Thank you. Please be seated. I'd like to thank Mary Jane Cazon for the opening prayer and reflection.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to update Members on the formal intergovernmental meetings that I have taken part in this spring and those still to come. These are valuable opportunities to advance our priorities and strengthen partnerships with Indigenous governments and with federal, provincial, and territorial colleagues. They are helpful in educating other jurisdictions about the Northwest Territories and our government mandate, and to ensure that northern perspectives are reflected in discussions of national importance.

Throughout April and early May, Cabinet participated in several important bilateral meetings with Indigenous governments. On April 8th we had the pleasure of being hosted by the Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith. On April 17th we met with Sahtuì Secretariat Incorporated in Yellowknife. The Deline Got'ine government hosted us in Deline on April 24th. On May 5th the Tlicho government hosted us in Behchoko; and, on May 6th, we met with the Northwest Territories Metis Nation in Hay River. These meetings are valuable opportunities for our governments to address shared concerns and to make progress on our commitments.

Although all of these governments have different structures, interests and priorities, there were a number of common themes in our discussions, including concerns about the illicit drug crisis, crime, and supports for mental health and wellness. These discussions help ensure this government's work recognizes the interests of modern and historic treaties, acknowledges the unique governance and cultural needs of Indigenous governments, and helps us understand regional and community perspectives across the territory.

Mr. Speaker, from May 1st to 4th, I participated in the Northern Premiers' Forum in Haines Junction, Yukon alongside the Premiers of Yukon and Nunavut. This annual meeting among the three territories is a crucial venue to work together on shared challenges and opportunities unique to the North. We discussed Arctic security and sovereignty, the economy, critical infrastructure, and the health and well-being of northern people and communities. We were warmly welcomed by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation and the community of Haines Junction, and I thank them for their wonderful northern hospitality. I look forward to hosting the 2026 Northern Premiers' Forum here in the Northwest Territories.

On May 21st and 22nd, I had the honour of hosting the Western Premiers' Conference, which brings together Premiers from the four western provinces and all three northern territories to discuss issues of mutual interest and importance. The last time the Northwest Territories hosted the Western Premiers' Conference was in 2018.

Hosting the conference offers a unique opportunity to showcase the strength, resilience, and potential of northern people, northern communities, and northern economies. I chaired discussions on a range of pressing issues, including responses to international trade and tariffs, economic corridors and supply chain resilience, Arctic security, climate change and emergency preparedness, and housing.

Mr. Speaker, on June 2nd, I will participate in a First Ministers' meeting, which includes the Prime Minister and all thirteen Premiers, in Saskatoon. First Ministers have been meeting quite regularly over the last few months, both virtually and in-person, as we deal with geopolitical shifts and reimagine Canada's economic and foreign policy future. I expect the meeting in Saskatoon will focus on working together, as Team Canada, to grow the economy through building major projects, and addressing tariffs and other threats to Canadian security and sovereignty.

From June 17th to 19th, the Government of the Northwest Territories will participate in a meeting of the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders in Behchoko, chaired by ek'wahtydi // Danny Gaudet. The Council of Leaders is an important venue where partners come together to collaborate on issues of shared interest. At this year's meeting, discussions will focus on strengthening intergovernmental cooperation on education and climate change, supporting healthy and vibrant communities, and working together to improve programs and services for all residents. Strengthening the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders is critical to building a future rooted in partnership and mutual respect.

To cap off the spring and summer meetings, I will represent the Northwest Territories at the Council of the Federation meeting in Huntsville, Ontario from July 21st to 23rd. The Council of the Federation is made up of all Canadian Premiers. We anticipate discussions will focus on national security, Canada-US relationships, trade diversification, strategic infrastructure and energy projects, internal trade, labour mobility, immigration, health, and public safety.

Mr. Speaker, intergovernmental collaboration is essential to advancing the interests of Northerners. We are stronger when we work together, and we make the most progress on our shared priorities when we present a united front. These forums are important opportunities to raise our voices, promote our priorities, and build the partnerships necessary to ensure a strong, prosperous future for the Northwest Territories.

I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Indigenous leaders, with my fellow Premiers, and to proudly represent the people and interests of the Northwest Territories in these important discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to building more homes for Northerners. This commitment is strongly supported by a large new incremental investment in housing totaling $150 million over the remaining term of the 20th Legislative Assembly. The investment is the result of strong collaboration by all Members of this House and highlights the strength of our consensus government system. Improving the suitability, accessibility, and affordability of housing is a top priority of this government.

