Good afternoon. Colleagues, before we begin today, I want to take a moment to extend the condolences of this House, as well as my personal condolences, to those impacted by the tragic and horrendous events that occurred in Tumbler Ridge, BC, yesterday. Our hearts are with the residents of Tumbler Ridge at this time, and we will hold you all in our prayers. The flags at the Assembly will be at half-mast for the week to show respect and condolences for all of the families and community members impacted by this terrible event.

Colleagues, please join me in a moment of silence for all those who have been impacted by this tragic act of violence. Thank you, colleagues.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is making practical investments to strengthen our energy systems and make energy more reliable, affordable, and sustainable for communities across the territory.

The energy initiatives report released on February 3rd shows how we are building a strong foundation for long-term change. We are improving how energy systems are planned, regulated, and delivered, while moving forward with projects that meet local needs and reflect northern realities.

Mr. Speaker, a key part of this work is supporting the public utilities board and advancing integrated power system planning. This approach looks at the territory's power systems across regions, technologies, and timelines so we can better coordinate investments, lower long-term costs, and support the transition to cleaner energy. Engagement with communities, Indigenous governments, utilities, and partners is central to this work, and those conversations are already underway. We are not just planning on paper; people across the territory are helping shape how power is delivered for years to come.

We are also proud to support projects that bring widespread attention to the North. Last month, Yellowknife hosted the Arctic Bioenergy Summit. People across the Northwest Territories, Canada, and from around the world came together to share ideas on sustainable bioenergy solutions for northern and remote communities. The return for our support of events like this gives us modern, practical and northern-led solutions that make a real difference in Northerners' energy options. These events also demonstrate that the Northwest Territories is leading in cold-climate energy innovation, firmly placing us on the national and international stage, and shows other jurisdictions what is possible in the North.

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to share that the Government of the Northwest Territories, in conjunction with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Indigenous governments and communities, and project partners, are working on energy related pilot projects across the territory. The aim of these pilot projects is to test new technologies and equipment for suitability in our communities and for our conditions, and with a goal of identifying new long- term energy options that optimize generation, reduce reliance on diesel fuel, increase efficiency of local power plants, and improve community well-being. The first of these projects will occur in Fort Simpson this spring, and we look forward to sharing details of this project as it progresses.

Looking ahead, together with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, we will be releasing a whole of government climate change and energy strategy. This strategy will set a clear and coordinated path for how we manage energy, reduce emissions, and support more resilient communities grounded in practical northern solutions. These energy initiatives we are advancing are intentional stepping stones toward our long-term climate objectives. They support the transition to cleaner energy, help control costs, and strengthen community resilience while recognizing the unique realities of the North.

Mr. Speaker, these investments are not one-off announcements. They are part of a deliberate, step-by-step approach to how energy decisions are made and how projects are delivered. By strengthening long-term planning, supporting innovation, and working closely with our partners, we are building an energy system that is reliable, affordable, and resilient, one that meets the needs of Northerners today, while positioning our territory for a stronger, more sustainable future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains. Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Nunakput, the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, will be absent for a portion of the House proceedings today to virtually attend the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers' meeting on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, non-insured health benefits are meant to reduce barriers to care for Indigenous peoples, but today in the Northwest Territories this federal program is not meeting the needs of the people it is meant to serve. The GNWT administers NIHB on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada, yet ISC continues to underfund this program, leaving our territorial health system to subsidize a federal responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, it is like asking a small mom and pop shop to cover the costs of a billion-dollar corporation. It simply isn't fair, and it is not sustainable.

Mr. Speaker, these shortfalls place growing strain on our system which cannot continue to cover the gap indefinitely. I have travelled with Cabinet and the Council of Leaders to Ottawa, and I have seen firsthand how strongly the Minister of health and her Indigenous government partners have pushed for ISC to address these chronic issues. The message has been clear: The federal government must fund its own program properly so Northerners are not left behind.

Mr. Speaker, we also know what happens if NIHB is handed back to the federal government to administer themselves. Services get slower, barriers increase, and patients and families must pay upfront and seek reimbursement for every medical trip. This is not what we want for NWT residents. But unless ISC steps up, we risk being forced down that path. Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, we continue to face rigidity and administration barriers for escort criteria. This leaves families to apply for exceptions and wait for answers whenever their situation doesn't fit rigid outdated policies created in Ottawa, and every time a person is sent by air ambulance, one of the most frightening and vulnerable moments in anyone's life, families are again forced to apply for an exemption to be with their loved one with no guarantee of approval. At the moment when these patients need support the most, Mr. Speaker, NIHB makes them prove it.

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous residents deserve dignity, compassion, and timely care. I call on Indigenous Services Canada to fix these systemic issues, to work with our GNWT to modernize these policies, and properly fund NIHB so that people in our territory receive the fair and respectful service they deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, it took nearly a decade for the Government of the Northwest Territories to assess the services it provides to persons with disabilities, only to reveal significant failures in their design and delivery. Yet almost four years after this work accumulated in health and social services' landmark supported living review final report, only a handful of its 33 key recommendations have been meaningfully implemented.

