Please be seated. I'd like to thank elder Joe Otokiak for the opening prayer.

Colleagues, before we get going any further, it's been brought to my attention somebody very special is having a birthday today, one of our translators Judy *Esamiuk -- I said her name wrong again, I apologize. But we'd like to wish her a very Happy Birthday. I think it's her 29th.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge International Women's Day, which is observed annually on March 8th to celebrate women's social, cultural, and political achievements throughout history and across nations. International Women's Day provides an important opportunity to showcase commitments towards women's equality, raise awareness about issues affecting women, and to highlight initiatives towards gender parity.

The theme of this year's International Women's Day is Accelerate Action. According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress full gender parity will not be achieved until 2158; roughly five generations from now. As the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, I am committed to closing this gap much sooner and ensuring meaningful progress across our territory.

This year's theme underscores the need for swift, decisive steps to advance gender equality. It calls for a greater momentum and urgency in dismantling systemic barriers and biases that continue to hold women back.

Mr. Speaker, despite decades of effort, gender inequality remains deeply entrenched. Progress in areas such as economic participation, political representation, and the fight against gender-based violence has been slow. Accelerating Action means moving beyond ineffective approaches and embracing bold, transformative solutions that drive real change.

Our young women and girls have great potential to be our future leaders. To support them, we must ensure they have resources and opportunities to reach their full potential. Investing in education, affordable housing, health care, employment, and childcare, does not just empower women; it strengthens our economy and benefits society as a whole.

In recent years, events like the COVID pandemic and the wildfire evacuation, disproportionately affected women particularly in terms of job loss, homelessness, increased unpaid caregiving burdens, and heightened domestic violence. Accelerate Action signals that urgent and coordinated approaches are necessary to recover lost ground and ensure women are not left behind when events like these happen.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all women across the territory for their invaluable contributions to our communities, our families, and our workplaces; both today and throughout the year. We recognize that women face multiple barriers and gender-based discrimination. These obstacles make it difficult for women to attain equal footing. We must continue to work together to develop and implement strategies to prevent violence against women and girls, promote the development of women in leadership positions, and continue to ensure women and girls are safe in the Northwest Territories. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Merci, Monsieur le President. [Translation] Translatin will be inserted for final Hansard -eds. [Translation ends]. Merci, Monsieur le President.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, the spotlight is on the North as the circumpolar world takes stage in the geopolitical arena. Manmade climate change is causing Arctic ice to melt rapidly each year opening up shipping routes merchants died trying to forge ages ago and unlocking resources which were once unreachable. Now, rival powers like China and Russia are militarising the region as their posturing becomes even more hostile. As our Arctic seas continue to melt, the open waters beckon them to escalate their challenges to our sovereignty in an effort to establish an even greater foothold in the region.

If those converging factors couldn't get any worse, now Donald Trump has discarded our cooperative relationship and thrown our ability to coordinate our defense of the region into doubt. The United States has long argued already that our sovereign territory in the Arctic is an international waterway, so it's only a matter of time seemingly until the American President decides to cave into Russian pressure and try to secure them a bigger role in the Arctic just as they are doing in Ukraine. With the United States retreating from the free world and western nations are now rearming to face threats alone, it's time for us to do the same.

For too long we have neglected our armed forces and defense infrastructure; however, if the chaos in the global stage caused by the United States has a silver lining it's that we may be finally be developing the political will to take corrective action. Today I was encouraged to learn the federal government is expanding its presence in the Arctic by investing well over $2 billion to establish three new defense hubs across the Arctic. While we could have used these investments years ago, these efforts are better late than never. The time has come to protect Canadian strength in the Arctic and make it clear to the rest of the world our sovereignty is not up for grabs.

Next week Canada will have a new Prime Minister, and I hope to see our Premier make clear to him that one of his first priorities in Canada is protecting the North, securing our sovereignty, and keeping the True North strong and free. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to rise and recognize that this upcoming Saturday, March 8th, is International Women's Day. It is an honour to be the Commonwealth woman parliamentarian for the Northwest Territories, and I'm pleased to note the importance of this day in the legislature.

There's no right way to be a woman. I mark this day by reaffirming my commitment to fight for the safety and equity of all women, girls, and gender-diverse folks. I mark this day by saying that we, and every single Canadian, has so much farther to go in responding to the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. I mark this day with mixed emotions. I have pride in our northern leadership that across the territory is full of strong leaders who are women and gender-diverse. I have pride that northern communities are full of women and gender-diverse folks helping each other flourish every day. But I'm also full of rage that violence perpetuated against women and gender-diverse folks in this territory and country is on the rise. I am annoyed and frustrated that issues that are often thought of as women's issues, such as childcare, are under-resourced.

Words have meaning, Mr. Speaker, but actions speak louder than words. Let all of us in this House recommit to what positive and lasting action looks like for northern women, girls, and gender-diverse folks across our territory and to support that action with sustainable funding and capacity for the organizations on the front lines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to echo what my colleague from the Mackenzie Delta said yesterday about the income assistance program. Bmany people in Tlicho region receive income assistance. Almost one quarter of residents in Behchoko rely on it. That's more than 400 people.

Mr. Speaker, we must ask if the government is supporting the people the right way. I know constituents with permanent disabilities who lost income support last year because a family member briefly worked part-time. Income assistance is intended to provide financial assistance to residents to help meet their basic needs so that they are able to participate fully in community life and take part in the opportunities available to them.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot expect to build up our workforce if families who rely on assistance lose that financial security when they work part-time to make ends meet.

Income exemptions under the new regulations will help. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment said her department provided an additional $5 million last year and launched a new income assistance program for seniors and people with disabilities in July. The department removed requirements to seek and maintain employment. But will this help our youth hoping to retrain and work?

Mr. Speaker, Tlicho people are very hardworking. When we rely totally on the land, we did not wait for the caribou to come to us. I want to motivate our young people to find work. I will have question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Norman Wells Esso oil field is a unique discovery with a low-cost blend. Refining costs are minimal. Mr. Speaker, this unique discovery has operated within our territory for over a century. To release the potential, the operator and the federal owners released a development expansion in the early 1980s.

