Please sit. I'd like to thank Mary Jane Cazon for the prayer song today to start off our session.

Colleagues, good afternoon. In yesterday's ruling, I urged caution in your language here and social media. As I said previously, it is frustrating that posts continue to be brought to my attention. Again last night, a post was brought to my attention. I feel the post did not accurately reflect my decision. The post suggested I found no wrong was committed. My job is to interpret and apply the rules we have agreed to. It does not mean someone, or their actions, are right or wrong. And to be clear, as stated in my ruling, had the Member made those comments in the House they would have been out of order. Members should not use social media to get around the rules of the House. I was also clear that the same words could have resulted in a different ruling if they had been made by a different Member. I expect that Members will address their concerns about their future posts. Thank you, everyone.

Ministers' statements. Minister for ECC.

Mr. Speaker, as the 2025 wildfire season approaches, I would like to provide an update on the planning and investments we have made to support wildfire prevention, mitigation, and resilience. Our approach is focused on preparing people and communities across the NWT to live safely alongside wildfire, ensuring that we are ready for emergencies.

Last year, we launched a number of new FireSmart programs, including the FireSmart Advanced Home Assessment Program and the Neighbourhood Recognition Program. Across the territory, more than 100 Northerners had their homes assessed, receiving expert guidance from fire professionals on steps they can take to enhance fire safety.

Critical to this success was the engagement of community fire departments across the NWT. Over the winter, 15 local fire departments received training in the Neighbourhood Recognition Program, with additional sessions planned for the Advanced Home Assessment Program.

Mr. Speaker, last month we announced $10 million in additional investments in FireSmart initiatives over the next three years. We are also working with a number of communities on vegetation management projects that build on $20 million in federal funding being administered by the NWT Association of Communities. We look forward to sharing the significant improvements and innovations as the work progresses.

We have funded eight community wildfire preparedness day projects, empowering local teams to lead these initiatives. We are also forming regional and territorial FireSmart advisory groups that will help guide the critical FireSmart work we are currently prioritizing.

We are excited to co-host a wildfire preparedness gathering in Yellowknife this spring, in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities. This event will bring together fire department members, community leaders, and Indigenous leaders from across the NWT's forested communities. Activities will include training on wildfire management, fire behaviour, and FireSmart practices, along with cross-training exercises to enhance local response capabilities. This reflects our renewed commitment to interagency cooperation and cross-government collaboration.

Mr. Speaker, our team has worked very hard to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season. They have taken advanced fire behaviour training, fulfilling a key recommendation in the 2023 wildfire review. We are continuing to mobilize personnel, aircraft, and equipment to respond to a potential early start to the fire season and have invested in additional structural protection equipment to ensure a rapid response when any property is threatened.

Annual training will start shortly to ensure our wildfire management teams are fully prepared once the snow melts and fire danger rises.

In short, Mr. Speaker, our team is ready to fulfill this government's promise of safe communities for Northerners, communities that are more resilient to a changing climate that has resulted in longer and more severe wildfire seasons. We will continue to invest in a wide range of activities, education, and training that enhance wildfire prevention, increase resilience, protect communities, and allow our team to respond quickly and efficiently to protect residents and the natural beauty of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of ECC the Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, almost 30 percent of residents in the Northwest Territories over the age of 15 consider themselves as smokers. Smoking, which includes vaping, remains one of the worst substances for your overall health and can significantly reduce a person's life expectancy. That is why the Government of the Northwest Territories continues to find new ways to support residents in making the shift towards a smoke-free life.

Mr. Speaker, smoking is an addiction that often requires several attempts and a combination of tools and supports to overcome. We recognize that quitting is not easy, especially on your own, but with the right resources it is possible.

Today, I am pleased to share a significant milestone in improving our health systems' support for residents so they can quit smoking and be healthier. On January 20th, Yellowknife Primary Care became the first health care facility in the Northwest Territories to implement the Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation; a gold-standard in Canada for integrating supports to help people quit smoking into their routine health care practice. This means that when a resident visits the Yellowknife Primary Care, a standard part of their visit will include being asked about their smoking status. People who indicate that they are smokers and are ready to quit will be actively offered support specifically tailored to their needs by a health care provider trained to help people quit smoking.

In other regions, implementing the Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation has been shown to significantly increase how often health care providers advise and assist residents in their efforts to quit or reduce smoking. This approach has led to:

• Increased long-term smoking quit rates;
• Lowered health care use; and,
• A lowered risk of premature death.

Mr. Speaker, implementing this approach at Yellowknife Primary Care is just the first step this government is taking to enhance the supports for residents who are ready to live a smoke-free life, and work is underway to bring this gold-standard model to Stanton Territorial Hospital and eventually to health centres across the Northwest Territories.
If you are ready to quit smoking, you can talk to your local health care provider at any time or call 811 to talk to a registered nurse trained to help you quit smoking. This is a service that is available to all Northwest Territories residents 24 hours a day seven days a week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken a lot about the need for establishing measurable targets for priority implementation, and today I want to put that lens on our priority for access to health care. When we set this priority, what I specifically meant by it was putting a focus on ensuring everyone in the NWT has access to primary care. Since setting that priority, we have seen the Premier establish the health care sustainability unit and, most recently, the health Minister appointed a new public administrator for the NTHSSA. Together, these changes are heavily focused on the financial aspects of system sustainability, but I question whether we have appropriately weighted the importance of access to primary care in our health care goals and planning.

