Yes, I do. Thank you.

Yes, I do, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the 2020-2021 Main Estimates for the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly is seeking an operations expenditures appropriation of $22,720,000 for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. This is an increase of $277,000, or a 1.23 percent increase, in funding from the 2019-2020 Main Estimates.

This budget represents the important work we will undertake during the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed funding will be used to advance strategic initiatives and address forced-growth matters. These are:

• additional staff resources for our statutory offices to meet increasing demands;
• additional funding for the Office of the Clerk for staff resources and communication initiatives; and
• to address Members' compensation and allowances based on the consumer price index.

The Legislative Assembly remains committed to supporting the good work of our statutory offices. With new legislation coming into force and better public awareness, our statutory offices are experiencing increasing and more complex caseloads. The Legislative Assembly is keenly aware of the importance of these offices having the resources needed to meet these demands.

Due to recent amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner will be required to take on additional responsibilities and oversight obligation. It will change from a body with recommendation-making power only to an adjudicative role with authority to issue binding orders where the act applies. The increase in compensation to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner reflects these increased responsibilities.

The Ombud Act was passed during the 18^th Assembly after more than two decades of calls by Northerners for the creation of a parliamentary Ombud office. On November 18, 2019, the NWT Office of the Ombud officially opened in Hay River. Setting up this office outside of Yellowknife sends a strong signal that this office is for the whole territory and further helps and promotes decentralization. The office consists of a team of three: the Ombud, an intake officer, and an early resolution officer.

Madam Chair, the Special Committee on Transition Matters in the 18^th Assembly recommended that additional resources be provided to support the important work of our committees, specifically noting the need for an additional committee clerk, legislative research advisor, and communication support. The Office of the Clerk operations expenditures has been increased to account for these three new positions.

In closing, I want to thank all Members, my colleagues from the Board of Management, and the Assembly staff for their contributions and efforts in working towards these main estimates. Thank you, Madam Chair. This concludes my opening remarks, and I look forward to answering any questions that Members may have. Thank you.

On behalf of all Members of this House, I would like to thank Commissioner Thom for opening the 2^nd session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly. It is always an honour to have you join us in this House. I would also like to thank Ms. Lillian Elias for leading us in the prayer, and Brie O'Keefe for singing our national anthem today.

Colleagues, I am pleased to welcome you to the opening of the 2^nd session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly. Since we last met in this House, I know we have all been busy in our constituencies, with our committees, and with the ongoing work of the government. I hope that you were also able to find time to connect with family and friends and to energize yourselves for the hard work ahead of us.

Although the days may be long and we will not always see eye-to-eye, I am looking forward to this session. The debates, discussions, and decisions that take place in this House have a direct impact on all people throughout this territory.

As Members of this Legislative Assembly, I know that you will all continue to work diligently to make informed decisions. These decisions, the choices that we make as legislators, allow us to improve the lives of our residents and create a prosperous future for our people.

Colleagues, while in this House, I ask that you conduct yourselves with the utmost respect for one another, this House, our rules, and our unique form of consensus government. As Speaker, I will do my best to demonstrate a positive example of the level of decorum and respect that I expect from each of you.

I also want to recognize a milestone for the Legislative Assembly. During this sitting we will be providing interpretation into all official languages. Our official languages are vital to the culture and history of this territory, and I am proud of the efforts we have undertaken to make better use of our languages. I want to take a moment to thank our interpreters and the staff who have worked to make this possible.

Before we begin, I want to extend the condolences of the House to all Members, constituents, and families throughout the territory who have experienced the loss of loved ones since this House last sat. Thank you.

We'll start with our orders of the day. Item 3, Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Ministers' Statements

Minister's Statement 1-19(2):
2019 Novel Coronavirus Update

All those opposed, please rise. All those abstaining, please rise. The results of the recorded vote are: 17 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 2 has had its third reading. Third reading of bills.

Colleagues, with us today we have our Grand Chief and President of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, Ms. Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan. Welcome.