This investment plan focuses on sustaining the public housing portfolio by replacing aged housing assets and retrofitting units to improve condition and extend their service life and reduce the risk of housing units aging out of service. Additionally, it adjusts the housing portfolio to align with the current and future demographic trends to be consistent with the territorial housing needs assessment that is currently underway. Over the next three-years, these investments will target a total of approximately 750 housing units, representing a third of the public housing inventory.

These new projects are in addition to 159 active modernization projects and 17 public housing replacement units that are currently being delivered in communities across the Northwest Territories during this summer's construction season. Construction has also started on a 50-unit mixed-use building in Yellowknife, which will involve the rapid assembly of timber structural panels and include biomass and heat pump technology for all building heat loads. Housing NWT will also complete a biomass conversion project at our seniors' multiplex in Fort Providence converting the multiplex from fossil fuels to a renewable primary heat source. These two projects demonstrate scalable approaches to sustainability in housing.

The GNWT, in the life of this Legislative Assembly, has completed 81 units of new housing, has 67 units of new housing in progress, and will execute on 144 more, funded through the $150 million investment. By the end of this government, Housing NWT will have completed 292 new housing units.

Mr. Speaker, these investments also present strong and new economic opportunities for Northerners engaged in the residential construction sector. In the past fiscal year, Housing NWT awarded 99 percent of its contracts to local and NWT businesses, demonstrating that investments in housing are direct investments in economic growth. This growth is further supported by the requirement for apprenticeship work assignments in all new Housing NWT construction contracts, which supports development of skilled tradespeople in NWT communities.

In line with supporting new opportunities for Northerners, Housing NWT and an NWT general contractor will be hosting a job fair in Deline in June. Supported by the Deline Got'ine government, this fair will offer local opportunities for constructing two prototype hybrid duplexes, which combine the best attributes of modular and stick-built construction methods. This work is being supported by a research grant from the National Research Council, emphasizing a shared commitment to innovation in the housing sector between the GNWT, Canada, the community of Deline, and contracting partner Arcan Construction.

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to update this House and the public on the progress of Housing NWT's capital projects, highlighting the impact on social outcomes, innovative approaches, and increasing economic opportunities for northern businesses.
In addition to the large investment by this government, Housing NWT continues to actively work with federal partners to secure additional federal funding to strengthen our capital delivery plan. This government remains focused on addressing the housing challenges in the Northwest Territories, enhancing the quality of life for all residents, and building more homes for Northerners. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change.

Mr. Speaker, the 2025 wildfire season is now underway, and our team is ready to respond. Response is just one part of the equation. Readiness and preparedness are equally critical.

Following the 2023 season, the GNWT has enhanced its wildfire management program through strategic investments and initiatives. Today, I will update Members on the investments we have made that are helping us build a more prepared and resilient territory.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time, in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities, we sponsored all Indigenous governments and community governments to attend a wildfire preparedness workshop in Yellowknife before the 2025 fire season. This workshop focused on sharing knowledge and practical ideas about wildfires and how to prepare for them.
It brought together 30 members of local fire and public works departments, representing 17 communities. They participated in cross-training exercises to build their knowledge of structural protection equipment and strategies for defending their neighbourhoods.

Mr. Speaker, funding has traditionally been a challenge for communities in preparing for wildfires. Through a number of initiatives championed by the GNWT, we are seeing historic investment in wildfire preparedness. Following the unprecedented season of 2023, we acted quickly to secure and leverage new funding from the Government of Canada to support community wildfire readiness.

This year, the GNWT launched the FireSmart community wildfire resilience contribution program, which will provide nearly $2 million annually in FireSmart projects, including education, vegetation management, training and equipment, each designed to help communities become more wildfire ready. This program is funded through fiscal year 2027-2028, and early uptake has been promising. This initiative builds on the nearly $20 million leveraged by the NWT Association of Communities, in partnership with the GNWT, to complete fuel break projects in line with each forested community's community wildfire protection plans. This investment began in 2020 and will continue through 2030, with additional projects launching every year.

