Again, we -- in addition to the Drive NWT website, it is always helpful to hear from folks directly. But, again, right now, latest is that it's in fair conditions and, again, a grader out on part of it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the tanker in question that went off the highway at the section around Rengleng River, there's signage on both sides of the river asking vehicles to slow down, and the signage is about 50 metres from the area where it's pretty bad, and the bigger trucks require more time to slow down but these signs are too close to the area. Will the Minister advise the regional department to make changes where these signs are further away from that section to give the bigger trucks more time to slow down? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's the first specific comment I've received on signage placement. I'm very happy to take that away. I'm familiar with this particular incident of this tanker. I've heard some other reasons as to what the potential cause of that might have been, but I'm also fairly aware that there's likely to be some investigation of the matter. So just want to temper that it may not have been the speed, it may not have been conditions. But absolutely, with signage, I will certainly take that away, and let's work with those who are on that stretch of highway and the region to determine the best possible placements for signage. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the regional department working with the Minister's department on daily inspections of the highway from the NWT border to Tuktoyaktuk to give updates on where work might be required for safety reasons? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do conduct daily inspections on the highway network. You know, exactly where staff might be on any one given day, I don't want to be overcommitting. I would acknowledge that we don't necessarily have enough staff to be on every stretch of highway all the way from the border throughout the Beaufort Delta region, but there are staff out on those highways on a regular basis. So I believe I have suggested before we can try to keep Members better up to date in terms of where we're trying to be, and I'll try to see if I can get a specific schedule to the extent that we have one and at least share it with Members, if not publicly. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, prior to the fire in May 2024, Housing NWT made a commitment to provide two duplexes for the community of Fort Resolution. But after the fire, these units were used to replace the two units that burned. My question to the Minister of Housing NWT is when can the community expect the two new duplexes to arrive to the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The information I have from Housing NWT is over the past two years, Housing NWT has completed eight incremental and two replacement public housing units in Fort Resolution, including a four-plex for singles, a duplex for singles, a duplex for seniors, and a public housing replacement duplex. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we had that fire in Fort Resolution, we lost two duplexes - one being a public housing unit and the other as being market rental unit, and one unit burned down both units in that community but we already replaced that unit with the two units that were ready to come in in the fall. So my question to the Minister is now that we are anticipating two duplexes coming into the community, I want to know where are they going to put them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of the numbers that I provided, there are no plans at this time to replace the market housing duplex, and the public housing duplex has been replaced with the recently completed replacement duplex. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm a little confused because I'm just assuming that the NWT Housing Corporation has insurance in the event of a fire and the duplex that caught fire, I would just say that it's my understanding that that duplex should be replaced. But what happened now is what I'm hearing is that duplex has been replaced with a project from previous year onto that site. So what I'm hearing from the Minister is that it sounds like we're not getting no duplex. Thank you.

For the Minister.

My question, Mr. Speaker, is that I just want -- basically said that so what the Minister is saying is that we're not getting no duplex, and I'd like her to confirm that, yes or no. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure of Housing NWT's insurance obligations especially with a fire related to the duplex in Fort Resolution. I can check into the information for the Member and follow up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have further questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. First, is there anything in the government's business plan that specifically speaks to energy efficiency goals or strategies in terms of buildings, appliances, or vehicles? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is. We do, of course, have commitments to advance the energy strategy and to update that, and the energy strategy will -- is really the all-encompassing approach that we utilize to determine how a government as a whole is going to be approaching energy issues, energy efficiency included. The Department of Infrastructure is certainly the lead on that, but we're not alone. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT also has commitments in their business plan, I understand, with respect to incorporating energy efficiency technologies. And Department of Infrastructure, again as I had just mentioned, we have within us the responsibility under EV technologies and also supports to Arctic Energy Alliance which delivers a lot of programs. So in short, the short answer is yes, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do understand that the business plan speaks to the energy strategy, and there are things contained within the energy strategy. One of those is a goal, at least in the previous iteration of the 2030 Energy Strategy, a goal to increase commercial, residential, and institutional building energy efficiency by 15 percent. But can the Minister explain what practical steps the government is taking to actually achieve that goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a number of initiatives that are underway by the government. We have, if I'm not mistaken, in the last five years spent over $60 million in different energy efficiency programs, including renewable heat, renewable energy and, for example, biomass boiler installation, LED lighting replacements in a number of areas. There's a push towards some solar energy and being able to interconnect those systems in to our existing energy infrastructure, so again -- and supporting communities in their efforts to move towards having, again, their own opportunities for district heating, for example, again boiler installations, and also other energy alternatives that can then feed into our grid and support the grid. So quite a number of things happening in this space, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister point to evidence that the work underway will actually lead us to achieve the goal of 15 percent energy efficiency reductions? Is that a path that is laid out and quantified, or we're just hoping that the investment will get us to the 15 percent goal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are annual reporting requirements from both myself with respect to the energy side but also from my colleague at ECC with respect to our climate change framework. Mr. Speaker, I don't have them at the tip of my fingers here today, but we do certainly see as an obligation to report on the progress we're making in those two areas, and that is tabled here in the House annually. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my community of Fort Resolution, we had a couple incidents just over the weekend in public housing units where it's all been drug-related, and we had a tenant that was -- is afraid to go home now because of the drug dealers coming to their home and using weapons etcetera. They got nowhere to go. And we had another incident as well where a cocktail was thrown into the house and caught fire.

