Debates of May 27th, 2026

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as this motion directs Cabinet, we will be abstaining from the vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Thebacha. To the motion.

Question has been called. Does the mover wish to conclude or close debate.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, brief as I can. But, I mean, I'm not going to come too hard on this. First off, I want to thank the colleagues -- I'll start with the MLA for Range Lake -- for supporting the motion to get it on the floor. And certainly my community colleagues for their support on the initiative, and of course, Yellowknife colleague.

I think it's important to say that this motion wasn't drafted in isolation. I didn't go into a dark room by myself with a pen and crayons to come up with something. I actually used some of the advice I got from the RCMP. I also used some advice that we got from our technical expertise in this building. I won't go too far into that detail, but -- so it was those types of people that provided me the inspiration and wording and how to point stuff out.

I do want to highlight a couple of areas because the crime and -- sorry, the criminal and -- sorry, let me try it again.

The crime severity index has gone up 128 percent over 2021 to 2024. In just a few years, it spiked up 128 percent, Mr. Speaker. The stats are well -- well publicized. I'm not going to waste the time of the House by going through them one by one, but I'd say that if folks think that this motion is out of touch or it's a bad motion, I think the fact is that isn't the idea of getting these ideas on the floor and try to develop them and create them and create some action. If there was one message in this whole thing that I want to be clear is it's about bringing people together. So many of our resources are by themselves, separated.

And for those who are concerned about, well, the youth issue, I'm not blaming the youth. I'm saying they matter so much, I made sure there was an extra line to stress how much they matter. Not just to me, not just to some of my colleagues. I think most of my colleagues see, we -- you know, so that was part of the emphasis of that and why it came that way.

For those who have said that they're going to vote against it, I respect the fact that, you know, it's clear you put a lot of time and energy to pick it apart. Okay, if that's what you're here to offer -- I am. Thank you. I'm saying it's okay. I'm saying it's okay. But these aren't vague ideas. These are very important details. They're not assumptions.

Mr. Speaker, this motion calls for measurable outcomes, actions, et cetera. And I think it has to start with the government, that all the partners, all the pieces need to come together. And only the government can do that. And once they produce a plan, a draft plan hopefully, they will bring it to the Assembly, to the Members, to the committee.

Mr. Speaker, you know, it's so important to remind folks that that 60 -- the 40/60 ratio was an observation made by the RCMP, and I appreciate that. But where do you think the 60 percent's getting the drugs from? The 40 percent that are bringing it here.

You know, Cabin Radio, I'm sorry, respectfully, ain't the end all and be all of facts. I can tell you that. So if people are using their position just from a radio or a news thing -- I mean, it's important. They are facts but they're not the only facts.

I can tell you the Member for Range Lake and I have spent hours talking to people well in advance of this meeting. Our staff, who work with us together, have talked to people. I know talking to my colleagues, they talk to people. And then we stay after these sessions to talk to people about the impacts of these issues on their lives. So this wasn't just we ran in there for 15 seconds for a photoshop picture in the middle of it and then get out of there and say, oh, crime matters, we're fighting this. No, we spent hours to this.

So, Mr. Speaker, I wouldn't want people to get any impression that someone who may not like the motion doesn't think we didn't spend time thinking about it. We spent a lot of time getting to where we are today. And I agree, we could spend more time. If we were to do a comprehensive motion for all the -- what we'll call it -- warts and all situation, we would have spent days and weeks and months writing a motion. And guess what? That is the truth of doing nothing. It's better to get something on the table and work with it than to sit here and do nothing. I think maybe that was what even the chief superintendent said. It would be better to be -- you know, swing and a miss than not to swing at all when he said trying to fight crime and sometimes it doesn't work out. Well, that's the same with a motion. It's better to get something on the table and do something. Even if it doesn't work out, we need to push and push on this file.

Mr. Speaker, I want to sum up by saying that the constituents in my community, MLA -- or the Mackenzie Delta community, the Tlicho community, the Inuvik community, you know, the Sahtu communities, the Deh Cho communities, you know, Yellowknife community, I mean, I go all around and I don't hear anybody say things are better.

I will say -- and I wasn't there to challenge him because I did not want to challenge chief superintendent -- oh, well, it's a title, not name. I didn't want to challenge his role. He's right, things may not appear, you know, that -- to worse, but the problem is they're stabilized at the highest crime rates. So when I've researched the stats, the Northwest Territories is very bad when it comes to criminal stats. So what he's getting at is things might be bad. Well, when I call bad normal or view it as normal, well yeah, I guess maybe that's a perspective he has too, that we've got the worst stats in Canada on crime. Oh, well, things are stable at the worst levels.

So you have to look at it; in other words, you have to look at how do you look at stats, how do you perceive them, what message you send on that.

So ultimately, Mr. Speaker, finishing with this, all it's asking for is finding ways to come together, come up with a strategy, work together, have it measured, have it cost, and make sure we report it. And I think if someone wants to find fault in that, well, okay. But I'd rather be blamed for doing something and standing for something than not. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Member from Yellowknife Centre has asked for a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand.

All those abstaining, please stand.

All those in favour, 8. Opposed, 2. Abstentions, 7. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Minister responsible for WSCC.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 29, 2026, I will present Bill 48, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, No. 2, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister responsible for WSCC. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, with the Member from the Sahtu in the chair.

Members, we will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wishes of the committee? Member from Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you. Members, there is a motion on the floor. All those in favour? It's non-debatable. I see none. Okay, the motion is carried, and I will now report progress.

---Carried

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill No. 3, Tabled Documents 445-20(1), Tabled Document 453-20(1), and would like to report progress. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Can I have a seconder? Member from the Deh Cho. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.

Report of Committee of the Whole. Third reading of bills. Orders of the day, Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, May 28th, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 5:26 p.m.