I will acknowledge that the public administrator's mandate does include primary care reform as does the business plan but, similar to my concerns about other priority areas, I think we need to be more specific about what exactly we are working to achieve. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, when I look to the business plan for the health department, I note several key items.

One is that an integrated primary care framework is develop and performance monitoring is in place by 2025. Great first step. However, there isn't a target identified for what this framework is meant to achieve.

Second is that performance measures are established and trended to identify improvement areas, but the target is listed as target not established. So we have some work to do.

Together, these targets don't tell MLAs or the public what outcome we are trying to achieve with primary care reform or prioritization. As I said last week, if we don't communicate what we are trying to achieve, it is impossible to know when we have achieved it.

In her book Health for All, which I'm happy to note I saw on the health Minister's desk, Dr. Jane Philpott suggests that leaders need to articulate a vision, and I emphasize, with a measurable end result. Dr. Philpott suggests the goal at the provincial and territorial level needs to be universal access to a primary care team. Our goal should be everyone in the NWT has access to primary care. I think that the department is working towards a goal like this but it is not clear that is indeed the goal or when we expect to achieve it. So let's make it clear, Mr. Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sensing a theme day.

Mr. Speaker, the riding of Great Slave is a walkable Yellowknife constituency. Part of the attraction of the riding for residents is that it is close to downtown but close enough to nature that folks can enjoy green spaces like the gem that is Tin Can Hill and ease of access to Great Slave Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I'm also very aware that many of my constituents either choose not to have or cannot afford vehicles to take them to other parts of the city that are less walkable. I try to hold all my constituency events in the riding or near the riding with this in mind. My upcoming event this weekend is easily serviceable by transit at a well used city facility, for instance. But, Mr. Speaker, receiving same day primary care services can be hard to plan for when you need to spend money on a cab to get to the Liwego'ati Building or timing public transit in the heat of the moment to get yourself and a sick family member to the clinic uptown. I'm concerned that limiting access to same day primary care service downtown is creating hardships for folks of limited means in my riding, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, hostile situations at Stanton Territorial Hospital's emergency department are not out of the ordinary. Hospital staff, including nurses and doctors, are increasingly facing threats, verbal abuse, and even physical assaults. Last Saturday, when MLAs were notified about a person who had entered the facility in a hostile state, it was not clear what was so exceptional about this particular event. Only yesterday I was shocked to learn through the media that someone at the hospital had pointed a firearm at staff. This is a serious escalation of the violence emergency department staff were becoming accustomed to, and I am very grateful no one was hurt.

It is completely unacceptable, Mr. Speaker, that emergency department staff have cause to fear for their safety. The emergency department is vital to our health care system and has only become more essential with primary care changes that have limited access. The NWT's experiencing both a drug crisis and mental health crisis exacerbated by increasing poverty and homelessness. So it is no surprise that violence is escalating at an emergency department which has become the only place many Northerners can find care. With gun crime proliferating in the North, alongside the increase in drug activity, it would seem it was only a matter of time violence at the hospital would start including individuals armed, not just with knives but handguns as well.

The only thing standing between threats to staff are private security guards that have neither the training nor the commitment to handle firearms. They are not able to contain threats like these, and the hospital itself has no code silver for them to call despite repeated requests at occupational health and safety meetings from staff for new procedures like a code silver to be implemented.

Nurses are now asking me, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister listening to their concerns. Now I am asking the Minister will she do whatever it takes to keep them safe, including updating Stanton's standard operating procedures and providing security with the staff, resources, and training they need to do their jobs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address the issue of possible rent increase for tenants who are residing in market housing within the Northwest Territories.

It is my understanding that there has not been a rent increase since 2012. There are only a few market housing units available within each of the communities. The tenants of these units are in the workforce and trying to assist in building the economy of the Northwest Territories. Increasing their rent on only a select few will not alleviate the debt of this government is experiencing, but it will put the tenants in more hardship that they are already enduring.

Mr. Speaker, again we see this government targeting the resource people of the Northwest Territories. In our smaller communities, we have teachers, social workers, the RCMP, and local residents, who are trying to live a healthy and prosperous lifestyle. With the high cost of living within the smaller communities, the resource people, even the locals, cannot afford a rent increase any time soon. Everything from the cost of heating fuel, and especially cost of groceries, will have a negative impact on their decision and employment status within their respective communities. Smaller communities cannot afford to lose these resource people and try to recruit others with the rent increase is imposed on them.

Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT and this government has to look at other options to increase revenue and not target the workforce who are trying to be productive members of their communities and the NWT as a whole. The smaller communities of the Northwest Territories need these resource people to be stationed within our communities merely for the fact that we do not have local professionals to fill these positions.

Mr. Speaker, with the housing crisis that we are experiencing, we do not have other options to house our resource people, so we cannot afford to increase their rent. Another fact is that some of these units and buildings are older units so increasing the rent on units that have passed its life span should not be even considered. Some of these buildings are 50 years old. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, if the Housing NWT is going to continue with this rent increase, then please consult with the tenants of market housing, give the tenants a grace period to adjust or find other options for accommodations. Consultation is key when you are negatively impacting our residents of the Northwest Territories, especially the smaller communities. I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Housing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in June 2023, the Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes provided a Member's statement which was following up on a motion she brought forward to the House in relation to Indigenous peoples having cabins for rights-based purposes and how they should be exempt from lease payments for those rates-based camps and cabins, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in the NWT Lands Act in section 19(d), it states: To set apart and appropriate such areas or territorial lands as may be necessary to enable the GNWT to fulfill its obligations under land claim agreements in the Northwest Territories and to make free grants or leases for that purpose.

Mr. Speaker, one example is the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, an agreement that is constitutionally-protected, an agreement that provides for certain rights to Inuvialuit to access and establish camps as part of exercising their right to harvest; an agreement, Mr. Speaker, that we signed as the GNWT.

The Inuvialuit Final Agreement specifically states that the Inuvialuit need not pay fees to exercise their right to harvest, including their rights to establish camps. This has been ongoing for several years, Mr. Speaker, and the response has always been we're working on it. I still have examples in my riding where leaseholders are being taken to collections. In one case, Mr. Speaker, the cabin was actually washed away on the banks of the Mackenzie River. The land isn't even there anymore, much less the cabin, and they're still being taken to collections over their lease.

Yesterday, the Minister stated that leaseholders can apply for a pause on invoicing. If this shouldn't be happening in the first place, why are we asking leaseholders to apply? Are there people out there, Mr. Speaker, that want to pay? And if so, maybe the Minister can pause all and have those who would like to continue to pay apply to do so.

This is taking far too long, Mr. Speaker. People are frustrated. They are suffering financial hardship. Indigenous governments are fed up, and we need to resolve this issue now, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been talking a lot about educational opportunities in our communities in recent weeks. Today I would like to share with the House an example of how programming in our small communities can make and does work with when right people come together.

The Getting Ahead Pilot, or GAP program, was developed through a collaborative initiative between Aurora College and Deh Cho First Nations. The program was designed to address the need for employment readiness training in Fort Providence, particularly for individuals facing barriers to employment such as lower literacy levels, limited work experience, and a lack of essential workplace skills. The goal was to provide participants with career planning, financial literacy, digital literacy, and workplace safety training to help them transition into the workforce or further education.

The GAP program incorporated courses that are part of Aurora College's curriculum. Successful participants earned academic credits with Aurora College contributing to their ongoing educational pathways. The program was funded through Deh Cho First Nations Indigenous skills and employment training program, and Aurora College contributed instructional leadership and provided the structured training framework. The GAP program ran for 15 weeks, from September to December 2024.

While it is not a standalone certificate program, participants, who successfully completed their required coursework, earned academic credits with Aurora College which can be applied towards further studies. Seven students successfully completed the program. GAP provided them with valuable workplace skills, career planning tools, and industry recognized safety certifications, increasing their employment prospects.

Mr. Speaker, we need to see more partnerships and outcomes like these in our small communities, meeting people where they're at and providing the needed training to advance academic and employment opportunities. Mahsi.

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

School attendance: Mr. Speaker, Members have recently discussed education in our small communities. The graduation rate in the Northwest Territories fell below 60 percent for 2022-2023 school year. The Government of the Northwest Territories 2022-2023 report notes that attendance rates are trending downwards across the NWT. Attendance is as low as 63.5 percent in small communities, and less than 60 percent of students attend in some grades according to the NWT statistics.

Mr. Speaker, we can blame the pandemic for these declining rates, but this has been happening for over a decade. A 2013 education framework document stated that by grade 4, the average NWT student has already missed half a year of school or two full years by grade 10. These statistics suggest that even students in small communities who graduate will have no higher than a potential grade 10 upon graduation. You cannot finish at a grade 12 level if you miss two years of school.

Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. Students need to attend school but in small communities, there are other considerations:

• Busing and getting to the school building;
• Fewer remote learning options; and,
• The need to be on the landlord at different times throughout the year.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment knows there is a divide between small community and urban students. We need to address this barrier and get students in small communities to attend school daily. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to reflect on what makes the NWT different from other parts of Canada in ways that are both maddening and also beautiful. Even looking to our neighbour territories, each has a more unified sense of identity either because there's a common Indigenous government or the population's concentrated in a capital region. But the NWT has a collection of 33 communities, and it often seems that each one wants to go its own separate way, find its own unique solution, and even sometimes groups divided up within communities want different things.

