Debates of Feb. 15th, 2023

This is page numbers 5309 - 5352 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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

Community Housing Plan Update

Minister Absent and Minister Late for the House

Affirmative Action

Senior Citizen Long-Term Care

Devolution

Housing Policies and Procedures

Eulogy for Lucy Fabien

Cabins

Increasing the Population of the Northwest Territories

Mining and Resource Development

Midwifery Program

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Ms. Martselos' Reply

Mr. Johnson's Reply

Affirmative Action

Critical Minerals Strategy

Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Devolution

Communications Protocol

Increasing Population through Immigration

Rights-Based Cabins

Tabled Document 834-19(2): Annual Status Report 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories

Tabled Document 835-19(2): Annual Report of the Implementation Committee - Deline Final Self-Government Agreement April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

Tabled Document 836-19(2): Consolidated Report of the Implementation Committee - Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

Tabled Document 837-19(2): Inuvialuit Final Agreement Annual Report 2018 - 2021

Tabled Document 838-19(2): Report of the Implementation Committee Tlicho Agreement 2019/2020

Tabled Document 839-19(2): Grants and Contributions Results Report 2021-2022

Tabled Document 840-19(2): What We Heard 2022 Engagement on Resource Royalties

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 813-19(2): Main Estimates 2023-2024 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Department (page 373)

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Members Present

Hon. Diane Archie , Mr. Bonnetrouge , Hon. Paulie Chinna , Ms. Cleveland , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Mr. Edjericon , Hon. Julie Green , Mr. Jacobson , Mr. Johnson , Ms. Martselos , Ms. Nokleby , Mr. O'Reilly , Ms. Semmler , Hon. R.J. Simpson , Mr. Rocky Simpson , Hon. Caroline Wawzonek , Ms. Weyallon Armstrong .

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

Page 5309

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Welcome Members. Ministers' statements. Minister of Housing NT.

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Minister's Statement 308-19(2): Community Housing Plan Update

Ministers' Statements

Page 5309

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Madam Speaker, today I would like to provide an update on the progress of Housing NWT's community housing plans, which is a comprehensive, detailed information document to better direct housing investments in the Northwest Territories' communities. Through partnerships with Indigenous governments, community governments, and stakeholders, over the last three years housing plans have been completed in Fort Good Hope, Whati, Paulatuk, Enterprise, Nahanni Butte, and the K'atlodeeche First Nation. These plans provide communities and stakeholders with the tools necessary to direct the future of housing in their communities.

A housing plan includes an assessment that combines baseline data with housing needs identified by the community. It also includes the housing plan itself, which identifies the community's goals as well as actions for the future in their housing investment. As set out in Housing NWT's mandate, we understand the importance of meaningful partnership with communities, and it is essential that these plans are the products of meaningful collaboration.

Madam Speaker, Housing NWT recognizes that each community has unique needs. The community housing plans initiative was developed in recognition of this and to give communities a voice to express their own housing situation, issues, and priorities. For example, Paulatuk's housing plan reinforces the need for home designs that recognize the community's location on the Arctic Coast. The K'atlodeeche First Nation's plan priority is energy efficiency, housing and innovative ways to share materials and expertise.

In Enterprise, community leadership prioritize the need for improved communication, both internal and external, while Nahanni Butte has signified a focus on self-sufficiency and community development. In Fort Good Hope, priority was placed on building local capacity to be capable to support private home repairs. As of today, ten additional plans are currently underway at various stages.

As part of the development of the Hay River housing plan, Housing NWT and the Town of Hay River hosted a housing forum in the fall which brought together stakeholders from across the community to discuss solutions to housing issues in Hay River. Additionally, Housing NWT has partnered with the Town of Fort Smith and worked on their housing plan that began in December 2022. In the Inuvialuit settlement region, we have partnered with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to develop a regional housing plan.

