Debates of Feb. 27th, 2026

This is page numbers of the Hansard for the 20th Assembly, 1st Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer Or Reflection

Northwest Territories Film Industry

Unsustainable Nurse-to-Patient Ratio in the Northwest Territories

Norman Wells School

Northwest Territories Association of Communities Annual General Meeting

Dental Care

Still Dead Festival

Inclusion in Youth Sports

Addictions and Wellness

Importance of Dental Therapists

Economic Effects of Mine Closures

Importance of Poetry

Nahanni Butte Housing Projects

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Dental Therapist Program

Educational and Economic Impacts in Norman Wells

Improving Dental Services in Small Communities

Nurse to Patient Ratios

Economic Impacts of Mine Closures

Addictions and Wellness Programming

Power Outages and Reimbursement for Damages

Closure of Inuvik Learning Centre

Environmental Remediation Securities

Capacity of Adult Correctional Facilities

Public Service Pension Centre Early Retirement Program

Spending on Contract and Agency Healthcare Staff

Follow-up To Oral Questions

Speech and Language Pathologists

Safety in Public Housing Units

Local Consultation

Return to Written Question 26-20(1): Application of Waters Act Provisions to the Sale or Tender of Mining Assets

Return to Written Question 28-20(1): Medical Travel

Return to Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans

Return to Written Question 31-20(1): Prenatal and Pregnancy and Postpartum Costs

Bill 29: First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act.

Motion to Move to Third Reading

Point of Order

Committee Report 36-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 29, First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act, Deemed Read, received and Adopted. Government Response REquested

Tabled Document 482-20(1): Additional Information for Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans

Tabled Document 483-20(1): 2025-26 Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report

Taking Action on Energy Affordability and Security in the Northwest Territories

Bill 45: Civil Forfeiture Act

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation and Planning and Implementation Line Item in 2027-2028 Main Estimates

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Stabilizing Operational Capacity for Territorial Protected Areas

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Funding Mechanisms for Inter-Generational Conservation Commitments

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Work not Covered by Project Finance for Permanence Funds

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Comprehensive Action Plan for Dınàgà Wek'èhodì and Dehcho Candidate Protected Areas

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Coordination of Strategy for Advancing Candidate Protected Areas in Dehcho

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Hiring for Positions Associated with Territorial Protected Areas

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Response to Auditor General's Recommendation at Paragraph 56 of Audit Report

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Regulations and Policy Instruments for Thaidene Nëné and Ts'udé Nilįné Tuyeta

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Territorial Protected Areas Regulatory, Legislative and Policy Framework Updates

Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Historic Harms Raised by Indigenous Governments and Communities

Committee Report 35-20(1) Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Status Update on Action Plan under Section 10 of UNDRIPIA

Committee Report 35-20(1) Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Funding for Sustained Participation in UNDRIPIA Implementation

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 140-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Stabilizing Operational Capacity for Territorial Protected Areas, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion carried.

---Carried

I will go back to the Member from Range Lake.

Committee Motion 141-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Initiatives Outside the Protected Areas Act, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

February 27th, 2026

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories identify its financial obligations and resource requirements for conservation initiatives outside the Protected Areas Act and provide the necessary funding, including working with the federal government, to secure appropriate long-term resources for these activities within one year and report back to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on its progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

The motion is in order.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion carried.

---Carried

I will go back to the Member from Range Lake.

Committee Motion 142-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Funding Mechanisms for Inter-Generational Conservation Commitments, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories establish more flexible multi-year financing tools by amending the Financial Administration Act and related policy instruments to enable funding mechanisms suitable for intergenerational conservation commitments and to complete this work in time for it to be reflected in the 2027-2028 Main Estimates. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Question has been called. All those in favour? I will go back to the Member from Range Lake.

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to draw attention to this recommendation in particular because it's broader. It is targeted towards the nature of this audit but the issue of multi-year financing tools and policy instruments, and even changes to the Financial Administration Act is becoming increasingly important to many of the organizations that depend on the GNWT for capacity. So whether that's Indigenous governments, non-government organizations, municipal governments, what have you, not having stable, reliable funding afforded over a period of time does create challenges with planning for operational certainty. And in the case of a lot of conservation commitments, that is really required because even though we have great tools like Our Land, Our Futures trust, which this Assembly put in place, there are still a number of obligations that the government has that are not covered by that trust because that is, of course, a private trust that's there to support Indigenous conservation efforts. So by adopting these more flexible tools, we hope that not only conservation targets will be better addressed but we can also expand those changes to other areas of public policy, in particular around supporting non-government organizations that do crucial work in our communities and are often struggling with core funding to succeed in keeping the lights on, maintaining appropriate staffing, and continuing to provide the high-quality services they do in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.

---Carried

Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Range Lake.

Committee Motion 143-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Work not Covered by Project Finance for Permanence Funds, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide new capacity funding, including new grants and contributions, to provide dedicated new budget and resources to Indigenous governments to support their participation in conservation work under the Protected Areas Act that would not otherwise be covered by the project finance for permanence funds. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.

---Carried

Thank you. I will go back to the Member from the Range Lake.

Committee Motion 144-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Comprehensive Action Plan for Dınàgà Wek'èhodì and Dehcho Candidate Protected Areas, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories table, by the end of May/June, 2026, setting a comprehensive action plan for advancing Dinaga Wek'ehodi and the four Dehcho candidate protected areas. The plan should set clear timelines, milestones, and accountability measures aligned with the 2028 nature agreement targets and include a strategy for resourcing and capacity support. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.

---Carried

I will go back to the Member from Range Lake.

Committee Motion 145-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Coordination of Strategy for Advancing Candidate Protected Areas in Dehcho, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Kieron Testart Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories table information by the end of the May/June 2026 sitting on how its strategy for advancing candidate protected areas in the Dehcho is coordinated with ongoing land claim negotiations in the region. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Debates of Feb. 27th, 2026

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