Once you speak to families affected by these systemic failures, you will notice that these are not just service gaps but service canyons - fragmented disability and continuing care programs, limited cross-departmental coordination, and inadequate mechanisms to respond to unique or complex circumstances force caregivers to fill operational and staffing shortfalls in GNWT service delivery, simply to ensure that adults with disabilities receive the care they need. Addressing these systemic failures are the very foundation of the final report.

Life for caregivers should not be this difficult, Mr. Speaker. In particular, I have witnessed the shock families experience when their disabled children age out of child and family services. Suddenly, they are cut off from support and left at the mercy of the income-assistant model, which is far from adequate given the rising cost of living. NGO supports exist, but these are often tied to employment, a requirement people with more profound disabilities simply cannot meet.

One recommendation with the greatest potential to support caregivers is expanding the supported living model to private homes, opening access to supports, respite, and paid caregiving resources that are currently eliminated to designated providers. The closest progress towards this goal was the paid family community caregiver pilot project which was successfully introduced before the final report but cut shortly afterwards.

This Minister knows that people want to stay in loving homes, and those homes want to stay whole. People with disabilities are not a burden. The burden lies with a government that fails to deliver the services they need. Now the Minister must answer what the families are asking. Why, years after the release of the final report, has there been no meaningful or measurable progress in addressing the gaps in access, coordination, and accommodation for adults with disabilities and their families? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, we want electricity that is cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable with less power outages. Is that so hard?

The Minister of NTPC has been taking every opportunity to argue that the solution to all of these problems and more is the Taltson expansion and transmission line, most recently saying that power outages can only be prevented by connecting our two grids. I know that there is an appetite for big ideas, big solutions to all of our problems, but it's dangerous to believe in panaceas, especially when they're estimated to cost several billions of dollars, especially when they may not deliver the level of reliability we're hoping for or the lower cost, and especially when it means we fail to focus on shorter-term, lower-cost practical steps we could be taking. We need to always ask what is the priority problem that we're trying to solve and then what is the most cost-efficient way to get there.

If our priority is to prevent power outages in the North Slave grid, well most outages are caused by a supply failure rather than a transmission failure and most outages last less than 15 minutes, despite our recent experience. Spending billions to tie our two grids together may or may not prevent future outages, depending on the location of any supply failure.

Alternatively, we could install a complete battery backup that meets peak grid demand with its own substation. Right now, there's a battery being installed in Alberta, sized for 80 megawatts, so more than what we need, that would provide backup power for two hours, and it costs $120 million. Still pricey but a fraction of the cost of Taltson. If we just wanted 15 minutes of reserve energy to prevent a majority of the outages we currently experience, we could get a smaller 10 megawatt battery at Jackfish for maybe 10 to $20 million. This idea and others were proposed by NTPC itself and a backgrounder listing potential solutions to chronic low-water challenges.

Some other ideas proposed by NTPC were to install modular units at Jackfish, increase the generation capacity at Bluefish, and add more solar and wind energy to the Snare system. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my point is that if we want to reduce power outages, Taltson is by no means the obvious answer. Let's look at each of our electricity challenges one by one and find the most practical solutions to each. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] INSERT* [Translation Ends] Happy birthday, Rosemary.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Across the Northwest Territories communities to face the devastating impacts of drugs and alcohol. These challenges affect individuals, families, and the well-being of our community as a whole. While clinical and facility-based treatment options are important, they cannot stand alone. We must continue to invest in on-the-land programming that brings people back to the places where healing as always begun - on the land, guided by elders, culture, and traditional knowledge.

Mr. Speaker, on-the-land programs reconnect individuals with purpose, identity, and belonging. For many at risk of substance use, the structure and teachings found on the land offer a path forward that is culturally meaningful and emotionally restorative. Whether it is building a fire, harvesting from the land, travelling by river, or learning stories and teachings from elders, these experiences provide more than skills. They provide grounding, pride, and hope.

Our elders remind us that healing is not only about treating symptoms but about restoring balance. When individuals spend time with knowledgeholders, they build relationships that strengthen resilience and reduce isolation, two of the most significant risk factors tied to substance abuse. Participants gain confidence, reconnect with culture, and rebuild their sense of identity.

Mr. Speaker, investing in these programs is not just an investment in cultural preservation. It is an investment in prevention, recovery, and long-term community health. I urge our government to continue expanding accessible, sustainable, and community-driven on-the-land opportunities, ensuring that those most at risk have a chance to heal in ways that honour who they are and where they're from. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last October, my colleague from Yellowknife North expressed frustration with the lack of transparency on what changes are made for improvement based on data collected by the Office of Client Experience and also with past iterations of the NWT patient experience questionnaire. While I am happy that the desire to understand the patient experience continues, Mr. Speaker, and while the 2025 questionnaire Have Your Say website notes that a what-we-heard report will be produced that will guide delivery -- service delivery and quality improvements, I want to get back to an even more foundational question: Are we asking the right questions?