I think the instinct behind that attitude is, Don't tell us what to do. We don't fit into the mold, and we don't want to follow the rules that are imposed upon us by anyone whether that person is in Ottawa or Yellowknife or in a regional centre. That attitude sometimes blocks us from working together, finding common purpose, and actually accomplishing anything, and that's the maddening part. But I also have to say, Mr. Speaker, that that very thing is a big part of why I live here and why I could never live anywhere else.

Many of us have chosen this place as or adopted home precisely because we found a place with more freedom from the kinds of rules and constraints that we would have found down south. It's somewhere to spread your wings, do things your own way, go ahead and take the initiative instead of waiting for the instructions or the protocols to be established. There is so many beautiful and also practical things that can be created from this urge to colour outside the lines and step outside the box.

There's constant tension in the NWT between people's urge for uniqueness and their desire for standards, between the need for fairness and rules, and also everyone's desire to be the exception to that rule, between the need for strength in numbers and the need for people to have their own unique voice. Mr. Speaker, this government is caught in those dilemmas, and I don't know a clear way out, but I have a few suggestions.

We need to let go of this dream of creating one set of instructions that all communities are supposed to follow in order to achieve standardized results. It's just never going to work. Instead of starting with the instructions, we need to start by looking at what's actually working in communities never mind how haphazardly they got there. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to my colleagues. We need to stop punishing public servants for trying to step outside their silos and boxes, and we need to stop thinking of decentralization as simply taking this one set of instructions and delivering those from a regional centre instead of from Yellowknife. I believe we can find a way forward, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to us working through it. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which passed through the previous Assembly, outlines the right for self-government participation and decision-making and free prior and informed consent for Indigenous people. Article 23 states that the Indigenous people have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising the right to develop; in particular, the right to be actively involved in developing and determining health, housing, and other economic and social programs. However, the Department of Infrastructure and ECE continues to not consult with Yellowknives Dene First Nation leadership on the capital needs especially when it comes to upgrading and replacing their aging school and gymnasium.

For example, Dettah Kaw Tay Whee School was built out of four trailers in 1970 and rapidly aging. The gymnasium that supports that school is not attached and is far too small. Dettah students therefore must bus into Yellowknife if they want to get proper exercise and enjoy recreation activities students in Yellowknife have. J.H. Sissons School in Yellowknife, meanwhile, was built around the same time as Dettah school but it was completely demolished and rebuilt just a few years ago. The gymnasium in N'dilo also has been long outgrown and doubled as a community hall. The community has long been calling for a new larger gymnasium to be built so the old facility can be retrofitted into space for community programming. I, and my predecessor, have been working to get this project on to the capital plan to no success. Assessments and evaluations seem to have taken place in the last decade but have not yet amounted to any meaningful progress.

My communities know what's best in their -- what they need for the community but, so far, they have not been listened to. I am now calling on the Minister of Infrastructure to get these projects onto the capital plan to build as soon as possible. I hope to secure a clear commitment from the Ministebr later on today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, over the next few days I will be giving statements to celebrate the achievements of some Yellowknife South constituents.
I would like to start off by recognizing two individuals who have successfully achieved scholarships and will now be supported by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in their journey towards strengthening, revitalizing, and promoting Indigenous languages in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker I would like to congratulate Marie Speakman as she pursues studies in the language of Sahtu Dene Kede and Ryann Hendrickson as she pursues studies in ne hiyawe win, also known as Cree. They are two of the ten recipients who received the Indigenous language revitalization scholarships earlier this year that were awarded during Indigenous Language Month last month.

Mr. Speaker, I wish them both, of course, the very best on their language journeys and would also like to encourage folks from both Yellowknife South, as well as from across the Northwest Territories, to apply on the program next year. Learning an Indigenous language is not only about preserving the words; it is about preserving and nurturing cultural diversity, healing, and reconciliation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Colleagues, the Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament in Fort Simpson is not just a sporting event; it is a celebration of community spirit, resilience, and the love of soccer. Held annually in memory of Paul Stipdonk, a passionate advocate for youth sports and community development, the tournament brings together teams from across the Mackenzie Region, fostering camaraderie and healthy competition.

This tournament serves as a platform for young athletes to showcase their skills and develop their talents. It emphasizes the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship, values that Paul championed throughout his life. Participants range from seasoned players who are in grade 3 to 7 to newcomers who are grades junior kindergarten to grade 2, creating an inclusive environment where everyone can learn and grow. The event also attracts families and supporters, turning the tournament into a vibrant community gathering filled with laughter, encouragement, and shared experiences.

Beyond the community gym, the tournament has a significant impact on the youth that are participating and the community of Fort Simpson. The influx of visitors from Hay River Reserve and Lutselk'e to this event encourages new friendships in the region. As well, the youth get treated to amazing meals by the local speedskating club. Additionally, the tournament features workshops and clinics held by experienced coaches and older athletes from the community, providing valuable learning opportunities for aspiring players.