Mr. Speaker, the asset, as the operator in industry refers to, has recently moved into two sections being called for an EA or, Mr. Speaker, environmental assessment; one being the oil field operating authority and the second a connection been the gathering system referred to as line 490 replacement.

Mr. Speaker, this regulatory EA process allows for IRs, or information requests, providing responses to deadlines can become challenging for proponents. Mr. Speaker, as an ex-driller during the '80s expansion and now an advocate for responsible development, and somewhat knowledgeable on our modern NWT regulatory systems since the days of development, it's concerning to me and others to see on the registry 350 IRs due by this Monday. Later, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions to the Minister of ECC. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, March 8th, will be International Women's Day, and I stand before you as an Indigenous woman - a mother, a daughter, a granddaughter, a wife, now as a Member of this Legislative Assembly and, most importantly, a grandmother. I am deeply grateful for those remarkable women who broke the trail before me and many women in this House, those who faced countless challenges and paved the way for our future generations. Their strength and resilience inspire me every day.

This year's theme, Accelerate Action, resonates profoundly with us in the Northwest Territories. While we have made significant strides towards gender equality, we must remain vigilant and hold onto our achievements and push forward. The world is changing rapidly, and we have responsibilities to ensure that women and girls in our communities continue to thrive.

In the Northwest Territories, we face unique challenges. It's imperative that we work together to address these issues. Education, cultural preservation, and economic empowerment are vital areas where we must accelerate our efforts. By investing in these areas that support Indigenous women and girls, we can create pathways to success and leadership within our communities. Let us not forget the importance of amplifying the voices of those who have been historically marginalized. Every woman's story adds to our collective strength. We must create safe spaces for these stories to be heard, allowing us to learn from one another and foster solidarity.

As we celebrate the achievements of women today, let us commit to making meaningful action that will drive further change. Together, we can build a brighter, more equitable future for all women and girls in the Northwest Territories and beyond. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year I stated the need for an ice road from Yellowknife to Lutselk'e in order to take the pressure off the cost of living in the community which faces high prices due to the shipping costs despite Lutselk'e only being a fairly short distance away from us here in the NWT capital. I want to revisit this project today and make another case for it completing in the near future because the political context has changed making the ice road even more necessary to both Lutselk'e and the territory as a whole.

First, the cost of living is still out of control and food insecurity is on the rise. My constituents hear about the potential trade war with the United States and are told prices will go up, and they wonder how the prices at their Co-Op store could go any higher than they are now.

Secondly, the building infrastructure in the North is becoming more vital to the overall security of the Arctic and subarctic. We already have major ice roads projects every year, especially supporting industry projects. The Tibbitt and Contwoyto winter road serving the diamond mines is 400 kilometers long. The Tlicho winter road connecting Whati, Gameti, Wekweeti is 200 kilometers long. The idea that the ice road to Lutselk'e is not possible is simply not true. We just need a political will to make it happen. If ice roads are good enough for the industry, then they are good enough for the small community of Lutselk'e.

Later today, I will be calling on the Minister of Infrastructure to commit to a feasibility study on the Yellowknife to Lutselk'e winter road as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, to complete this week, recognizing some of the achievements from Yellowknife South constituents, I am including today Dr. Ryan Connon who received the Government of Canada Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award in February. Dr. Connon is part of a three-person team, including Dr. Anna Coles and Shawne Kokelj, who, since 2020, have made up the Department of Environment and Climate Change's hydrology team. They work diligently to provide situational updates on river breakup and open water flood risks to the GNWT and to affected communities and residents.

Mr. Speaker, their work is not easy. It requires for them to be continuously monitoring changing water levels and ice conditions via satellite imagery, hydrometric gauges, live camera feeds, and also remote sensed data.

Dr. Connon and team consistently provided reports during the high flood risk to many communities to maintain situational awareness, and they shared their data and information with the GNWT as well as territorial and local emergency management organizations. Their dedication to safeguarding communities at risk of flooding is evident in many long hours. This enabled timely updates to first responders regarding changes in water flow and water levels along with a variety of other factors that could have triggered flash floods or floods.

Thank you to Dr. Connon and the other members of the Department of Environment and Climate Change hydrology team and their expertise, their strategic vision, their commitment to public service, their strong relationships with various emergency partners. All together, they have been instrumental in supporting the preparedness and the response measures for flood risk in the Northwest Territories. And so, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Connon and team are very deserving of their award, and I would like to congratulate them on their hard work. Thank you.

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

Colleagues, last August, unfortunately there was a house fire in the community of Jean Marie River. One of the residents, Mr. Derwin Clille, the plant superintendent for NTPC, attended the scene and discovered an elderly person trapped in the burning house. Without thinking of his own safety, Mr. Clille grabbed a ladder and took it to the window and rescued the elder out of the burning house. This fast action by Mr. Clille saved the elder's life. I can tell you the family and community were very thankful for his fast action.

Once NTPC heard of his heroic actions, they nominated him for the Lifesaving Award from Electricity Canada. Electricity Canada's Lifesaving Awards are granted annually to any on-duty employee of an Electricity Canada member company who was involved in a lifesaving attempt or acted to prevent further harm to anyone who needed immediate help.

This past November, the year's award winners were presented at Electricity Canada's Annual Powering Partnerships summit in Toronto. There were four companies who had thirteen outstanding individuals recognized for their quick response. Mr. Clille was able to attend in person to receive this award. I would like to share with you, the following quote with the announcement: The Lifesaving Award reinforces the electricity sector's commitment to safety and well-being. These employees have used their training to go above and beyond the call of duty in times of crisis in their communities. On behalf of the electricity industry, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the 2024 Lifesaving Award recipients.

Mr. Clille is the plant superintendent in Jean Marie since 2022 where he lives with his wife and three children. I would like to congratulate Derwin for winning this award.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, after our public briefing this morning with Aurora College, I want to speak further about the community learning centres because there remains so much misunderstanding and confusion as to what has been happening at the CLCs, what the vision for starting them was in the first place, and then what is the path forward that communities have been trying to sketch out.