As part of this work, staff from both organizations have travelled to Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok to hear from community residents and leadership and will be visiting the other Inuvialuit communities in the coming months.

Through the community engagement process, various elements are reviewed and prioritized and one such example is when those community plans is underdeveloped, includes plans for local shelters to assist women and children fleeing violence.

Madam Speaker, with the arrival of federal distinctions-based funding to Indigenous governments and to avoid the duplication of work and housing is no longer proposing to develop unique community housing plans for all 33 communities. Instead, we are supporting the development of community housing plans where communities or Indigenous government leadership has expressed an interest.

Madam Speaker, strong partnerships are key to success and outcomes, and these community housing plans are proof of all of that work. We are excited to combine the work on the community housing plans, along with our work on the partnership with Indigenous governments, to improve our supports working on priorities that are important to the individual communities and regions. We will continue to reach out and work in partnership with Indigenous governments, community governments, and stakeholders to increase the well-being of individuals and communities as we continue to address the housing needs across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 308-19(2): Community Housing Plan Update

Ministers' Statements

Page 5309

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Madam Premier .

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Minister's Statement 309-19(2): Minister Absent and Minister Late for the House

Ministers' Statements

Page 5309

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Shane Thompson will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend the federal/provincial/territorial sport, physical activity, and recreation ministers' meetings in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

As well, Madam Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Julie Green will be late for the House today as she is currently participating in a phone meeting with Indigenous Services Canada's Minister Hajdu. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 309-19(2): Minister Absent and Minister Late for the House

Ministers' Statements

Page 5309

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Members, I'd like to draw your attention to the presence of former Member Daryl Dolynny, who was the Member of Range Lake in the 17th Assembly.

Members' statements. Member for Hay River South .

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Member's Statement 1360-19(2): Affirmative Action

Members' Statements

Page 5309

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, prior to 1989, this government recognized the inequity with respect to Indigenous representation in the GNWT public sector. In an attempt to address that inequity, the government of the day drafted the affirmative action policy. It was meant to place Indigenous people into public sector workforce. Madam Speaker, thirty plus years later we are still talking affirmative action and saying how it has not worked.

Madam Speaker, this government committed to a review of the affirmative action policy and in doing so set up the advisory committee on diversity and inclusion. Now this government is considering replacement of the current policy with two policies: the Indigenous employment policy that prioritizes the hiring of persons who are descendants of the Dene, Inuit, or Metis people, Indigenous to the present boundaries of the NWT; and

The employment equity policy that would provide preferred hiring status to Indigenous Canadians, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, long-term Northerners, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Madam Speaker, we are under the assumption the existing policy has not worked, and what I have not heard is the underlying reasons of why this would be true. If underrepresentation continues to exist, what are the factors that contribute to it?

Madam Speaker, prior to moving forward and replacing what we have, there must be a reasonable and measurable basis if we are to commit to implementing any new policies. If we expect to achieve success, then we need to conduct an analysis, both internal and external, to determine if the targets we have set are reasonable and, if not, why. We must follow that up with a reasonable action plan that supports accountability at all levels of government if we expect positive results on affirmative action.

Madam Speaker, what was once an immediate need to include an underrepresented Indigenous population in the government workforce has been expanded further with no clear metrics to justify the need for such a change or for a policy at all. When we cannot fill current government positions, then we need to get it right.

We should be targeting Indigenous and Northern post-secondary students for employment, developing an Indigenous and Northern recruitment, training, and retention policy. Madam Speaker, if we expect the North to grow, we must hold deputy ministers and management accountable to ensure all Indigenous people, long-term Northerners, and their children are a priority for this and future governments. Thank you.

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Member's Statement 1360-19(2): Affirmative Action

Members' Statements

Page 5309

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput .

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Member's Statement 1361-19(2): Senior Citizen Long-Term Care

Members' Statements

Page 5310

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, elders in our communities need a facility to live in. We have spoken in this House many times about overcrowded homes in Nunakput. In many homes in Nunakput, large families, cramped in small spaces, includes elders and ones we are supposed to be taking care of. Madam Speaker, we're supposed to be making sure our elders age in our homes and with dignity in our communities and not getting homesick and not missing family.

Madam Speaker, many elders are living with extended family, cramped houses, living in our own public housing units that are difficult to maintain. Many of the elders are forced to leave communities and go to Inuvik and live in the seniors home and the hospital. This is not right, Madam Speaker. We should be able to do better for our elders.

Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok are very isolated communities on the Arctic Coast - elders in my communities living their entire life beside the ocean with a small group of families around them. This is all what they know. We shouldn't be forcing our elders to leave the coast to move to Inuvik because we don't have facilities to take care of them in their home communities, Madam Speaker.

Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk, we even have private secured funding to build the facilities and a private-public partnership with monies to build these elders facilities and this Minister's not giving us the opportunity. I want to work with my Minister, Madam Speaker. We're dragging our feet. It's been three years since I brought this up in the House, and it needs to be taken care of. We're in our last year of this government, and let's try to make a difference and work together. Let's get it done. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Member's Statement 1361-19(2): Senior Citizen Long-Term Care

Members' Statements

Page 5310

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho .

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Member's Statement 1362-19(2): Devolution

Members' Statements

Page 5310

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the devolution agreement came into effect on April 1st, 2014. While five Indigenous governments in the NWT have signed on to devolution, there are still Indigenous governments who have not. I think there's more than five at this point.

Madam Speaker, devolution was intended to allow the NWT to take responsibility for public land, water, and resources. It was also intended to provide economic benefits. But, Madam Speaker, these benefits only flow to the governments who have signed on to the devolution agreement.

For those who are partners in devolution, there is a seat at the table, there is decision-making power, and millions of dollars in resource royalty payments. For those who are not partners in devolution, there's an opportunity to participate in lands and resource management but without decision-making authority.

Chapter four of the devolution agreement describes post-devolution resource management, specifically, the Intergovernmental Council.

The Intergovernmental Council is intended to allow the public and Aboriginal governments to cooperate and collaborate on matters related to lands and resource management. Their intergovernmental agreement on lands and resource management addresses Indigenous governments who have not signed on to devolution. It states, under

section 4.9, the council may invite observers to its proceedings and determine whether and to what extent they may participate. This may include representatives of boards, councils, co-management boards, regulatory bodies, or other entities established under settlement agreements or self-government agreements.

The agreement goes on to explain how an Indigenous government can become a party to the agreement with the consent of the GNWT. It also states that nothing in the agreement shall affect existing obligations of the GNWT in relation to any Aboriginal government that is not a party. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Madam Speaker, and mahsi colleagues. Madam Speaker, the devolution agreement created the Intergovernmental Council. The Intergovernmental Council is the body that cooperates on all lands and resource matters but how can Indigenous governments, who have not seeded their inherent right to their land, not have any decision-making authority when it comes to land management decisions?

The IGC has a legislative development protocol. This protocol does allow non-IGC Indigenous governments to potentially participate with the drafting process of any particular legislation.

Madam Speaker, devolution was supposed to increase northern control over lands and resources, but the aftermath of devolution divides Aboriginal governments between those signed on and those not. The creation of the IGC and the roles of Indigenous governments at this council demonstrates more divide and conquer by the GNWT than cooperation and collaboration. I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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Member's Statement 1362-19(2): Devolution

Members' Statements

Page 5310

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi .

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Member's Statement 1363-19(2): Housing Policies and Procedures

Members' Statements

Page 5310

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Monfwi

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the government's housing policies are not working for Indigenous people. There are too many barriers in place for Indigenous people to succeed in being a homeowner. These policies are working against our people, not for them.