The two survey options were explain your last appointment in the outpatient questionnaire and an inpatient questionnaire for folks who stayed at NWT hospitals for at least one overnight stay. Most people's primary care experience would fit into the former, and that is my focus today.

I understand that HSS tracks 40 performance indicators on behalf of the health and social services system since 2019, Mr. Speaker, but to understand the patient experience in the NWT, we have to dive deeper than just what happened during a one-off appointment.

I consider myself a frequent user of the health system, and I have good experiences and not so great ones, Mr. Speaker. As we hear in this House regularly, there's too many not so great ones. In assessing those less positive experiences, it's crucial that people are able to give meaningful feedback.

Mr. Speaker, when the 2025 patient experience questionnaire was promoted on GNWT social media, one comment I saw really stuck with me. Quote, sadly, this survey misses what really matters, how the system works over time across multiple points of care. It doesn't ask about the ease of moving through typical, sometimes iterative processes from booking an appointment to getting referrals, results, and treatment. It doesn't explore patients' deeper experiences, especially patients with complex needs. I hope HSS considers more substantive structured engagement with the public to complement these annual surveys. End quote. I could not put it any better myself, Mr. Speaker.

My constituents who are frequent users of the health system flag consistently the need for better continuity of care. It's best to map that journey with feedback from the people who are experiencing it. I will have questions for the Minister of health at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak about the need for a dedicated Tlicho administrative region to improve coordinations of government programs and services for Tlicho communities.

Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges with the current North Slave regional structure is that it combines Tlicho communities with Yellowknife, the largest urban centre in the territory. This creates an imbalance in planning and resource allocation because regional priorities are often dominated by the needs of Yellowknife, which has a population of over 21,000 compared to over 3,000 across the four Tlicho communities. As a result, smaller communities like Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, and Wekweeti struggle to have their voices heard and their unique needs addressed.

Issues such as housing shortages, aging infrastructure, and health service gaps can be overshadowed by urban priorities, making it difficult to ensure equitable service delivery and accountability for Tlicho residents. A Tlicho administrative region establish a clear administrative boundary for planning, reporting, and accountability so that commitments to housing maintenance, health staffing, education support, and local infrastructure are clearly tied to the needs of Tlicho communities.

Mr. Speaker, it would allow for better coordination of GNWT programs and services, reduce duplication, and improve transparency in how resources are allocated and delivered. By improving coordination and accountability, this change would help address longstanding gaps in housing, health care, and infrastructure, and strengthen trust between government and Tlicho communities.

Mr. Speaker, a dedicated Tlicho administrative region is a practical step toward better outcomes for families and communities across the Tlicho region. Mr. Speaker, I will have question for the Minister of Finance at appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The drug crisis sweeping the North is a tragic example of what happens when intergenerational trauma meets the modern marginalization of our communities. Cut off from vital services and with limited access to employment and education and opportunities, our people are increasingly vulnerable to the rising flow of drugs into the territory.

Moving people struggling with trauma and addiction into treatment programs is critical, but the absence of these services in the North is a serious gap in our healthcare system. And even when people complete the treatment program in BC or Alberta, what comes next? Recovery doesn't end when they leave treatment. The next vital step is aftercare or a sober living program. That is why it is so disappointing that my constituents are denied funding for these programs.

The Minister said that she supports people seeking help in the North yet critical gaps remain, especially in our communities. Community leaders do their best with what they have and healing camps and culture programs, but these are only part of the larger and still incomplete network of services. To deny this support is to deny my constituents to their treaty rights to health and well-being. It's a shift responsibility on to communities and Indigenous governments who try their best but simply lack the resources.

Aftercare and sober living programs cost far less than treatment, about a hundred dollars a day compared to $600 for a 50-day minimum treatment program. Yet these essential services remain underfunded. Without them, recovery is fragile and incomplete.

I am calling on this Minister to fund the wholistic recovery process. Anything less is a failure to uphold the long-term health and dignity of our people. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Colleagues, today, my Member's statement brings great news. Sometimes in life, you find yourself in the right place at the right time.

Last summer in Yellowknife, I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Kenneth Peter Judge, visiting from Monaco. As we discussed his work, businesses, and personal life, I learned he was part of the legendary Australia II crew that ended America's 132-year winning streak in the 1983 America's Cup, a historic sailing triumph. Despite his achievements and honours like the Order of Australia, Ken came across as refreshingly down-to-earth. Our conversation turned to Clean Design, a Canadian company specializing in AI-driven hybrid energy solutions. With over 15 years of proven success and 25 plus systems operational, including the B@ Gold's Goose Mine in Nunavut, this technology is transforming remote energy challenges. We explored bringing it to the Northwest Territories, zeroing in on Fort Simpson as a prime opportunity.

Clean Design focuses on reducing diesel consumption, cutting emissions, minimizing blackouts, and enabling silent running at night via advanced hybrid and battery integration. For diesel-reliant communities like Fort Simpson, these innovations deliver reliability, affordability, and environmental gains essential for our North.