Moreover, the Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament highlights the importance of youth engagement in sports as a means of promoting healthy lifestyles. It encourages young people to stay active, develop friendships, and build a sense of belonging within their community. The legacy of Paul Stipdonk lives on through this tournament, inspiring future generations to pursue their passions both on and off the field. In this way, the event transcends mere competition, becomes a cornerstone of community identity and pride in Fort Simpson.

This year's tournament was held on Friday, January 10to to Sunday the 12th. And I was fortunate enough to be able to attend and witness the youth have a great time. I know Paul was proudly looking down on the youth that weekend.

We would like to thank the Stipdonk family, Mackenzie rec association, the Village of Fort Simpson, Fort Simpson speedskating club, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, and all the volunteers for their continued support.

Members' statements. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services about the recent very serious situation that happened at Stanton Territorial Hospital. The code that was called was a code white which means everyone from each department attends on -- at the site, what actually led to increasing risk to safety of those people who did attend. Other hospitals have code silvers which means shelter in place, more or less. Can the Minister -- and these issues have been raised with hospital management. Can the Minister explain why we don't have a code silver in place at Stanton Territorial Hospital? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to the code silver, there is a draft code silver policy that's been developed and since the beginning of this year, the policy is currently being reviewed by various stakeholders including the occupational health and safety and other various teams. Next steps will be to ask the RCMP to review. And then it will be circulated more broadly for feedback. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm sure health care workers are relieved to hear that. When does the Minister plan to have that fully in place? Thank you.

As this work is ongoing, Mr. Speaker, I can ensure that, you know -- that we, and I -- and I think any Member in this House -- do want to take health and safety of any of our public service very seriously. And so with this work that's going on, I don't have the exact details of when these things will happen but as I get more information from that, I can provide that in writing to Members as they wish and to the Member that's asking. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that commitment.

Mr. Speaker, another issue is the security at Stanton do not have the resources that they need to deal with situations like that. Is the Minister willing to review the security complement at the Stanton Territorial Hospital and ensure that they are properly resourced to deal with future violence at the ER?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, and I appreciate that the Member is highlighting this. This is something that, you know, we always think that we live in a little bubble up here in the North and these kind of things are not going to happen to us but as I was in Halifax, there was another serious incident that happened there while we were there. And, you know, I hear it from my colleagues in Hay River, you know, the staff there are worried about the safety. And so we take this very seriously. And there is ongoing work right now learning from this specific incident, and any other incidents before but, you know, highlighting that the place that we're living right now with guns and violence and the toxic drugs that are affecting all of our communities now, we are looking at this and some improving and ongoing doing this work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement, and Mr. Speaker, I know the Minister's live to this issue, I know the Minister cares about this issue. My first question is what are we doing and when are we finally going to resolve this issue of cabin leases in settled land claim areas? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question.

Mr. Speaker, this has been an area that has been top of mind for me. It was one of my priorities, my personal priorities when I came into the Assembly and became Minister, and there's been a lot of work done within the department. I certainly, much like the Member, would like to see the pace moving a little quicker than it is but, you know, very aware of the capacity of not only the department but the Indigenous governments to move this forward. We have a number of initiatives going. We've addressed a way to engage so that we can look at the program as a whole, and we've sent letters out. We have a meeting scheduled for early May to discuss some options. And, again, as I've stated before it's very important to me that we get the perspectives and the input from all of the Indigenous governments across the NWT to ensure that we're looking out for everyone's interest as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, we must commit to respecting the IFA, certainly in the Inuvialuit settlement area, and our obligations under this implementation. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister speak to any specific legislation that would have to be changed to make this happen? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we are currently working through the process, we are working with -- through the Intergovernmental Council on land tenure on -- oh sorry, the Intergovernmental Council on land and resource management through the legislative development protocol. And as we're doing this, we're working on the establishment of finalizing the regulations toward the land tenure issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for that. I don't think I got a specific piece of legislation in there, and I'd note that now is not the time to negotiate; now is the time, again, to respect the legislation and the rules and the Indigenous agreements that are in place.