Mr. Speaker, we have also heard from NWT communities and local fire departments about the need for more training and support to participate in wildland urban interface responses. To address this, the GNWT plans to deliver basic wildland urban interface response training in several communities this summer, targeting local firefighters, public works professionals, and facility managers.
The training will provide familiarity with structural assessment and triage, familiarize local staff with key equipment, and increase resources to protect communities if wildfires threaten them.

This renewed focus on training local fire departments will lay the groundwork for developing a wildland urban interface response framework, in partnership with municipal and community affairs, the Office of the Fire Marshal, and fire departments across the territory. Together, we will build northern solutions and support local communities to ensure the NWT is better prepared to respond to future wildfires and urban interface events.

Mr. Speaker, knowledge is the cornerstone of success in wildfire resilience. To that end, we have invested in building a broad FireSmart network that is ready to expand FireSmart knowledge across the NWT. We have trained local fire departments across the territory to deliver the FireSmart advanced home assessment and neighbourhood recognition programs and have expanded our capacity to deliver these programs within our wildfire service. With over 100 assessments requested and three neighborhoods interested in recognition this engagement season, residents are eager to participate. We are also increasing our presence in schools and communities by holding information events and conducting outreach, supported by investments in public education campaigns, to encourage residents to take FireSmart action.

Mr. Speaker, these efforts make real progress as we continue to work toward a more wildfire-ready territory. But there is still more to be done. The journey to wildfire readiness is ongoing. It must be reflected in the actions of all sectors of society day after day, month after month, and year after year.

The GNWT is committed to supporting these efforts across all sectors to build safer communities, ready to respond and recover from emergencies, and better prepared to adapt to the challenges of a changing climate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Kam Lake, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will be absent from the House for a portion of today's proceedings today to meet with the Forum of Labour Market Ministers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to talk about the upcoming territorial election. It may only be two years away, Mr. Speaker, but more importantly is you can never start thinking ahead too soon.

Mr. Speaker, with only a few days in this sitting left, we have to work as hard as we can to squeeze the issues in. One particular topic I want to highlight today is preferential balloting, Mr. Speaker. Interestingly enough, you know, I would love to ask the Speaker questions on this but, of course, our rules of our House don't allow this. I would grill you, of course, in the most respectful, as you can -- one could only imagine. But for the past three months in advance of the last federal election, different people were chatting, and I heard them, whether it was at Tim Hortons or Starbucks or even Javaroma, you'd hear people asking, you know, why do we vote? So when you hear voter apathy is high and engagement is low, you start to wonder, like, how do we change the system and conversation in getting these types of discussions. And certainly, one of the conversations is preferential balloting.

So my research went so far a few months ago to look into when was the last time the territory -- NWT, that is, had a plebiscite. It was actually back in 1982 and 1992 was the last time the citizens were faced with a question that was paramount to the future of the Northwest Territories, and it was about division, Mr. Speaker. The question is was that the right direction to go and how would it look. At the end of the day, we know how it went.

Mr. Speaker, as a plebiscite at that time, it took three and a half months to organize, so is it wasn't an undertaking that considered itself so impossible. So with approximately 860 days left in this particular mandate -- and some days I think it can't come too soon -- Mr. Speaker, is now a good time to start talking about our voting system to create voter engagement?

Mr. Speaker, I propose, similar to what the Yukon has said in the CBC article the other day, of which I want to say I was really excited to see someone else's thinking similar along the lines, is what if we put a nonbinding question to the people of the North for guidance in asking them would this help engagement; would this create more belief in our system? A preferential balloting system may not be perfect but now we're getting closer to perfect.

Mr. Speaker, again, voting apathy is high, engagement is low, and we can keep trying to shake the box and expect different results, but maybe sometimes we got to start thinking out of the box and finding a different method to engage our citizens to get a better result. At the end of the day, this is a caucus decision and an Assembly decision. There is no one Minister who will take responsibility for this and as such, Mr. Speaker, you're off the hook of questions today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. You would have probably got a lot of no's from me.

Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, not only are perspective residents turning away from our territory due to soaring housing costs that prevent them from finding a home, but we're also now losing families long rooted in our communities to a cost of living crisis that is pricing them out of the homes they've lived in for generations. For these families, leaving the North was once unimaginable but with every power bill, the uneasy reality sets in: They may no longer have a choice.