It is my understanding that Ken and Clean Design have collaborated with the Minister responsible for strategic energy and staff, including NTPC, on a pilot project being launched in Fort Simpson, tentatively scheduled for April 1st, 2026. While the terms of the pilot project are still being finalized, I am confident it will make a real difference. In conversations with the Liidlii Ku First Nation and Fort Simpson Metis Nation 52, they expressed excitement about this pilot and its potential future impacts on the community and their local governments.

I extend my thanks to the Minister, her staff, and Peter Judge and the Johnston family for prioritizing our community and partnering across the aisle. I also thank Minister Wawzonek and her team for their urgency in advancing this. My hope is this pilot succeeds in Fort Simpson and scales as a permanent solution for NWT communities reducing diesel dependency for generations.

Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need to move from a very fickle power system to an opportunity of resilience.

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday evening, in case some of you might have missed it, Yellowknife sat in darkness for four hours as temperatures plunged at minus 25. Mr. Speaker, a four-hour outage in a southern city may be an inconvenience but in the subarctic, it's a ticking clock that's deafening.

Mr. Speaker, again, an inconvenience to some, but a tragic experience for many. I heard over the weekend stories of frustration where pipes in modular homes had frozen and broken in some cases, Mr. Speaker. With today's understanding of technology and opportunities, there must be a better way.

Mr. Speaker, as you just alluded to, Clean Design may be that opportunity to help stabilize our power. The technology is there. It's proven. It manages ups and downs of power waves. It even turns on the system when it gets interrupted. Again, an uninterruptible system working for people. It reduces the consumption of diesel, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure where there's a problem here. It sounds too good to be true. But it's real, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is proven technology, Mr. Speaker, and this potential investment will save tragedy as well as massive amounts of stress for Northerners who worry about power. Mr. Speaker, at the same time, as pointed out just moments ago, the diesel system could be turning off which reduces noise pollution in the evening in some communities. Mr. Speaker, this will give folks a much-needed night's rest.

Mr. Speaker, people are dreaming of the future, but the truth is the future is here. Mr. Speaker, this smart technology has been in effect for decades, and now we could be doing it here. Wait a minute, Mr. Speaker, we are doing it here.

Mr. Speaker, the project moving into Fort Simpson, your community, is bringing this technology to life. I say now let's bring it to Yellowknife where we need it. Because when the power goes out, there is no plan B, Mr. Speaker, other than hope, and as we said yesterday, we can't eat or spend hope. Mr. Speaker, on our biggest investments, we can't put them at risk, and we can't count on luck. In the North, energy security is public safety. Last week was yet another warning that if the outage had lasted 14 hours instead of four hours, we'd be discussing a disaster, Mr. Speaker, not an inconvenience.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, Clean Design provides intelligent energy management. It helps the system to ensure the faults are smoothing out and, Mr. Speaker, it demonstrates a reliable power in places like Fort Simpson, and I hope in Yellowknife, will be there for Northerners at the greatest risk and when we have the greatest need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Replies to the budget address, day 5 of 7. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've been contacted by families that are affected by the lack of action on support to persons with disabilities. So I'd like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, the supportive living review has only, as I've mentioned in my statement, had a handful of its 32 recommendations implemented. When will the Minister get around to completing the implementation of this very important report? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the supportive living review, the ones that were -- the actions that have been implemented currently within the funds that the health authority and the department has; however, a large portion of the recommendations are tied to significant costs. And so what we're doing at the department right now with NTHSSA is working through that with our partners. We're also establishing -- there's a review going on currently with the amount of residents that are living out of the territory and what the needs would be in bringing them back into the territory. So within that area, there's also the -- it is flagged, and it's one of the top priority areas under the health sustainability unit that is doing a review on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's always disappointing when we make recommendations that we can't afford because we should be just doing it. That should be with our top priority when we make them because why make them otherwise.