Colleagues, today we will conclude the First Session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly. The Second Session is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. Since election, we have spent many hours working together as a Caucus, as committees, as Cabinet, and in this House. For many of us, it has been a new experience, and we have learned a lot. I know I have and I know we all have a lot to learn as we prepare for the next session.

I would like to thank each of you for the positive and respectful tone of the proceedings during this short session. As legislators, we directly influence the well-being of all residents of the territory. We will not always see eye-to-eye, but, when we work together in a respectful and collaborative manner, we have the ability to positively affect our people and our shared future.

As this House will not sit again until the new year, I would like to take this time to wish all of you and your families a very merry Christmas and best wishes for the coming year. I hope that each of you will have the time and opportunity to celebrate with your constituents, family, friends, and loved ones during this holiday season.

Colleagues, I would like to thank the Pages who have been with us in the Chamber during this sitting, the interpreters who have been with us each day, and everyone else who has contributed to our shared success. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed, and we appreciate your dedication and professionalism.

Finally, I would like to invite you to join me in the Great Hall at the rise of the House for a small reception and a performance by the Aklavik drummers in celebration of the prorogation of the first session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Clerk, will you ascertain if the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the honourable Margaret Thom, is prepared to enter the Chamber and prorogue the first session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly? Thank you.

Colleagues, this is a special day for a number of reasons. Obviously, it's the last day of the First Session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly, and we will take some time to celebrate that later this afternoon. Before that, I'd like to take, first, a few minutes to shed light on the career of the Legislative Assembly's longest-serving and most deeply respected official, Mr. Darrin Ouellette. Early next year, Darrin will retire from a career of over 25 years with the NWT public service and the Legislative Assembly.

Prior to joining our team for the first time as operations assistant clerk during the 15^th Legislative Assembly, Darrin served what was then known as the Department of Transportation. He also served in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, as it was then known. In these roles he had the opportunity to travel throughout the Northwest Territories and develop lasting connections with Indigenous and community leaders.

Darrin very quickly developed a reputation as someone who genuinely believed in the inherent right to self-government and the potential of northern families, communities, and governments to build capacity from within and find homegrown solutions to the challenges they faced. He is well known to have little time for fluff or for solutions that were made to gloss over root problems rather than tackle them head-on. Darrin is known as a proponent of real action, actions that actually helped communities to improve the lives of our residents.

In 2011, Darrin came back to the Assembly after a brief hiatus. He joined the senior management team as director of Corporate Services, and later as deputy clerk of Member and Precinct Services. On many occasions he served as acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Darrin had many successes in these senior roles; too many to mention here today, but one that comes immediately to mind is the leadership he demonstrated following the shooting on Parliament Hill in 2014. While many legislatures went into lock-down mode, Darrin was able to step back and recommend improvements to our security systems that were both effective and responsive, but also consistent with the idea of our Assembly as the place of the people.

Darrin has been involved in the security and upkeep of this building since its inception. In his time as a director and deputy clerk, he has worked tirelessly to ensure this place reflects the culture and unique form of democracy of the Northwest Territories and that it is accessible to all residents and visitors from abroad.

Darrin, on behalf of the Members of the Legislative Assembly, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your many years of outstanding service to both the government and Legislature of the NWT. You have provided calm leadership through some rocky times and you will be very much missed; by myself, by the Clerk, and by all the current and former Members and staff you have worked with. We will miss your leadership and your wisdom, but most of all we'll just miss you, the great team-building events you organized, your laughter and humble sense of humour, your homemade bannock, golf tournaments on sand and snow, and your always calm and reassuring demeanour.

On behalf of the Members and staff of the Assembly, I wish you and Donna Marie all the happiness and adventures you so richly deserve in the next stage of your lives. I hope you will always consider this place a home away from home and know that you are most welcome to come visit us, early and often. Thank you, Members.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Members, for the trust you have put in me as your Speaker. I will do my very best to uphold that trust.