The community learning centres are rooted in an initiative started by Frontier College in the 1960s and '70s and was rooted in a philosophy of community development. So that means providing opportunities for all community members to learn and gain skills that are important to them and be empowered in their lives and their self-governance. But over time, as these centres were taken under the wing of Aurora College, the focus narrowed towards upgrading, so focusing on credits people failed to get in high school or things they failed to learn well enough. And it was oriented towards anyone who's available between 9 to 5, so often the unemployed folks.

In some cases, attendance did dwindle and some centres stagnated. But other centres have revitalized themselves through partnerships and have lots of important programs happening that it seems much of the Aurora College leadership, that's based on the campuses, don't seem to be aware of.

In our meeting this morning, an example was offered of a centre in N'dilo and Dettah offering hands-on programs to over a hundred students in trades and various certifications. The response from the college was well, that's a partnership with the Yellowknives Dene so it's not really a college program. But the point is that those are exactly the kinds of partnerships that the CLCs could and should be doing more of to be successful. And that was exactly the recommendation of the What We Heard report that was completed last year for the college and ECE that's recently been published online.

We were told this morning over and over again the world is going digital. But my first reaction was, so why have you gone down and shut down the computer literacy classes at the Literacy Outreach Centre in Yellowknife then?

Saying that the future of learning is online is completely out of touch. It's tone deaf to what is going on now at the community level, the kinds of hands-on learning that communities have been asking for and, frankly, it reveals a lack of imagination and vision.

Through the facilities master plan process, the concept arose for CLCs to become vibrant, community-driven spaces, and hubs for collaboration. I am hopeful they could still become just that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about the income support program. As it is, it is making our young people dependent even though they are capable of doing a lot. I want to mention that this program is doing good for people with disabilities and for seniors. They need that support. This isn't about them, but about the ones that are capable of working and building a life for themselves but are walking around our communities and couch surfing.

I always told people that we come from strong people, and strong people work. They do something to make themselves have a good life. They do something every day. Like my colleague said, and I agree, we are hardworking. To support our way of life in the North, we need to find ways to get people motivated to take responsibility for their lives. This will help build our economy. This is very important. There is so much to do, and people may need guidance and education to achieve their goals. They will need the support. Mr. Speaker, the sky is the limit, and our people can do and be and have anything they want. They just have to get up and ask for help. Mahsi. I'll have questions for the Minister of ECE. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform this House of the passing of Mr. Ian Legaree, a dedicated public servant, tireless advocate for the North, and champion of youth and community development. Mr. Legaree passed away on January 17, 2025, leaving a legacy of service and a profound impact on countless lives.

Born in Atikokan, Ontario, on July 17, 1959, to Don and Vivien Legaree, Ian's roots reflected Canada's diverse heritage. He met his wife, Shawna Lampi, in Atikokan, and their marriage in 1981 marked the beginning of a remarkable partnership of nearly 44 years. They welcomed three sons: Alexander, Stephen, and Sean.

Mr. Legaree's commitment to the North began in 1984 with a two-year contract that lasted his entire career. From 1989 to 2020, he served as the director of sport, recreation and youth for the Government of the Northwest Territories. He played a pivotal role in numerous projects, including the Arctic Winter Games, the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (NWT Program), and the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association. His leadership shaped the landscape of sport and recreation in our territory.

His dedication to the Arctic Winter Games was exceptional. Beginning in 1986, he participated in 19 editions of this vital circumpolar celebration, serving in various capacities from mission staff all the way to international director. His contributions to the games are immeasurable, Mr. Speaker.

Beyond his professional life, Mr. Legaree was a passionate volunteer. For over two decades, he coached and officiated swimming, inspiring countless young athletes, including a decade as head coach of the Yellowknife Polar Bear Swim Club. He also generously contributed to the Yellowknife Community Foundation for 30 years, from its inception. Even after retiring from the GNWT, Mr. Legaree continued to serve the territory, playing key roles in emergency response and recovery efforts during the challenging floods and fires of the early 2020s.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Legaree's contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades including the Paul Harris Fellowship, the David Ramsden Career Excellence Award, Premier's Awards, and the World Leisure Organization Cornelius Westland Humanitarian Award.

Mr. Legaree was a man of diverse interests. He was a dedicated family historian, a keen sports enthusiast, and enjoyed traveling with his wife. He also had a passion for collecting interesting rocks and creating rock gardens.

Mr. Legaree leaves to mourn his wife, Shawna; Alexander and his husband Robin; Stephen and his wife Cindy; Sean Legaree; and his grandchild Burke. He is also survived by his siblings Robin Johnson and her husband Brent; Lorene Legaree and her husband Jeff; Kristi Legaree; and Blaine and Terri-Ann Legaree, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family. He was predeceased by his parents Don and Vivien Legaree, and his niece Meredith Ivall.

Mr. Speaker, the passing of Ian Donald Legaree is a significant loss for the Northwest Territories. He was a true builder of our communities, a dedicated public servant, and a compassionate individual. He will be deeply missed.

A celebration of Mr. Legaree's life will be held on July 17, 2025, at the Legislative Assembly. Donations in his memory may be made to the Ian Legaree Youth Leadership Fund at the Yellowknife Community Foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that this House recognize the extraordinary contributions of Mr. Ian Donald Legaree to our territory and extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our condolences goes out to the family. I had the pleasure of working with the man; he was amazing. So thank God my Member from Frame Lake did that statement here in the House. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek unanimous consent to move item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery, up to the current motion, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Member from Frame Lake's seeking unanimous consent to move item number 6 up to. And seeing no nays, Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my honour to recognize my constituent Shawna Lampi-Legaree and her parents, Richard and Jean Lampi's presence in the House today. And, Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and thank Alexander Legaree for his help with today's eulogy and ensuring his father was appropriately honoured in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to acknowledge the Member for Hay River South who helped me obtain a Team NWT pin as a small token of acknowledgement of Mr. Legaree's life's work.

And, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to acknowledge my constituent Colin Mahone, who is one of our dedicated pages in the House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Member from Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Premier, I would also like to acknowledge that Ian's family is here with us in the House today. I want to welcome them to the House to share in this celebration of his life and accomplishments. And on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I want to extend my sincerest condolences. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Range Lake page Ms. *Tyra Ristow. I understand Ms. Ristow's family may be watching our proceedings today, so she's doing a great job; don't worry. Thank you.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't go without saying an acknowledgement of Shawna Lampi-Legaree. I've had the honour of knowing her for decades, and it's always a great light to get to see her in person. So thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to extend Happy 94th Birthday wishes to Albert Taniton from Deline. Very blessed to have our dad, which is grandpa, uncle, and lots of friends. Mahsi, and that is coming from the Taniton family.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, on February the 15th, it was my pleasure to, on behalf of this government, award and pass on two medals to Albert Taniton and Leon Modeste there who received the King Charles III Coronation Medals in Deline. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Shawna, welcome, and your parents, Richard and Jean. I haven't met you before, but you got an amazing daughter there, so welcome to our House.

If we missed anyone in the House in the gallery today, welcome to your chambers. Thank you very much for giving us the honour of representing the people of the Northwest Territories. I hope you enjoy the proceedings. It is always nice to see people in the gallery. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Motions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appointment of Person to Investigate the Critical Incident of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian:

WHEREAS the ongoing effects of colonialism and anti-Indigenous racism continue to impact the healthcare system in the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS an unnecessarily delayed treatment for a treatable illness contributed to the deaths of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hillary Norwegian;

AND WHEREAS the families state that the treatment of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian are examples of substandard health care for Indigenous people;

AND WHEREAS clear immediate and measured actions from the Minister of Health and Social Services are required to prevent such incidents from happening again;

AND WHEREAS Section 25.3 (3.1) of the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act (the Act) states that the Minister of Health and Social Services shall, when directed by motion of the Legislative Assembly, appoint a person to investigate, in accordance with the Act and the regulations, a critical incident or an alleged critical incident.

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Member for Deh Cho, that the Minister of Health and Social Services appoints a person to investigate the incident of the treatment of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian;

AND FURTHER, that the Minister of Health and Social Services table before the Assembly at the earliest opportunity any recommendations that the investigator includes in their investigation report alongside a plan to advance such recommendations;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. The motion's in order. To the motion. Member from Great Slave.

I have been thinking about Avery Burke for two months. I have been thinking about my nieces and nephews when they were five or six years old, how fun and silly kids are at that age, how desperately heartbreaking it is to lose someone so young.

I have been thinking about this motion for weeks. The more I have heard from colleagues about the lack of basic health services in small communities, the more certain I am that this motion is the right thing to do.

In talking to my colleagues, I am so deeply saddened to hear of the challenges that the communities of the Nahendeh face, and since Avery passed, we have seen Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian pass away, causing great pain and loss to their families as well. Mr. Speaker, I want to put this motion into historical context.

Many years ago, before we were all here in this House, the Minister of health of the day came to speak to the community leadership in Fort Simpson, explaining that closure of the Fort Simpson Hospital was a good thing. The region and community would not see any impact on services if the hospital was turned into a health centre. The community was told that they would have two doctors and seven nurses, and the department had a medevac plan in place so those who became seriously ill or had an emergency would be sent to Yellowknife for urgent and emergency care. It would be all good. But it's not working.

In four of the Nahendeh communities, they don't have a health centre but a health cabin. The staff for these cabins, community health representatives, work about four hours a day. Health cabins are also scheduled to have a nurse or sometimes a doctor visit once a month if the weather cooperates for flights. If the weather does not cooperate, communities can go months without seeing a nurse.

Mr. Speaker, these communities do not have the same basic services that other NWT communities have. We have been talking about the equity of health services a lot so far in this year. I hear and believe that the Minister of Health and Social Services when she says that this is priority for the smaller communities. But systemic change is difficult. Access to medical services in Canada should be a basic right but it doesn't seem like that's where we're at, and these problems are most acute in our smallest communities.

Why are we making this particular motion? Well, the communities and families of those who passed want this issue to be finally addressed once and for all. These three individuals did not have to pass away. If the system worked properly, we would not have these highly preventible deaths. These communities feel that this system does not care for them. They feel that they are not important. They simply want access to appropriate care and to be taken seriously in times of an emergency.

I know that the Minister might say that they are following procedures, but I also know that there are examples that Members can point to that all too similar to these circumstances that we were facing in the first two months of 2025 that are addressed in this motion. Our procedures and our system continue to perpetuate the lack of equitable, accessible care. Mr. Speaker, I will have further comments to close off this motion at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. To the motion. Member from Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to support this motion in hopes that this does not happen again in our communities. Family relationships are very important in our communities. We treasure our children. We want them to be protected and cared for. Our elders watch our children, and, in most cases, they care for the community as a whole. Now we have three people who are gone from the community. It is a sad time for these families, and all the community feels the effects of the loss.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot stand here and say this did not happen. I wish we could have these three people at home with their families. But this did happen, and they are gone.

As a Member of this Assembly, it is my responsibility to assist where I can to change something that will serve the people we represent in a helpful way. The healthcare system needs to look at these deaths and address the issue of medevacs at the community level. The community health workers who work at the health cabins in these small communities need higher level training so they're able to help people they work for. They must be trained to know how to save a life by administering lifesaving meds or intravenous fluids. We need the system to work for our constituency we serve. Mr. Speaker, mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by acknowledging the immense grief and pain that these families and communities are experiencing. Losing a loved one is always heartbreaking. And when that loss is sudden and unexpected, the pain can be even deeper. I want to extend my sincere condolences to those affected and recognize their understandable need for answers, accountability, and meaningful change if necessary.

I completely understand the desire to know what happened, why it happened. I completely understand that, the desire to know why it happened and, most importantly, what we as a healthcare system can learn from these tragedies so we can create meaningful change and do everything possible to prevent other families from experiencing this kind of heartbreaking loss. It is critical that we examine these incidents thoroughly and use every tool available to strengthen patient safety.

Mr. Speaker, currently there are three investigations underway through quality assurance framework which the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services uses to identify and investigate patient safety incidents. This framework is designed to improve the quality of care within our health system and to ensure that lessons are learned and acted upon. I understand that these are not critical incident investigations; however, a critical incident investigation can happen at the same time. And I will ensure that this happens.

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the families and communities affected that their voices matter, and that these tragedies will not be ignored. We must take every possible step to improve patient safety and ensure accountability in our healthcare system. As this motion makes a recommendation to government, Cabinet will abstain from this vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes. To the motion.

Question has been called. Does the Member from Great Slave wish to close this debate?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This motion is an intentionally public process to bring the issue to light of public scrutiny. This is an action Regular Members can take that is significant, holds government to account, and insists that systemic change must happen before more highly preventible deaths do.

Mr. Speaker, I know that the health and social services Minister cares deeply about this issue. I know she wants to make this system work better for all residents. In summary, I believe that this critical incident review will help provide her with some necessary tools to get this urgent work done.

In closing, I would like to request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Member from Great Slave has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

Thank you. Those in favour, nine. Opposed, zero. Abstentions, seven. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Motions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the transportation of patients via emergency ground/air ambulance and highway rescue to health facilities does not fall under the Government of the Northwest Territories medical travel and there is no current policy basis or provision possible for non-medical escort or supports provided to these patients;

AND WHEREAS promoting, protecting, and providing for the health and well-being of the people of the Northwest Territories is the mandate of the health and social services establishment policy;

AND WHEREAS access to health care and addressing the effects of trauma is a priority of the 20th Assembly;

AND WHEREAS patients receiving emergency care can benefit from having the support of family and friends while they receive emergency transportation and medical care.

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 emergency ground/air ambulance and highway rescue allowing for patients in critical conditions to be accompanied by non-medical escorts;

AND FURTHER, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, we know Northerners face challenges accessing public health care services here in the Northwest Territories. Our constituents are spread out far and wide across this vast land. Then when we cannot expect to offer specialized care in every community, our constituents still expect to enjoy their right to care that they are entitled to as Canadians. This is where health and social services medical travel policy factors in to break down the barriers of geography and capacity for Northerners to get them to the facilities and treatment options down south which are vital in providing the services that are not offered here.

Regardless of policy imperfections, our constituents are thankful to rely on the connections medical travel staff offer to get them to the medical professionals who are eager to offer their skills to our people. While we can debate here in this chamber adjustments to policy, our appreciation for the support medical travel provides residents of every community remains. On any given week, medical travel could be flying dozens of patients in and out of the territory. Without this work, those patients and their non-medical escorts would be paying thousands of dollars for flights and accommodations contrary to the mandate of the Public Health Act which states clearly that health care must be accessible, and free of financial barrier.

Alongside the support medical travel provides to get patients to their doctors, the next most vital policy priority is granting of support for non-medical escorts for travel. These non-medical escorts, whether they be friends or family members of the patient, are critical to the delivery of medical services which must be accessed outside of a patient's home community. They're necessary in assisting patients to navigate unfamiliar airports, cities, and hospitals. Often, they are needed to understand paperwork, documental, and plans of care. They provide valuable emotional support for patients dealing with tough diagnosis and painful conditions. For Indigenous patients in particular, especially those who are elders, they're necessary to provide cultural assistance and translation. For those with disabilities, a non-medical escort can help them be safe and secure. However, northern patients have -- with very special medical circumstances cannot obtain these vital, non-medical escorts, and not because medical travel -- not because medical travel deemed their non-medical escort unnecessary but because medical travel has no policy regarding these circumstances at all.

I am speaking, of course, about emergency medevacs. Because these flights are not scheduled around pre-approved appointments, no matter how necessary that non-medical escort may be for you, it's just not happening. This is a huge gap in our medical services and something that MLAs have brought to the floor of this chamber many, many times, and not just in this Assembly. When the condition of a patient is so dire that they must be placed on a medevac flight out of their community, it is more than likely due to serious distress or trauma. While the immediate rush to the appropriate medical centre for lifesaving treatment comes at a huge relief to that patient's family or loved ones, if that patient parent remains in serious condition, or even incapacitation, it would be wholly inappropriate or even irresponsible to leave them in a hospital hundreds of kilometers away without the support of their families.

These family members naturally turn to health and social services for the support needed because they are familiar with medical travel for scheduled appointments, but then they are promptly denied. Even when the doctors and nurses assisting the patient clearly state that a non-medical escort is highly necessary and communicate that fact to the relevant authorities does not make a difference. There was no exception to be made because there was no policy to begin with, and the families end up taking upwards of $10,000 out of their savings in some cases in order to be by their loved ones' sides.

I want to share with you one of the stories of my Range Lake -- that my Range Lake constituents have brought forward to me over the past year and how they were forced to pay out of pocket travelling to Alberta to support their family members after they were medevaced and remain in an incapacitated state. In one such case, a blood clot in a constituent's brain caused a serious stroke, and he was incapacitated for weeks. In another, a constituent suffered a severe heart attack, developed pneumonia, and then a blood infection, and he too needed his family by his side to help understand his treatment and plan of care. In both cases, doctors implored health and social services to grant a non-medical escort, and they were denied. After these constituents were forced to pay out of pocket, they came to my office for help, and I promised I would do all I could to reach a solution.

Time after time my efforts to find us that solution went nowhere because there was no policy to make an exception towards. If the Minister is not able to find a way to work together to find a solution, then I have taken the next steps necessary to introduce a motion into this Assembly to implore the government to create the policy tools that will remedy this situation and ensure nobody falls through the cracks during a medical emergency ever again. This motion can start the process to close this severe policy gap which is leaving all of our constituents behind. But, also, I want to make clear that this motion is not just another step in my efforts, but it is also responding directly to the needs of my constituents as well. They persevered through these family crises, endured confusion and miscommunication from their government at a time when they should have been focusing on the health of their loved ones, and they ended up, in fact, paying out of pocket after the system failed them and when they came to my office to tell me enough was enough and they were not going to stop seeking justice until off avenues were exhausted.

I want to commend them for their strength and determination, and I do not want their efforts to be in vain, Mr. Speaker. They have told me time and time again they're not just doing this for themselves but for everyone else in the Northwest Territories so that others do not have to go through what they had to. I'm sure many of my colleagues have had constituents with similar stories. It pains me to think that there are those who are not as fortunate as some of my constituents in being able to scrape together the funds necessary to unite with their loved ones. Imagine if they could not be there, if their family member passed away while they were stuck here in Yellowknife because there was no proper non-medical escort policy for medical evacuations.

I ask that my colleagues support this motion so that we can tell our constituents that during a medical emergency that requires medevac services, we are on their side. This is an opportunity to show Northerners that when we hear their problems, we do not give up on our efforts to fix them; we do whatever is within our power to do so. This policy gap has probably affected dozens, if not hundreds, of Northerners over the years but we can put a stop to it now. So please join me in making sure nobody has to pay out of pocket again in order to support their incapacitated family members in hospitals here in Yellowknife or in southern Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. To the motion. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to second this motion. You know, based on the -- all the information and the reasons that my colleague, the Member from Range Lake, so eloquently put, and I won't reiterate all those, just to say, Mr. Speaker, that this is about compassion. It's about doing the right thing. And it's why we're here, Mr. Speaker. So I trust this motion and this important policy work will begin as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. To the motion. Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the motion on the floor that asks for non-medical escorts to accompany patients on ground and air ambulance and highway rescue vehicles and also a policy for this, one of the areas is for significant safety reasons, emergency medical transport do not support non-medical escorts to accompany patients. In emergency medical transport, the priority is to provide care to the patient. This is not intended to be insensitive to the family or loved ones; however, it's important for safety reasons. Emergency medical transports are unable to accommodate non-medical escorts. These vehicles and aircraft are designed to prioritize lifesaving care, and medical teams must have the space to respond quickly and effectively to any changes in a patient's condition during transport.

During a briefing with Standing Committee on Social Development in July 2024, we discussed the work that was being undertaken at that time to determine options to consider for the escort compassion reasons. This work is underway as part of the improvements being considered for medical travel. I plan to offer an update to the committee on this work early in the new fiscal year.

The area of analysis is planned in phase 2 of the work plan. Once completed, the results will be shared as is committed through the plan to modernization medical travel. A policy change to increase the number of non-medical escorts will significantly impact our system's boarding home and capacity. It would also mean increased costs. The work is underway. We'll review options and impact, including financial impacts, and make recommendations for considerations as part of the business planning. We must continue to ensure that the public funds that we have is done and that it is focused on the delivery of essential health services with a limited budget.

Mr. Speaker, as this motion makes recommendation to the government, Cabinet will abstain from this vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be supporting the motion, and I appreciate the Member for bringing this forward. I, too, have had many constituents come to me in a situation of having a family member in a critical state, you know, in another province or in another place and not having a way to get to them. And I've also had, you know, medical practitioners coming to me and imploring me that something needs to be done because in their view too, especially if someone gets to a point where an end of life decision needs to be made, you know, their family members, their loved ones, need to be there with them and helping to make that decision. And I think medical practitioners themselves know that as well as any of the rest of us.

I do understand the Minister's point that it's impractical and often unsafe for an escort to be physically in the ambulance or in a -- like, a medevac helicopter or something with the patient. I can understand that that may not work. But I wonder if a policy, the policy that's being asked for, could accommodate other ways to be able to send, you know, a family member an escort through other means of transportation to then arrive and then be able to be with that patient. So I'm hopeful that other ways can be found to make this happen in a practical and safe way that acknowledges the need.

I mean, I'll also point out the -- I don't know if it's an irony but sort of counterintuitive nature that if someone is well enough to be able to go on medical travel through, say, a regular commercial flight, then they might be eligible for a medical escort but as soon as their condition gets worse to the point where they actually need a medevac, then suddenly they're not eligible to have the escort when they may need that person there, you know, if they're flying to Edmonton, more than ever. And so in that way, the way we currently have it structured just doesn't make sense. And so I would urge the Minister to look at this. I know it's going to cost money, as things do, but I do believe that this is an important area to look at to the folks that are community members who are, you know, in their -- the most difficult and challenging situations that one can face for one's self and one's family members. So I appreciate, once again, the Member for raising this, and I look forward the work that can happen to improve the situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. To the motion. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this motion here. I've encountered, since our election putting us in this building, on numerous occasions welcoming patients that were medevaced to the Stanton Hospital, and I try to ease the pain by being there and then also during discussions of the travel. And as my previous colleagues have mentioned here, I think we can design an accommodation. Circumstances are different. There's some circumstances where I had nothing but cooperation from the Minister of Health and Social Services. There were a few situations, it was -- it varied in different circumstances there in different situations. We had young, middle aged, and elders on medevac flights, and it would be, I would say, a serious outcome on an elder not having the ability to speak the English language to relate what might be painful during the flight with the paramedics. But those are few and far between. We're very lucky. But if we had a relied and designed policy that would help our system, I think that would be an efficient way to review and modernize our system the best we can, giving us abilities to serve and accommodate the people that put us in this building. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. To the motion. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise too as well to support this motion. And it hits home when this motion speaks about the impacts to our small communities, especially in the case of an emergency of loved ones.

I just want to reflect back on the 19th Assembly where I had a constituent in my riding of Dettah where he had to wait six years to get on a transplant list and, finally, the call came in to help out my constituent. And they put him on a plane, on a medevac plane from here to Edmonton for the transplant. And, however, the spouse, the wife, they had no room on that medevac plane for her. And so I got the call, and I wasn't sure what to do, and I brought forward this issue to the Minister of the day, and they couldn't help. So as the MLA, I stepped up and paid for the one-way ticket to send the wife to Edmonton to be by the loved one because through the kidney transplant, we never know what's going to happen. Something could go sideways where -- and somebody had to be there to make a decision, especially the wife. And so to this day, I still get thank-yous from the family for stepping up. And, you know, imagine that, if this is just one of many. And believe me, I've been through this already in my riding of Lutselk'e, Dettah, N'dilo, and members from Yellowknife. And not only here, up and down the Valley as well, that we find ourselves in the same situation. So, Mr. Speaker, I do support this motion. And I just -- you know, we want to work together to create a policy that works for everybody. If there's a way to find the money and work with Government of Canada, let's do it.

Again, I just want to emphasize that health is also a treaty right, and we can't be turning away loved ones that are in need. And believe me, I've been to so many funerals over my lifetime, and more so in the last -- in the 19th and 20th Assembly already; I had my share already and I'm tired of going to funerals. So I support this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. To the motion.

Question has been called. Member from Range Lake, do you wish to close debate?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the colleagues who spoke joining debate around this motion and, in particular, those who are supporting it. Compassion is the name of the game here, and it's to find a way to develop a compassionate policy that can address these circumstances. And I know these things are complicated. I know medical travel's incredibly expensive and often quite complicated, and I have sympathy for the honourable Minister and her commentary on this motion. However, I think we should get into the business of finding ways to -- reasons how we can overcome challenges instead of just a list of challenges as to why we can't do things. Far too often do we present all the reasons why we can't instead of finding the way -- instead of finding the ways so we can. And in this case, I think the Member for Yellowknife North spoke quite eloquently about this. If it doesn't make sense to put someone in a situation that's unsafe and fly them down with their loved one, then find another way to do that. We're not being prescriptive about how we develop this compassionate policy, only that it be developed, and it be done in a way that we could help people at a time when they're extremely vulnerable, extremely stressed. And not everyone can afford these flights.

I had a constituent who was asked to join a Zoom call while their loved one was comatose and make decisions about their care. Can you imagine that, Mr. Speaker, being put into that situation where you can see through your TV screen your unconscious husband, and you have to make decisions about their care? This is the situation we're trying to address. This is not saying send everyone down regardless. It's in these very particular situations, these very serious, life and death emergencies. Those are the people we want an exemption for. We don't want the policies to change globally; we want an exemption, a compassionate policy developed just so the House is clear on what this motion is calling for. It is not going to open Pandora's Box to, you know, whole new range of costs for medical travel that will already make an unsustainable system even more unsustainable. So I just want to be clear on that. The compassionate grounds is what we're asking for, what this motion is calling for, and it's long overdue. Because no one should have to pay out of pocket to care for their loved ones.

So thank you, again, to Members for their support and for their comments in the debate. And I will ask for a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The Member from Range Lake has asked for a recorded vote. Those all in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

Colleagues, all those in favour, eight. Opposed, zero. Abstentions, seven. The motion has been passed.

---Carried

Motions. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't know if everyone is even aware in this House, but the tariffs have been paused until April 2nd. So this whiplash is, I think, driving everyone nuts. The goalposts keep moving, and I think our entire nation's becoming traumatized. And this is exactly the kind of thing that our new-found enemies, who used to be our allies, want from us. So I'd like to -- I'm sure the Premier has been, as he has been through this whole time, in contact with the Prime Minister, Northerners are looking to their government for stability at a time when it's -- chaos is the only word I can think to describe it. Can the Premier provide an update to this House on Canada's tariff response. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand from the news that President Trump has put a pause on majority of tariffs that he was imposing on Canada, a pause on all the tariffs on the goods that are -- that fall under the Canada, US, and Mexico Agreement. I understand also from the news that the Prime Minister has said that the retaliatory tariffs will remain despite that pause because the goal is to end all tariffs and the threats of tariffs. And so I know I don't want to be bouncing back and forth, giving different direction to departments, depending on what the President says on a given day, and so from my understanding the Government of Canada is staying the course. But this news broke as we were coming down into the House, I believe, and so I haven't had an official update as of yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier just confirm that the measures he's already laid out - taking the American products out of liquor stores, the tearing up of the Starlink contracts, and the other measures he's already laid out to date - are those going to be held in force -- are those going to be maintained? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not tearing up contracts. We're ensuring that as we move forward and contracts end and where we can get out of contracts at no cost to the people of the territory and at no -- and in a way that doesn't impact the safety of residents or staff, that we're doing that. So all of that said, the direction that has been given to departments has not changed. I don't want to flip flop back and forth depending on what the news of the day is, and so the direction remains the same. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to hear that. Mr. Speaker, the President, also in his recent address to both chambers of congress -- both Houses of Congress said that the American government would initiate retaliatory tariffs I believe on April 4th. So is there any -- does this situation relate to -- or do our counter-tariffs relate to that declaration? I don't know if there's been an update since then either. I know it's -- again, it is a very fluid situation. If the Premier doesn't have a clear update, that's fine, but obviously this is very concerning for my constituents and for all of us here in the Northwest Territories and Canada. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I don't have an update for the House on that. And, you know, I want to ensure that people understand that, you know, despite the actions of, you know, an individual in the United States, whether -- despite the fact that person might be the President, that, as a country, we remain steadfast in our unity and our approach to dealing with this situation. And, you know, people might be shaken by the removal of the tariffs today and the removal of some tariffs yesterday and the addition of other tariffs. But we're not shaken, Mr. Speaker. This is what we're in for the next four years. We need to realize that. We need to stay the course and ensure that we're doing what we can to further insulate our economy, territorially and nationally, from the whims of the American president while moving forward and supporting each other. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ECE in regard to my statement earlier on income support. Is the Minister looking to make changes to the income support program in the future? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the income security programs for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment underwent extensive review and changes in the 19th Assembly. We were able to implement those changes just last year, so they still have not undergone a full year in the new system. And so I think this is a time where we are certainly watching to see how those changes are being implemented so that we can establish if changes -- further changes are needed in the future. Thank you.

One of the questions I had was when will these changes -- how will -- what time do you anticipate the changes will take effect and be the changes that are going to be used in the income support program? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So these changes took effect last year, in the fall of last year, and so they're still certainly in their infancy as people get used to them and as we see how they're impacting communities. Thank you.

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

I don't know if the Minister will have this information now, Mr. Speaker. But can she tell me what changes were made. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So overall, there was more money afforded to the program. One of the most distinctive changes was that persons with disabilities and people who are elders and seniors were placed into their own separate program, and so now there's the income assistance for persons with disabilities and seniors, and there's the income assistance for adults' program as well. The income assistance for adults' program is for persons who are 19 to 59 years old. And within the income assistance program as well, people -- there were other exemptions that were income exemptions that were included in the program, and then there was also exemptions for earned income that was included as well. So people who are wanting to start working more are able to keep more of their earned income today, so it acts as kind of a grace period as they're working their way out of needing that support on a month-to-month basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, my questions today, as mentioned, are to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. To the Minister, has the Department of ECC been involved in the environmental assessment for the line 490 replacement project in Norman Wells? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department is participating in the environmental assessment process for both the Imperial Oil line 490 replacement as well as the overall operation of the Norman Wells program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question to the Minister is to what degree is the department involved in the 490 process specifically? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department has submitted several information requests to Imperial Oil to better understand the plans for the line replacement project as well as the implications of the project on the local communities. Also, the purpose of the information requests from the GNWT is to help us make suggestions on potential mitigations, if they are necessary for the proposed line replacement, and several of the requests have been simply seeking clarity on some of the processes. The department is aware that the old line was shut in and Imperial was seeking to replace that line to continue production. And we certainly understand this is an important aspect to help Imperial Oil continue operations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary question is, is the Minister aware that this EA, over 300 questions, have been recently submitted with a very limited response time placed by the board? This is a significant number of information requests for the line replacement project considering there is another environmental assessment in progress for the overall operating authority of the Norman Wells facility and likely another EA coming for the closure facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was only recently informed that there were actually 57 information requests which comprised of approximately 350 questions in total that were issued to Imperial Oil for this specific project during the ongoing information requests phase. I'd like to note that the GNWT provided a total of 11 information requests, several of which were seeking clarification from Imperial Oil on some of the aspects of the project.

What I will commit to do, Mr. Speaker, is to ask the department to look into this further and have a discussion with the review board on the intended scope of the assessment process versus the Norman Wells operation, which is also ongoing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Premier and Cabinet put their name forward for Cabinet at the beginning of the 20th Assembly, one of the things they talked about was to build relationships and collaboration and working with Indigenous governments, and that's what I heard.

When I bring forward issues from my riding that comes from the Indigenous governments and my constituents, so to my question to the Minister of Infrastructure is that will the Minister commit to working with the Lutselk'e Dene First Nation chief and council to a feasibility study on the creation of an ice road from Yellowknife to Lutselk'e at the earliest possible date to help lower the cost of living for the community of Lutselk'e and residents? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's two items in there, and the first one was with respect to having relationships with Indigenous governments, Indigenous leadership. I had the opportunity recently to be -- to travel to Lutselk'e. I work with the chief of Lutselk'e on the Taltson project as a partner and I know, in fact, that the Premier met with the chief of Lutselk'e just today.

That said, Mr. Speaker, a separate question, then, becomes on whether or not initiating a feasibility study is or is not a reflection on the nature of that relationship. Mr. Speaker, I would distinguish the two. An estimate, rough estimate, on a ice road to Lutselk'e is 7 to $8 million. There's no guarantee that that would -- and, in fact, likely would not -- lower the cost of living. It certainly would not lower the cost of fuel. It's quite a distance. Barging is, in fact, a very economical way of getting fuel to Lutselk'e. And last year, Mr. Speaker, MTS, in fact, conducted an extra load to make sure that everything was getting to the community on time and to ensure that they receive not only fuel but, in fact, housing units as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Between Yellowknife and to Lutselk'e, we're looking about 200 kilometers, no different from between here to Gameti.

My second question is what are the barriers to constructing an ice road to Lutselk'e from Yellowknife? Why can't the GNWT build on the experience of other large ice road projects such as the Nechalacho ice road from Dettah to Thor Lake? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a very fair question. We, in fact, do build -- that estimate I was given of sort of 7, $8 million, based on the cost of the Tlicho region winter roads; a significant difference being in the Tlicho region, the winter roads are over ice crossings whereas to Lutselk'e, we are looking at crossing Great Slave Lake, which is obviously a huge body of water, behaves extremely differently. There's significant winds, significant movement on a very deep lake. Pressure ridges develop. There's high risks of having open water at any given moment. Significant variances in ice thickness, significant variance in the currents on the lake which is simply not the same kind of engineering as what it might be on a smaller body of water. Different storm events, Mr. Speaker, and an inability to build maintenance camps on land as they would be throughout -- periodically across a different body of water. So, again, quite a significant series of challenges. It's not to say it's impossible but just as an explanation as to why it is much more complicated and much more expensive. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I appreciate that. The Taltson -- sorry, I guess what I'm thinking about Yellowknife to Lutselk'e is one avenue. The other possibility we could talk about is the Taltson hydro or even from Fort Resolution to Lutselk'e. Would an ice road to Lutselk'e from Yellowknife not be a good fit as part of a larger infrastructure project to secure supply chain and transportation network across the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is, of course, some significant critical minerals deposits not far from Lutselk'e in terms of rare earth elements, and it certainly is, of course, work that's -- we're hoping will be getting underway on a Taltson expansion which would have a cable running under the water but would certainly involve potentially some, you know, work being done in or near Lutselk'e and potentially ending up having to move some equipment. That doesn't necessarily open up having consistent year over year winter road. It simply means that there may be some years where even that high cost can be borne by multiple users. But, Mr. Speaker, I don't want to end on a negative note. The Taltson comment does certainly remind me that as far as strategic infrastructure in this region, there's an interest now in micro hydro in the Lutselk'e region or Lutselk'e community, and certainly very happy to work with them on that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to continue on the thread that the Member for Yellowknife North brought into the House this afternoon and talk about the community learning centres which we had a presentation about this morning.

Mr. Speaker, it was noted that there's significant challenges faced by the centres. So, Mr. Speaker, why did the department not work with the college to pursue a more hybridized model that might open the door for the college for cost sharing operation of the buildings and partnering in ways that were mentioned by the Member for Yellowknife North? There's certainly no need -- no shortage of need here, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister elaborate more on why this wasn't done. Thank you.