Mr. Speaker, what policy or formal mechanism exists to ensure individualized accommodation and access is ensured for persons with disabilities across departments and programs, so not just with health and social services but across the entire government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when clients come into the health system, the system works with individual, whatever the -- if there's disabilities, if there's health issues, if there's other areas, then they support them within their system and then there are ways that they interact with other systems. However with many adult placements, we do have an adult placement worker and that can help with navigating, you know, what systems are available to the family in the territory. There is also the NWT disability that we fund that helps navigate families to different areas of support. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So what this all reveals is there's not a single coordinated pathway for someone -- for an adult experiencing these difficulties to access government. There's no one-stop shop that they can go and receive that support if they're having trouble accessing that support. So will the Minister commit to establishing that coordinated support, so it's very easy for people to get the help they need, and also attach service standards for it so there are clear measures that kick in if someone has not received the help they need within a timely manner, not received it at all, or is struggling. Because we can't leave these people, you know, quite frankly, you know, banging their heads against the wall trying to get help that they desperately need. So will the Minister establish that centralized coordinated service pathway with clear measurements for service standards. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, under the supportive living review, I am going to be waiting for the health sustainability unit. There will be recommendations coming from that and when I do have that, I will, you know, bring those to my colleagues, and we will also be working with the Regular Members on some of those recommendations that come back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the health Minister please tell me how the methodology and the survey questions for the 2025 Patient Experience Questionnaire and previous questionnaires, as I understand as it tracks the same metrics over time, were selected. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what work is contemplated for a Yellowknife patient journey and will it review patient experiences with quality of care over time and multiple interventions from intake appointment to diagnosis to referrals, results, and treatments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. What I've directed the NTHSSA to do is to do the mapping, and I think currently right now, that's what they're doing, is looking at what they're going to be monitoring and bringing all of the concerns and the complaints that have come through my offices, BFs, the things that have come through the Office of Client Experience, and then working within the staff to try and navigate. This is the same thing as they did with the Deh Cho journey. They heard from the residents. They heard from the staff. And then they -- part of that was following through different areas with the patient through the mapping -- I meant through accessing the primary care clinics. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am sure committee will look forward to that scoping and work together with the Minister. Mr. Speaker, will the proposed medical travel case management initiative with the three proposed positions focus solely -- their work solely on identifying cost savings, or will these positions also be looking for trends in patient experience and suggest improvements? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the case management pilot that is proposed is -- what the goals of this would be to real time case management to ensure medical travel is necessary and that virtual options are considered, redirecting patients to in territory service when it's clinically appropriate, developing best practice at reduced travel costs, and help patients navigate the system, improving patient experience by reducing unnecessary travel, and when travel is needed it would also ensure appointments are scheduled in a way that supports patient and avoids preventible delays. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in speaking to my friends and contemporaries at city hall, they are telling me about the challenges. They still don't have any land, and there seems to be a land grid lock. And they often ask me, is there a policy with ECC to not transfer land, and I'd like to get that clarified, because the city wants to maximize its tax base with opportunities.

So, Mr. Speaker, with the Minister of ECC, I'd like to clarify, is there any type of policy that obstructs transfer of land that has been identified for their needs? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, there is not.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when an application comes in, it should have sort of a -- we'll call it a target time. In other words, this application must be fulfilled within 90 days. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister agreed to that earlier in this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, is that policy being implemented that upon an application received in good order, it will be processed within 90 days? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process through which a land application goes, once it becomes into the system, it has multiple steps. Not all of the steps are within the control of the department. So there's consultation that's involved. There's documentation, the moving into the legal realm. There's reviews by counsel on both sides, either for the department or for the purchaser of the land. So many of these components do not have specific timelines associated with them however we do make every effort to move the land applications through as quickly as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, if I was in the city administration, I go to the cupboard and I open it up, the cupboard of land is bare, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if they ask for too much, they say, oh, well you don't need that land, so no, we deny it. So, Mr. Speaker, what is the department of ECC planning to transfer this spring to the City of Yellowknife to ensure that they can keep the opportunities of maximized tax base and a growing economy here in Yellowknife?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently, the department signed a memorandum of collaboration to work with the City of Yellowknife, and we have been working together on many files to transfer land within the city. Currently, there are eight files in process, two of -- six of which are currently in consultation and two of which have moved to the next level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement around the shortfall between the NIHB program and what GNWT's paying, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Could she provide the latest cost -- what it's cost our government to cover the shortfall from NIHB. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the shortfall for 2023-2024 was $7 million, and the shortfall for 2024-2025 was $13 million. However, I'd just like to add that these two years, we were provided the first time ever a supplementary additional payment on top of what they normally give us, which was a total of $25 million for each year. And previous years before this, as long as we've been administering NIHB, they've never been -- they've never given us that money. So the years before, we could probably calculate $20 million, $25 million on average, that we've been overspending. And with the cost of inflation, it's only going up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that. And obviously the concerns I brought up in my statement were certainly verified by the cost it's costing us.

To better alleviate some of the time zone challenges and certainly better communicate with departments and residents, has there been any consultation with NIHB regarding moving the NIHB office to Yellowknife where it should be to be in our time zone and for it to be able to have advocacy here as we know we are a contractor, not advocates, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that within Indigenous governments and the GNWT over the years, you know, we work closely with the northern region district. However, the NIHB, like, program is housed for not just with us, with Nunavut as well, in Ottawa. And due to the fact that our two territories administer the program, they provide the Indigenous governments with navigators, like so there's NIHB navigator, I think at least within Inuvialuit, and then there's an NIHB navigator with Dene Nation. And that's what they've committed to to be supporting residents in the Northwest Territories. However, there hasn't been any question of having an office here because GNWT administers the program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate that. I just think how good it will be to have that office right next to the medical travel office here in Yellowknife, would make way more sense. Having said that, I know the Minister has been working with ISC, working on a new agreement. Can the Minister please provide when she would anticipate that the new agreement will be finalized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's ongoing conversations between my department and Indigenous Service Canada. You know, we need to have an agreement before March 31st as our agreement did expire last March 31st. So that's the work that we're working on right now. And the important piece to understand is that when the new government was -- when they prorogued and then the new government was elected, they didn't resume conversations on a lot of this until after the budget. So we've been in mad meetings with ISC trying to make sure that this agreement is what we need for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains, or if I have that wrong it's something along those lines.