Colleagues, we have elected the first gender-balanced legislature in Canada. We have elected the only sitting female Premier in Canada, and we have elected the only majority female Cabinet in

Canada. This is truly an Assembly that will go down in history, and I am grateful that you have given me the opportunity to serve as your Speaker.

I heard it said during the campaign that the role of Speaker is largely ceremonial. Those of you who have worked in the Legislative Assembly before know that it is not the case. The Speaker continues to be an MLA and to represent their constituents in this House. In order to maintain the neutrality and objectivity that is required of any presiding officer, they do this by working directly with Cabinet and all Members of the Assembly. As your Speaker, the needs and concerns of the communities I represent, Aklavik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic, will always come first.

Colleagues, I would like to recognize the following people who are joining us in the Chamber today:

• Grand Chief George Mackenzie;
• Charles McNeely;
• Chief Edward Sangris;
• Chief Ernest Betsina;
• Betty Villebrun;
• The Honourable Justice Shannon Smallwood;
• The Honourable Judge Christine Gagnon;
• Brigadier-General Patrick Carpenter; and
• Chief Warrant Officer Sherri Forward.

Thank you for being here with us today.

I believe strongly in consensus government. We have heard many times from our constituents, from Indigenous and community leaders, and from each other that we need to work together to make life in the Northwest Territories better. I believe consensus government is how we are best able to do this.

As your Speaker, I will champion our uniquely northern system of government. I will remain open to new ways of doing business because I believe improvements are always possible, but I will resist any changes that I believe will divide us as Members of this Assembly working for the people of this territory.

As your Speaker, I respect the right of all Members to speak their mind in this house. The rules of the Legislative Assembly should not be used to score political points or shut down open debate. That is not the way we solve problems here.

As Speaker, I will resist the use of procedural games to achieve political ends and will always err on the side of allowing more fulsome debate, even if it takes longer.

We need strong leadership in our territory, but every Member should be free to vote the way they choose and the way they feel best represents their people. As Speaker, I will fight to protect this and other rights that Members enjoy.

Colleagues, I promise to make you proud as your Speaker. I promise to do this by being open-minded, consistent, and fair with you, both inside and outside this Chamber. Most importantly, I plan to lead by example and to embody the high standard that we expect of all elected leaders.

Mr. Clerk, would you ascertain if the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Margaret Thom, is prepared to enter the Chamber and open the first session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituent, Grace Martin, who will be a returning officer for the Mackenzie Delta. I know that she will do a great job. Also, our Chief Electoral Officer, Nicole Latour, and all your staff. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my constituents of Aklavik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic for the honour of representing the Mackenzie Delta for the last eight years.

Also, to my fiancee, Jamie, and my children for their love and support, especially while I am away from home for session, committee work, and constituency business.

Also, to my constituency assistant, Liz Wright, in Fort McPherson for your hard work and dedication over the last eight years. I'd also like to thank Eugene Pascal from Aklavik for being my contact person, helping when needed with constituency work.

Mr. Speaker, last but not least, I'd like to thank my colleagues; yourself, Mr. Speaker, Cabinet, and Regular Members. When we first started, we had an ambitious mandate for the 18^th Assembly, with 230 mandate commitments, but working together, we completed 202 with 10 in progress, and 18 unfilled, which is a success.

Also, to the MLAs who have decided not to seek re-election, I'd like to thank you for your service to your constituents and the Northwest Northwest Territories. Our Premier hasn't announced yet, but whatever you decide, I will respect and honour.

Mr. Speaker, with our election this fall, I would like to wish all the candidates all the best on the campaign trail. I will be running myself, as I already announced. You just never know in elections. I always put my faith in the Lord. Whatever He decides, I will respect. I would just like to wish you all the best. It was an honour working with you all. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 511-18(3): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 and would like to report progress, with one motion carried, and that consideration of Tabled Document 511-18(3) is concluded, that the House concurs with those estimates, and that an appropriation bill to be based thereon be introduced without delay. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.