Northerners now pay nearly double the national average per kilowatt hour, prices exacerbated by the fact we consume far more electricity than those in southern provinces. While it's true the North often ranks higher on price indexes due to our vast and remote geography and challenging climate, this is no justification when we now not only pay significantly more than Yukon but have officially surpassed Nunavut to hold the unfortunate title of having the most unaffordable electricity rates in the country.

This summer I've heard again and again from constituents -- and the summer just started, Mr. Speaker -- who are looking forward to the relief from the milder weather. Usually, that relief usually brings to their pocketbooks, a time when they can unplug their vehicles and turn down the heat. Yet, despite their optimism, they've been afforded no such break. Many are still facing power bills well over $500 a month. The Minister has stated repeatedly that she has protected these families and all Northerners from steeper rate hikes, but what comfort does that offer when their bills remain unimaginable and further increases loom on the horizon? Reducing the pace of these increases isn't enough. We need lower energy prices outright otherwise, in a cruel twist of irony, the government might solve our housing shortage, not by building more homes but by triggering an exodus of Northerners in search of affordable living elsewhere. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a constituent reached out to me recently to share their concern and disappointment at the lack of midwifery services in Yellowknife. She found out she was pregnant at the end of January and contacted me to share her experience so far. What should be an exciting time for her has been overshadowed by concern and anxiety given the state of health care in the capital. She's been on the waiting list for a family doctor for over four years now and does not currently have one or assignment to an integrated care team. The standard for prenatal care is to have your pregnancy confirmed by a blood test and be seen in the first trimester, anywhere from 8 to 11 weeks. She never had that blood test and did not see a doctor until she was already at 11 weeks. During her first trimester, she was overwhelmed by anxiety as she felt she had nowhere to go to ask questions. Attempting to get a same-day appointment was next to impossible, and she felt dismissed when she spoke to a nurse via 8-1-1. Most of the information she has gotten about prenatal care has come from apps, pregnancy books, and speaking with friends. Mr. Speaker, the internet can be a good place for some health information but can also be a dangerous source of misinformation and needs to be balanced with professional advice.

Mr. Speaker, my constituent has a friend in Alberta who is also pregnant where midwives are offered and covered by provincial health care, and their experiences could not be more different. Her friend has access to a midwife whom she can text 24/7 for advice, and she feels strongly supported. My constituent can't help but wonder if she should be considering moving somewhere that she knows this kind of support is available.

Mr. Speaker, I don't want residents to be forced to consider this kind of choice. If the government wants people to feel confident in their choice to make this territory their home and start families here, they need to feel supported by and confident in our healthcare system. Midwifery services are a critical component of primary care. The need for this service is not going away, nor is the demand for it, which is why it keeps coming up in the House again and again and will continue to until we have established a program which offers access to midwifery in all of our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the upcoming Arctic Development Expo taking place in Inuvik from June 17th to the 19th. Mr. Speaker, this show was established in 2001 which is their 24th year, if my math is correct. Certainly, it started out as the Inuvik Petroleum Show, some may remember, in anticipation of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline at the time. And back when the show first began, we had as many as 600 delegates attending in Inuvik which was certainly an exciting time and also a great economic boom obviously for the region. It's an opportunity for governments, territorial governments, federal governments, Indigenous governments, NGOs to get together and discuss issues that are facing us all.

This year's theme, Mr. Speaker, is preparing for our future in a changing Arctic, and certainly on the heals of the Western Premiers' Conference that was held here in our capital, and the Premier spoke to that this morning, certainly the timing is good, and if you look at the agenda the themes that will be discussed up there are certainly very similar to what was discussed amongst the Premiers here in Yellowknife.

Some of the discussions, Mr. Speaker, I know Minister Wawzonek will be making a keynote presentation on the GNWT's strategic infrastructure. I know our Premier will be sending in his opening remarks as well. It does coincide with the Council of Leaders so the Premier won't be able to attend, but, certainly, we appreciate him being able to give some opening comments. Other people attending, other discussions, will be around critical infrastructure for Arctic security, discussions on affordable energy and efficient Arctic housing, sovereignty and security in a changing Arctic, as well as Senators Anderson from the NWT and Senator Duncan from the Yukon territory will be in attendance to discuss Arctic security and sovereignty planning. So, again, very, very similar to what we've been discussing in this House and certainly what the Premier has been bringing forward as well.