In my Member's statement, I referenced a backgrounder that's available online produced by NTPC. It's not dated. But it's a list of ideas and possible strategies to respond to energy challenges; in that case, specifically around low water levels. And so one of those ideas -- my question for the Minister is, first, has NTPC pursued the idea of installing a 10-megawatt battery at Jackfish that could store up to 15 minutes of reserve energy and thereby eliminate most of our power outages in the North Slave grid. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if we're all talking about the same backgrounder, and it would appear from the list read that we are, this backgrounder dates back to 2015, which would be the last time that we were in a low water cycle as we were a couple of years ago when Yellowknife ended up on diesel here in 2023-2024 roughly. So back in 2015, this backgrounder was developed. I can certainly speak to the extent that I am able, that there was some consideration back then given to it. I obviously wasn't here at Cabinet, and the board has certainly changed over somewhat significantly, particularly in the last few months on that. So at this point, Mr. Speaker, it makes it a bit difficult to say whether or not -- or to speak for what decisions might have been made by the Cabinet at the time or by the Assembly at the time. I certainly can say, Mr. Speaker, that looking at battery storage does continue to be something that NTPC and strategic infrastructure are doing with respect to both the integrated systems planning work that's underway for the whole of the territory as well as for the North Slave resiliency study that we are expecting out this spring. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I can appreciate that some of these ideas may have come a while ago but still may be relevant, and so I am wondering if the Minister has any information about whether the idea is being pursued of installing modular units at Jackfish plant. At the time it was referenced that they could be up to 5.75 total megawatts, and the idea was to increase capacity and improve efficiency and reliability. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can confirm that NTPC did install modular units at Jackfish to increase the capacity. There were installations completed back in 2018 and 2019, and there's also a new 4.4 -- I don't know the capacity of those two, but there is a 4.4-megawatt generator also at Jackfish plant. It does remain, Mr. Speaker, that the system is still reliant on these -- on this single generation facility and so, again, that doesn't necessarily answer all of the challenges we have within the lack of a wider grid or redundancy in the grid but that element was taken care of. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So that's good news. And so finally, I mean, ideas are raised from time to time, especially with our lowest water years, which we didn't necessarily have last year, but of the need to increase energy generation capacity -- yeah, so has the Minister -- or is the Minister aware of whether NTPC has actually been pursuing ideas to increase energy generation capacity within the Snare system such as increasing the capacity of the Bluefish reservoir and wind and solar potential? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, indeed, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, there's a number of efforts underway, not only -- not only within the Snare but across the Northwest Territories in terms of micro hydro capacity in some smaller communities that would be unlikely to ever find themselves on our existing hydro grids, as well as with the Tlicho government and opportunities within the Tlicho region near Whati. So that is a project that's also being looked at, as well as to increase the transition -- or transmission capacity to some of the communities who would be on the grid. So in order to also, again, just to be able to provide some more communities with power. But so yes, the short answer is yes. There's also efforts being undertaken, I understand, to examine wind capacity here closer to Yellowknife, solar capacity. And with that, Mr. Speaker, we do have the experience of battery systems in both Colville Lake and in Inuvik, which would be then necessary to support a smoothing out of the intermittent power that would be generated by those systems. There is not one solution here, Mr. Speaker, and I am happy to receive further questions on it, but we will continue to look for whatever opportunities there are. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains. Oral questions. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of health -- responsible for Health and Social Services. Can the Minister explain what steps the department is taking to expand on-the-land programming and ensure that these opportunities are available consistently throughout the year. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department administers two funds designed to support the delivery of community-based mental wellness and addiction recovery program, and the suicide prevention program. So these funds are application-based for Indigenous governments, Indigenous communities, NGOs, to apply to to provide programming. And through the program that they provide, this is part of the work that was done with the Council of Leaders that the -- we don't -- they decide how they spend those monies within their community and on the land or however they choose to provide those programs in their community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We know that elders play a critical role in guiding people through healing, cultural learning, and reconnection. Can the Minister outline how the department is supporting elders' participation in on-the-land programs, including proper compensation, coordination, and recognition of their knowledge. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations determine their own priorities and programming. They engage with elders and other community knowledge holders as they see fit, and the fund allows for communities to compensate elders for their service. We, you know -- we've heard from Indigenous leaders that they want to be doing these types of programs themselves in the communities and that, you know -- so we're just providing the funding to them to allow them to do this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, communities often tell us that short-term or uncertain funding makes it difficult to design consistent impactful on-the-land programs. Will the Minister commit to establishing longer term predictable funding arrangements so that communities can plan, deliver, and sustain on-the-land healing programs for individuals at risk of substance use? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mental wellness and recovery fund, we have many groups. I believe the Deh Cho also are in a multi-year funding Access This funding and have a multi-year agreement. Many of our Indigenous groups do have multi-year agreements as that fund is eligible for multi-year agreements. The suicide prevention fund, however, is a smaller amount, and so, you know, communities, based on their need, they may come forward if they've had different scenarios. So that one is an annual application. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister agree that establishing a Tlicho administrative region would improve transparency by allowing GNWT to track and report housing, health, and education investments, specifically for Tlicho communities, rather than only at the territorial level? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. I believe it's gone to Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, not necessarily. The challenge that we have, some years ago, before I was in government, there were more regions -- or sorry, more specific services offered specific to the Tlicho region with some reporting, but it wasn't necessarily capturing services that would be, for example, funding that gets issued to district education authorities or funding for services that cover multiple communities or services across highway regions for instance. So it -- it's going to be very difficult to fully capture everything that is happening within a particular region.

Now, that said, Mr. Speaker, there is a working group that was established after bilateral meetings with the Tlicho government to try to figure out a better way to provide that kind of information, to identify where there are gaps. And I understand that the attempt to get that back underway has already begun. Thank you.

Yeah, I was looking for a different answer; I was hoping that she would say yes. But does the Minister recognize that a dedicated administrative region could enhance efficiency by reducing duplication in service delivery and ensuring resources are better in line with the unique needs of Tlicho communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, again, there's 11 departments, multiple different types of services. There's Tlicho, TCSA already, and district education authority services. So there already are some services that are delivered directly, then there are other services that go through the North Slave regional office. And the effort, as I understand, of having a working group set up with the Tlicho government is to ensure exactly that we do not have duplication between our governments or between what's happening in the region and in headquarters functions. So that work does need to get done. That does need to happen so that we can ensure that there's seamless provision of service, not duplication, and clarity so that if there are gaps and where there are gaps, that they get filled. Thank you.

Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Tlicho do not want feasibility studies. With that in mind, will the Minister commit to establishing a potential Tlicho administrative region to make it easier for government to monitor progress and respond quickly to local priorities. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, again, there's some of the groups -- the housing corporation may well be able to more quickly move to set up an office there. That does not necessarily make it an administrative region. ITI may have a superintendent. That does not necessarily make it an administrative region. There are some government services -- TCSA already -- where does that fit into an administrative region? Which departments need to establish new positions? Which departments could move positions? It is not as simple as simply saying there is a new region, and everything is sorted. It is more complicated than that. I do want to work with the Member. I want to say that this is a large region, a large population, and we want to do this in a way that is respectful of the Tlicho government as well. So the first step was to meet with them to figure out what services are being provided, what could be provided better, and where can we streamline those services. That work was underway. I understood it was paused, and I am committed to seeing it get back going. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the health Minister.

What is the Minister's rationale for denying funding to Northerners who have completed treatment and are transitioning into essential aftercare and sober living programs outside the territory when existing programs are extremely limited and at capacity here in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the facility-based addiction program was created to be able to provide that out of territory initial treatment program; however, every person that has to leave the territory works with a caseworker, whether the caseworker is within -- some of them are embedded with Indigenous governments, some of them are embedded into Indigenous organizations, and some of them are our own GNWT staff. Those case managers work with the client on their treatment journey, and the journey on the return is part of that work that they do before they leave. And so a lot of times when people attend these out of territory programs, there are -- and every program in the south, there's all types of different programs that -- you know, and what we're trying to do right now is we're creating the program in the territory, which is the THARP, the transitional housing and aftercare recovery program, and that is an investment this government has put in to that. However, I know when I speak to residents and my own constituents on the aftercare piece, it does -- a lot of it does -- it's kind of like a whole of government. Many of our residents leave the territory when they're in active addiction and when they -- you know, when they're in an active addiction, they may be homeless. And so the big piece is working together with my counterparts on the plan on that goal of when they're coming back because that's what we've heard many times is that is the issue. The payment piece around that, we are in a -- with the health sustainability is reviewing this part, so we're waiting on that because we overspend every year about $5 million just on this program alone as it is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the spirit of upholding treaties, Article 24 of UNDRIP on the rights of Indigenous people which affirms the rights to the highest standards without discrimination, also in line with Canada Health Act, my question -- yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Will the Minister commit today to funding out of territory aftercare services for our people who need help? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, as I mentioned, the facility-based addiction treatment, that policy, that funding pot, is under current review, and recommendations will be back soon from the health sustainability unit. When they get those back, we will work with my colleagues and, you know, we'll have conversations with Members of the other side of the House with what those recommendations are. However, we do have aftercare, mental health counselling. There's virtual aspects when people are coming back into the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker; I am trying to speak slow.

What concrete steps is the Minister taking to ensure that by the end of her term a growing network of Indigenous-led, trauma-informed addiction treatment, healing aftercare, and sober living services is established across the North, not only in Yellowknife but in small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this topic is at the core of why we created the working group through the Council of Leaders as all of the leaders throughout the territory want all of us to work together to find a solution. And so through that work, you know, there's partnerships with housing that we need to be -- as health is only one piece of that aftercare, it's -- you know, it's coming back into a system. And so what we are doing is -- right now is we've invested, just this government, into the transitional housing that is for people coming back and having supportive housing living. Once that -- the pilot and has been assessed, then we can come back to this government to continue to look at opening other areas in other parts of the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services.

Before we go any further I'd like to recognize Sheila Bassett-Kellett, former deputy minister, city manager, now our equal pay Commissioner. Welcome to your Assembly.

Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government must recognize the caregiver burden for adults with -- for families for adults who are experiencing disabilities is a systemic issue. Will the Minister of Health and Social Services expand the supported living model to private homes, opening access to supports, respite, and paid caregiver resources that are currently limited to designated providers only? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate, you know, the advocacy that -- not just this MLA but there are other MLAs that have come, and it makes the work that we're doing move. And I think that's the thing, is under the health sustainability unit once we have those recommendations, those will be able to -- that working -- their unit is working in partnership with the health authority, the department, so that we have proper -- we'll know what it's going to cost us and those recommendations to be able to bring forward to, you know, provide that level of -- like, the care to the residents in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We got to get rid of these lakes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I mean, the people who deserve the credit are the people who are advocating to us, right. They're the ones who are going through this, and they're the ones who are identifying the gaps.

Mr. Speaker, she's got 33 recommendations to look at. Now we're waiting for more recommendations. It just seems like we're getting into endless amounts of waiting and waiting and waiting. When will we see some real timelines and real results that people can look at so they can have some certainty that this problem's going to be resolved? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before -- in case, you know, the public doesn't understand how we have to approve money to spend on programs and services, so we have the recommendations, we will have to bring those, you know, through a process, through our business planning process, to be able to allocate funds to the recommendations. And, however, we do also know that within our health system, we've been having deficits for year after year after year, so we have to look. And what we're doing right now is looking at where our money is being spent and how our money is being spent, especially in this area, and what can we do to make improvements. And so as that unit doesn't sit under me, I am -- you know, I am -- I am obligated to be waiting for those recommendations so then I can move forward with the business planning process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the final report was issued four years ago, so this is not like this came out yesterday and I am asking the Minister to hurry up. Will the Minister either implement these recommendations within the next -- within the next business plan or admit to the public that they're just not going to get done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I became the Minister, there was no -- what was able to be implemented which was -- could be funded from within. There was no new money that came with the recommendations, the recommendations, the report that came forward. So that's -- a lot of times, you know, within many of our departments, they come back with all the things that we need to fix, but it comes with huge amounts of money. We only have through our business processes small amounts of money, and as you see in this budget, we were able to allocate new things or improve things to certain areas that are high pressure, and that's the -- that's what will happen when we get these -- the health sustainability unit recommendations as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of health only because they're great questions, and I look forward to her answer.

Mr. Speaker, many parents will tell me that they're concerned that they need the speech and language pathology services, and they're worried about positions not filled and their loved ones, their children, not being seen. And, of course, Mr. Speaker, the last point is they're worried this government's more interested in servicing the other regions in Canada, Nunavut, over our children and our loved ones, Mr. Speaker. So let's get it on the record. How many positions do we have that are specifically designated for speech-language and pathology and how many of them are actually filled currently? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know the actuals, but I do -- I don't have them at my desk here. But I do know that we do have vacancies, and we've had chronic vacancies throughout the territory in these positions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many parents will say they're worried other regions are more important than their children in this region, Mr. Speaker. I hope that isn't the case.

Mr. Speaker, my next question is built around service response time.

Mr. Speaker, when someone puts in an application and gets the support measures in place saying this child needs help, is there a service standard that we are tied to in some type of legal or regulatory framework that says in other words this child must be seen within 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, etcetera? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the health and social services, because of the chronic shortages, what's happening is is that there -- just like in an emergency room, every referral that comes in is triaged and those that have -- like, within the speech, you know, if there's swallowing issues, if there's -- you know, type of issues that are higher triage then those ones will be seen sooner. But I would like to say that this is something that the Minister of ECE and myself are working on because it's been raised, and we -- we're currently working on a solution how to utilize, you know, both of the funding that we get and both of our -- and our budgets for supporting children, especially children in -- school-aged children. So that information, we're still waiting on that from our department so that we can have a plan to move forward with it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, the formative years of a young person are so critical to get positive response. It may not cure them fully, but yet it changes the dignity and the life that they may be able to fulfill in a positive way.

Mr. Speaker, does the department in any way assess looking back an overall a continuum over the last, say, 5 to 10 years on their types of response and assessment times? In other words, have they been able to say they've serviced 90 percent of the young people within six months, that type of assessment. Have they or are they able to do that type of assessment to show they're responding to the needs of Northerners?

Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail here today. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a new grassroots volunteered-based community called Canadian Health Care Infusion looking to -- seeking to help US healthcare workers relocate to Canada and work here. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance, since she's responsible for health care recruitment.

Has the Minister's staff had any outreach from NWT healthcare workers or volunteers seeking to do a similar chapter here in the NWT, one from -- it just opened in the Yukon today, I believe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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