My question to the Minister of Housing NWT is that has -- sorry, Housing NWT, what are they doing to address the drug dealers in public housing units? Can the Minister provide an update on the progress they're making to address this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can understand the concerns coming from the Member about illegal activities in public housing units because this is happening across the territory, and this is something we're all facing in our constituencies and is in our ridings. So what's happening in Fort Resolution is happening throughout, and I just want to emphasize the need that we need to work together, and we need to work with the RCMP, we need to work with the communities, we need to report illegal activities. And there's an actual app that's available online that people can download. It's called P3 Tips. If you don't want to report, you know, with Crime Stoppers, you can report with this app, and it would be anonymous. So that's important for people to know.

In terms of Fort Resolution and their concerns, LHOs, one thing they must do is they must be able to prove the illegal activity to the rental officer to obtain an eviction order. So proving the activity can be a challenge. LHOs often rely on a submission of evidence from others who may be too frightened to come forward. So that's why I was talking about this app that might be able to provide this evidence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that the wish to work together is key, and I agree on that issue. I'm just want to know if the Minister could work with the local leadership and the RCMP and myself after session is done so we can start looking at a way to dealing with these issues because these issues are very series, and we got to make public housing safer for our tenants and also for the community. I just want to see if I could get a commitment from the Minister on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And safe for staff because staff are going into these housing units and having to upkeep and maintain these units, and sometimes they can't even get into the unit. So illegal activities, they're barricading the doors, and it's difficult for staff. But with the RCMP, the RCMP and the rental office have met with Housing NWT, and they meet with program advisers, they meet with the LHOs, they have training with the LHOs. The RCMP regularly meet with Housing NWT officials to ensure information is shared and how improvements can be made. So the RCMP also encourage local detachments to assist LHOs by sharing whatever information is available that they could legally provide and that won't disrupt an investigation. So these are some of the ideas that are talked with districts, with LHOs, with RCMP, and with community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really appreciate those comments. I just want to know if I'm able to get a commitment from the Minister to work with local leadership and the RCMP and the rental officer, maybe perhaps we could have a public meeting in the community within -- sometime in March or April and start looking at ways as to how we can address this issue and work together on this issue. So I'd like to get a commitment from the Minister on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm always happy to have discussions with communities for safer communities and expelling, like, illegal activities and in communities, so happy to have further discussions about that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently learned that it's the Minister of Health and Social Services's responsibility to regulate veterinarians in the Northwest Territories through the Veterinarian Medical Act. One of the issues that's come up recently with a closure of a clinic here in Yellowknife is vet records do not move with the vet if they open their own clinic. This is a concern for patients. They want to ensure that their pet care continues to follow their vet. Can the Minister let us know how she can help make that possible because currently our Act does not allow for that whereas other jurisdictions, they have Acts that permit the transfer and -- transfer of records without the need for a court order or voluntary disclosure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member, from Range Lake. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member has stated, the Veterinary Profession Act does fall under one of the -- under my portfolio; however, it does not speak to records. It doesn't -- and so what happens usually individuals in southern jurisdictions for the owner of a veterinary clinic to be practicing, the veterinarian -- and they usually are the ones that have control over all the records. So in the circumstances that the Member -- you know, unfortunately, we've all seen in the news and everything with the Great Slave clinic shutting down, you know, there is some uncertainty of what's going on. But our legislation at this time doesn't speak to any veterinarian records, and those would be the property of the owner is my understanding. So at this time, we are not looking at the legislation for this as we have many pieces of legislation that we are working on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the somewhat -- not absurd but unfamiliar territory we're in because this is veterinary medicine. But our Act it's six pages long. It's 12 clauses long. It hasn't been looked at since, I think -- beyond minor changes -- 1988. Is this something the Minister can put on the legislative agenda for the future? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think a lot of our legislation is old and, you know, as we prioritize getting through some of the legislation that we have, I will make sure that this is added to the list and to triage it as we do all the other legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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