So super excited, Mr. Speaker. I wish Mayor Clarkson, his council, his amazing staff, and a group of volunteers that it takes to put this show on every year, every success. Inuvik has been great in pivoting as we moved away from the Mackenzie Valley pipeline project into other areas around energy and around developing the Arctic, and the show has been a huge success every year because of that. So wish them all the best and I look forward to seeing hopefully some of you there. If not, they do live stream it, and I have a copy of the agenda if you'd like to have it. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, staffing shortages in Yellowknife often make headlines, but the strain is even greater in the smaller, remote communities. A national shortage of healthcare professionals compounded by distance, limited housing, leaves many healthcare centres and health cabins understaffed and residents waiting. Earlier this month, the Minister of health and the public administrator for the health authority released a work plan centered on access, sustainability, governance, and streamline the administration, all viewed through a small community lens.

Planning is essential. That plan now guides the next steps of our health system as they work to make major improvements before the end of this Assembly. My preference is sooner, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to hear that work is underway by both the department of health and health authority to improve access to care in our small communities. We hear on the news about staffing complaints in the capital, and I don't want to downplay those concerns, but some of our small communities don't even have access to the health community health nurse every day. In some of our smallest communities, health and social services staff only visit the community on a rotational basis, and the frequency of those visits is often impacted by staffing levels in the rest of the region.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister and the new public health administrator have shared their work plan to make improvements that aims to address access to care in small communities. Part of that plan is intended to address recruitment and retention across the territory, and we know that when our small communities are adequately staffed, pressure eases on the regional centres and on the territorial hospital, which benefits the entire system. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing the Minister's plan unfold. I look forward to seeing improvements in our small communities. I understand there are complex challenges and there is no quick fix, but I believe the Minister's focus on access to care and services in small communities is the right one, and I'm very hopeful that in addressing this, we'll build a better, stronger healthcare system for all NWT residents. Mahsi.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about proper channels. GNWT employees, including frontline health workers, are often told if you have a concern, you have to go through the proper channel. Don't take it to the political level, don't take it to the media. And that's all well and good until that refrain is used as an excuse not to do anything or not to take responsibility or to make staff who are already overwhelmed chase after yet another manager or fill out yet another form.

Sometimes staff have already gone through every channel available to them, and no solution has been communicated back to them, and the emergency is looming, and they see no relief coming. And sometimes the proper channel doesn't even exist in the first place. And those staff who really care have to fight to create a brandnew channel.

I've spoken to nurses who were around back in 1988 when the Public Service Act was first created. Nurses fought then against being forcibly incorporated into the Union of Northern Workers under one big collective agreement. They took it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and they lost because the court at that time said if you don't like it, your proper channel is to go lobby your MLAs, get them to change the laws so you get the bargaining agent that you want. Ironically, that's exactly what NWT nurses have been doing recently. And we are being told that actually that's not the proper channel at all, that they need to go through their existing union, go through HR, go through the government.

Mr. Speaker, there are no proper channels to effect this change. We have legislated a monopoly. The law gives all the power to the UNW to speak for public service employees and no power to employees themselves to choose their bargaining agent; no power to important groups such as nurses who will always be a minority within the broader UNW.

Mr. Speaker, if the only proper channel is to convince the group that's currently guaranteed a monopoly to voluntarily give up some of its power, then that is not a proper channel at all. And that's not the UNW's fault. The legislation is the problem. We need to stop scolding our staff for doing things the wrong way and get busy creating new proper channels. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need strong wellness supports in the Northwest Territories, specifically Indigenous and elder led counselling in the community counselling program. Mr. Speaker, our elders have knowledge, strength, and teaching that have sustained our communities through the trauma of colonizations, colonization and the loss of language and culture. Yet too often, elders are left out of discussions when the government is putting systems in place to support our people.

Mr. Speaker, many Indigenous people are struggling with intergenerational trauma and the ongoing impacts of residential schools. We need our elders and traditional knowledge. Counselling and mental health supports are good to have, but they do not meet all the cultural and spiritual needs of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, when we sit with elders and they speak their language, when we hear their traditional stories, we begin to reconnect with who we are. We find strength. People who are struggling to find hope and they find healing that is grounded in the land and our values. We need to recognize the importance of traditional knowledge systems, supporting language revitalization, and ensuring elders are able to provide counselling to those in need. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements.