Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight to speak to the recent findings of the auditor general on child and family services in the Northwest Territories by the auditor general.

Mr. Speaker, the report paints a deeply troubling picture. It identifies failures in responding to reports of maltreatment, gaps in monitoring and support for children and families, and serious staffing pressures. And these issues are not new, Mr. Speaker. This is not a single failure. It is a pattern, a pattern we have seen before, a pattern that remains unresolved.

Mr. Speaker, behind these findings are children and families who rely on this system. When the system does not work, the impacts are real and serious. We are emphasizing that this requires a clear and coordinated response. Members on all sides of this House have spoken to this issue at length, including during debate and the motion for a creation of a child and youth advocate. There is a shared understanding that gaps are significant and action is required.

Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that has already been debated in this House, and there is a clear expectation that it move forward. Committee is looking for a commitment to establish a child and youth advocate, and to do so with a defined and timely path. But, Mr. Speaker, that is only part of the solution. We also need to support the people delivering these services - social workers, frontline staff, those working in child and family services. They are doing difficult work under significant pressure. If we want better outcomes, we must give them the tools, the support, and the stability they need to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from the Minister that further analysis is underway. But Members have been clear we are not starting from zero. We have audits. We have evidence. We have heard these concerns before. What is needed now, Mr. Speaker, is action. Analysis cannot become a substitute for action.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is bigger than one Member, one committee, or any one Minister. It speaks to the collective responsibility of this House. We are asking to work together. We are calling on the Premier and the Minister of Health and Social Services to work with Members to develop a coordinated response, one that strengthens accountability and supports the system and the people within it. The committee is ready to be part of that work, and we will continue to press to see it move forward. If work is already underway, we want to see it. We want to support it. We want to move it forward. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the expectation is clear: This work must move with urgency. The Accountability and Oversight Committee does not accept further delays as an outcome of this work, and we are committed to being part of the solution. Mr. Speaker, this is an urgent government issue. It requires shoulder-to-shoulder response across all Members of this House. We have one goal: The betterment of the people we serve. AOC stands ready to work with the Premier, the Minister, and all the Members of this House to move this forward. Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the responsibilities of our Cabinet. We are aware of our own responsibilities. What we need now, Mr. Speaker, is this issue goes beyond that, Mr. Speaker. We need to act, and we need to act together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.