With that, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister once again commit to pausing all invoicing and all collections until this issue is finally resolved? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And apologies to the Member for my little stumble there. Currently we are working on reducing -- potentially reducing rents for Indigenous leaseholders that have traditional harvesting rights to potentially a dollar. Unfortunately, under the current legislation we're unable to go to zero. Certainly, we have the program in place, which came into force in 2023 which we've extended now, to pause collection on outstanding lease arrears. And we're certainly, you know, want to do everything we can as a department to work with all of the Indigenous governments across the NWT to ensure that we can, you know, support the implementation of those programs and happy to continue with that down that road and ensure that we are, you know, trying to get everyone to come over and sign up for the program that's interested in having their arrears paused. And if there are groups out there that would need additional assistance, happy to work on that as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are only a few units -- market housing units within each of the communities throughout the NWT. They're housing our professional resource people who are coming into our communities to assist in healing our residents. We have limited housing available within our smaller communities, and this is the only option some of our resource people may have. Has the department looked at other options to increase revenue rather than imposing a rent increase on only a select few? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, the department is considering a number of different options to increase revenues with Housing NWT. But market rental rates have not changed since 2012, 2013, and this is a possible -- this is a possible revenue for Housing NWT because it does subsidize our public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of these market housings are quite old and past its life span. Some of them are 50 years old, and imposing rent increases on tenants from these units is uncalled for. Will the department be increasing the rent on the same basis as the newer units, or will they be based on the condition of each unit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, good news to report, most of the market housing rentals in the Northwest Territories are 20 years or less. The Government of the Northwest Territories started investing in market housing in the early 2000s. So most of them are 20 years or less, so much better condition than our public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll forego my third question and repeat my second question. Will the department be increasing the rent on the same basis as the newer units as the 50-year-old units that we do have in our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A difficult question and thank you to the Member for the question. This is the same type of question that I've asked Housing NWT. Considering the conditions of units across the Northwest Territories, utilize the unit condition rating, but at this time the expectation is that they would be the same across the board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of health, and it's quite simple. Mr. Speaker, what is our goal for primary care in the NWT?

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

Mr. Speaker, to answer the Member's question, there have been systemic barriers in the health and social services system preventing Indigenous people from accessing the primary and community health care services they need. This results in disparity in health and wellness outcomes. These services could be delivered through team-based models of care that are responsive to their values and priorities. Therefore, a vision has been established, in collaboration with Indigenous communities, to address these disparities and focus on equity. And the department is committed to realizing this vision where Northwest Territories is a place where Indigenous people, including 2SLGBTQIPA+ individuals enjoy optimal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness. So the goal of primary health care reform is to ensure that all residents have access to culturally safe, team-based, primary and community care, and then to establish integrated care pathways to support seamless integration and continuity across various health and social services and levels of care. So we are mobilizing health and social services system staff and external shareholders to pursue that transformative community-driven approach to primary and community care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that incredibly detailed answer. My next question is, Mr. Speaker, if that is our goal, why have we not clearly articulated it -- and I might suggest being a bit more brief -- in the business plans? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, the business plans -- and I agree, sometimes when we get into the beginning of how we're going to do things in a new government, it's very -- in a way, may I say vague as to how we're going to get these things done. But I -- you know, and that's one of the reasons why I think just recently I sent a letter to the committee on a briefing for the primary health care reform which will be able to dive deep into some of the work that the department is doing and for Members to be able to ask questions and get the information that they need in a better way. And I encourage the Members to reach out to us to schedule that briefing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that offer. Certainly, I'll talk to my colleagues, and hopefully we accept that briefing.

Mr. Speaker, it's great to have a goal, but we also need to know when are we trying to achieve it by. So I appreciate that we are working to have equitable access for all NWT residents to primary care. I would suggest that we add the word universal, meaning everybody, has that access. But, Mr. Speaker, when are we -- when is that goal going to be achieved; when do we anticipate being able to tell every resident in the NWT that they have equitable access to health care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we're all aware, health is every day of our life there's somebody that needs to access it. So as we are transforming through this, every person in the Northwest Territories has access to care, you know, whether it's through the walk-in clinics, whether it's through 811, whether it's through our emergency departments, when you get out to the small community there are the health centres and the regional centres, we have the emergency departments. You know, everybody has access to care. As through this transformation, this is work that is going to be ongoing, and I do not want to rush something and -- you know, and put the burden on, pressure on our staff. There's been a lot of changes just in this past year, and that change management has -- we have had some struggles with that. So we need to take it a day at a time and making sure that our staff are comfortable and understanding how we're changing the way that we're providing care to the Northwest Territories residents. So at this time right now, I won't say that this will be done X amount of days. I think as we move forward through this process, you know, it will be our residents saying, you know, that they're feeling that the system is changing, and that is the most important piece. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to my colleague for setting me up for questions that a little bit more granular than his.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how many primary care same-day appointments are available in both Yellowknife locations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, same-day appointments are available in both the Liwego'ati Building and at the primary care centre location. That's the downtown location. There are approximately 24 available same-day appointments Monday to Friday which are offered during expanded hours until 9 p.m., and there are approximately 18 available same-day appointments on Saturday available from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Same-day appointments can be booked by calling first thing in the morning or by walk-in to the primary care centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. That's eye opening.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm that diagnostic imaging and lab services are still also available and first come/first serve at downtown primary care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, outpatient lab collection services in Yellowknife that are provided at the primary care centre and at -- and they are provided at the primary care centre and at Stanton Hospital. In the fall of 2024, Stanton Hospital changed their lab services to an appointment only model, but I can confirm that there are reserved appointments for those who receive urgent same-day requests to seek this service. And, Mr. Speaker, the lab service offered at the downtown primary care clinic include walk-in and same-day option and a waitlist option. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member from Great Slave. Final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that when you call for a same-day appointment in Yellowknife, you are assigned one location or the other, downtown or uptown. Can the Minister tell me how -- how same-day primary care appointments locations are selected and provided to someone who is calling in? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as mentioned, the same-day appointments are available at the Liwego'ati and Yellowknife Primary Care locations. There is one phone number to book appointments for both locations, and people are told which location they'll have an appointment when they book if it is the same day. These appointments are filled on a first come/first serve basis, and the location where you would go would be determined by the number of providers working that day and where they are working.

Mr. Speaker, we know that access to primary care is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being but knowing when and where to seek care is just as important. Primary care providers are often the first point of contact for medical concerns, offering routine checkups, preventative care, chronic condition management, and referrals to specialists when needed. However, not every health issue requires a visit to your primary care provider. In many cases, other health care professionals, like pharmacists or even telehealth services like 811, can provide the care you need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I talked about the Kaw Tay Whee School in Dettah. That school would be 55 years old now, and it's four trailers put together. Mr. Speaker, the children have to walk probably about 300 yards to go to the gymnasium. This school needs to be replaced. My question would be to the Minister of Infrastructure. There was a study that was done in 2018, 2019. Can the Minister of Infrastructure let us know what was the study about and who was all involved in the study? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I'm going to need a bit of time to suss out exactly what study this is referencing from 2018, 2019. I'm happy to do so. It may be that I'm leaning on my colleague from education, culture and employment. When it comes to the capital planning for educational facilities, it is a team effort. We rely on ECE to determine their programming needs and then, of course, the team at infrastructure supports them with respect to capital planning standards and then moving through the process. So, again, happy to look into this and to report back to the House and to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess my question to the Minister is that now that the study is undertaken in 2018 and 2019, once she has this information, my question would be is can we look at a new way to look at this report and start working with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation chief and council and the local DEA to look at what the needs are for that community for fall 2025 capital plan process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm certainly happy to continue to work with the chief from the community. That's not -- this is not an issue that he has raised with me directly on previous occasions but certainly happy to open that conversation with them.

Mr. Speaker, the capital planning process is a fairly detailed one. There are several criteria by which projects are judged to determine which ones move forward. Existing schools go through regular assessments every five years to determine where they might fall in terms of their needs. New capital projects similarly go through an assessment. There's standards and criteria that apply to all educational facilities. So there's quite a -- there's certainly a very robust system to ensure that we are ensuring that all the 33 communities have access to good educational facilities. Happy to go through that with the Member and with the chief and the community and see where the facilities in these communities fall. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I just want to emphasize that education is a treaty right, and it's also in the -- recognized in the UNDRIP document. So having said that, I guess looking forward to work with the department to work with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and also the DEA in Dettah so that we are able to finally get a new school in Dettah and with a full-sized gymnasium. And my question to the Minister is that when can we start working together with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and the local DEA on this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'll draw on another positive example which is to say that in the community of Behchoko, there was a longstanding challenge of the school there and a desire to see that school changed and moved from the site where it was previously put to a new community. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment as lead, with support from infrastructure, are now working with Tlicho government going to Ottawa to advocate for education. Mr. Speaker, I would be very happy to see that we can get to a place where another Indigenous government, together with the GNWT, are able to advocate for better education in their community, and I am happy to meet with the chiefs to work towards that goal. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today it's a fairly momentous day in the Canada-US trade relationship. Donald Trump has imposed his tariffs, and Canadians are reeling from the consequences. Markets are reeling from the consequences. And our future is increasingly uncertain. I know the Premier's been front and center with Team Canada on protecting our nation's interests and Northerner's interests. Can he provide an update to this House now that these tariffs are a reality. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. we have all heard the news that the President of the United States has decided to implement tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Prime Minister Trudeau has stated that he has initiated counter tariffs on our side of the border and with additional counter tariffs coming in a few weeks, depending on how things go. For our part here in the Northwest Territories, we've directed the NWT Liquor and Cannabis Commission to cease all procurement of American products. We have directed the department to refrain from procuring anything from American companies wherever possible. We're looking at how to end our contracts with Starlink. And we're going to continue to do anything else we can to support Team Canada and Canadians and Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said that this epp today, shockingly, I think, that this effort of this -- of this trade war is to weaken Canada's economy to make it easier for the Americans to annex us into the 51st State. These are very shocking comments. Has the Premier been able to speak to the Prime Minister and just get a sense of how real that threat it? The NWT is, of course, in the Arctic, and that's a prize for the Americans clearly. Is this -- how serious is this threat, and what are we doing to prepare for it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we've had almost weekly conversations, all the Premiers and the Prime Minister. I actually had to leave the call early to come down to the House today, so we were just meeting. And I don't think there's a lot of nuance in what the President has to say about annexing Canada. I think if you read what he's saying and if you listen to what he says, it sounds like he's serious about it. And I think that people across Canada in all levels of government now realize that, and we need to do what we can to ensure that, you know, we stay united and we stay strong economically. We don't want the Americans to be able to use economic force or coercion to weaken our federation to the point that, you know, we are at risk of annexation. And, frankly, Mr. Speaker, I don't see that happening. I don't -- I can't imagine a world where the Americans are in control of Canada. It's just not something that I think any of us can fathom. It doesn't mean that we won't need to protect against that possibility and that we as Canadians, you know, we might have to put up with some pain based on these tariffs. It might be a difficult few years for us. But I know that we're going to stay united, and we're going to resist. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm really appreciative of these comments and the Premier's leadership on this. Premier Ford today also said he would do absolutely everything to protect Ontarians and Canadians, tearing up contracts, putting surcharges on energy, barring critical minerals. Is the Premier willing to pay any price to protect Canada and the Northwest Territories' sovereignty? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I listened to what Premier Ford has to say sometimes, and I wish I was able to say a lot of those same things, but the fact is we don't have that type of economy. We don't have those types of direct exports to the United States to be able to make those types of threats. We're not currently exporting any critical minerals to the United States, and so we're in a much different position. That being said, I'm confident that as Canadians we can come together, and we can both support Canadian businesses and ensure that the Americans are feeling the negative impacts of boycotts and of the counter tariffs so that we can overcome the situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have one question to conclude my questions from the previous. Will the department look at consulting with the tenants of market housing, not just sending a letter but, you know, meeting with the tenants of the communities because consultation is key. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The local housing authorities and the district offices are always available to talk to clients about market housing needs in their communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. After hearing her answers to questions today, does the Minister agree that equity to health care includes accessibility to health care? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, this is something I talked to the Minister about quite a bit. So can the Minister commit to looking during this primary care reform period into how we allot spaces between the two Yellowknife locations for same-day services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am hearing that patients are being more or less warehoused in waiting rooms in the hospital. They're spending days on stretchers in an overcrowded emergency department. Hospital continues to be on gridlock, meaning care is delayed, tensions run high, and safety risks multiple. What is the Minister doing to address gridlock at Stanton Territorial Hospital? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since May 2024, Stanton Territorial Hospital has been gridlocked of an average of 10 to 15 days per month. So each day Stanton has an average of five patients in the emergency department waiting for a bed in the in-patient unit. For the past year, Stanton has been sitting at or above 100 percent capacity. As a result of no available beds for admission, Stanton has had to open extra beds in the ICU three to five days per month to treat and discharge emergency room patients. There are nine acute care beds that are currently occupied by patients who could be discharged to an altered level of care, such as out of territory services and long-term care, and these patients are at various stages of planning for those placements. On average, five to eight surgical procedures per month have had to be cancelled due to the lack of available beds for post-operative care as results gridlocks on numerous admissions in the ER. And, Mr. Speaker, what is this government doing? What is the Minister doing?

Well, the Minister is looking at -- you know, looking at how are we supporting our small communities and how are we supporting our regional centres? Because many of these people that are sitting in our emergency departments are medevacs that are coming in from small communities. Our hospital in the regions are at capacity as well. And so there's much work that needs to be done on the outlying to support people to -- you know, to have access to care sooner so that it's reducing the amount that's needed on in-patient care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mean, half a month your hospital's gridlocked, that's not a favourable statistic. Mr. Speaker, the Minister talked about providing support to regional health care and health care centres to release the pressure on Stanton. So how are these -- how have these efforts in regional centres had an effect on gridlock at Stanton? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as this is ongoing work that's happening and reviewing the model of health care centres and many of these things, these things are going to take time. I understand that the hospital is gridlocked. We're holding patients here because there's gridlocks even in the south happening. So this is something that is affecting us all across the system. So what we're doing is we're working diligently. You know, we've opened up more beds in the Liwego'ati Building and therefore those patients that need to go into -- you know, in long-term care, we're getting more spaces open for that. You know, and it takes all of us to try and -- you know, and reach out to our health care providers sooner. And, yes, we hear that it's a struggle but, you know, these are the things that we need to be -- we're focusing on and trying to change the way that we're doing things and looking at the frontline services and where things are going to be needed. And those are the things that maybe, you know, in this next year are going to have to change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm hearing the same concerns, the same energy to solve them, but I'm not -- I'm light on details. So I'll put it another way. The public administrator's been in place for some time now. He's got an expansive mandate to solve these problems. What is the public administrator doing to address gridlock? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the public administrator, yes, he is in place, and he is working on his mandate, and there are other things in his mandate that are -- that have been higher prioritized right now, and those are the things that he's focused on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 6th, 2025, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, second by the honourable Member from Yellowknife South, that this Legislative Assembly, by virtue of Section 5 of the Elections and Plebiscite Act, recommends to the Commissioner, the appointment of Mr. Stephen Dunbar of Yellowknife as the chief electoral officer for the Northwest Territories for a fixed term commencing on a date to be communicated by the Speaker.

And, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Notices of motion. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 6th, 2025, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to develop and implement a compassionate medical evacuation policy for our emergency ground/air ambulance and highway rescue allowing for patients in critical conditions to be accompanied by non-medical escorts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.