Madam Speaker, the territorial government receives funds from the federal government to provide housing for Indigenous people however more of our people are homeless. Housing NWT has a homelessness specialist to fix the problem, but the solution is simple: Give public housing houses to current tenants to be homeowners and build more houses to eliminate homelessness.

Madam Speaker, Housing NWT policies and procedures are not serving Indigenous people. They are developing a manual on how to be a good tenant. This is an insult to the Indigenous people who live in housing. Our ancestors did not need policies and procedures or guidelines on how to live and be a good steward on their land. Colonialism changed this. It created more problems and barriers for our people to live and exist in our homeland. The Indian Act, residential schools, the 60s Scoop, all interfered with our ways of life and living.

Madam Speaker, we were seen as not civilized but have lived in an organized responsible manner for thousands of years. We do not need Housing NWT telling us how to live or controlling the funds given to solve the housing problems caused by colonization. The money received from CIRNAC for Indigenous funding should be provided to Indigenous governments to address housing consistent with self-determination, our land claims, and our self-government agreements. Madam Speaker, we should not be begging Housing NWT for accommodation in our homeland. Thank you.

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Member's Statement 1363-19(2): Housing Policies and Procedures

Members' Statements

Page 5310

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

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

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Member's Statement 1364-19(2): Eulogy for Lucy Fabien

Members' Statements

Page 5310

Richard Edjericon

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Lucy joined her mom, dad, brother Kenneth Tinker, grandparents, and family and friends on her final journey. The world was a better place with her in it but Heaven gained an angel on November 16th, 2022.

As her friends and family would say, I love you Lucy. Farewell My Friend, and condolences to the family and all her friends.

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Member's Statement 1364-19(2): Eulogy for Lucy Fabien

Members' Statements

Page 5310

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North .

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Member's Statement 1365-19(2): Cabins

Members' Statements

Page 5310

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do not believe that this territory can move forward on settling land claims without first sorting out the issues of rights-based cabins. And, Madam Speaker, this is a bit of a catch-22 in that the cleanest solution to settling rights-based cabins is settling land claims, because once an Indigenous government has their land and their cabins are on it then they can sort that out with their membership.

Yet, Madam Speaker, we have heard time and time again, in many meetings with Indigenous governments, on no matter what the subject, quite often it comes back around to complaints about cabins. And, Madam Speaker, I want to point out just how inconsistent we are in this.

Many rights-based cabins right now do not have leases or taxes, and we have posted notices on them that they are squatters. Some Indigenous governments have shared which cabins they identify as Indigenous rights. Others are saying they will not do that because they do not trust the government. Some rights-based cabins, many years ago someone was told they had to get a lease and then they were instructed by their Indigenous government not to pay those lease fees or taxes and so they're now in collections with the GNWT.

Some rights-based cabins, Madam Speaker, are unauthorized occupants but are paying taxes because we tax squatters. Some Indigenous rights-based cabins have actually applied for tax exempt status. There's about eight different scenarios you can be in with your rights-based cabin. Part of the problem is saying every rights-based cabin needs a lease is then you are going to pay lease fees, you're going to pay taxes, and quite often these hunters and trappers cabins are not actually in compliance with our cabin regulations. They may be too close to the water. They may not be up to building standards.

All this results in multiple infringements of what is a clear Indigenous right to have cabins to hunt and trap, Madam Speaker. I do not believe we are going to make any progress until we settle this. And there are things we can do.

One is to create some form of tenure so that those who have rights-based cabins can be protected knowing that is their cabin; they have exclusive use to it. There's different ways of what that tenure can look like but I propose it is not the traditional lease that we're requiring for everyone else.

Secondly, we need to have some consistency on when a rights-based cabin has to pay lease fees, has to pay taxes. I propose most of those should be a nominal fee, at best, and we certainly shouldn't be sending our hunters and trappers, or our elders living in their cabins, to collections, Madam Speaker. I think it is losing trust with our residents and, ultimately, we're not going to make any progress on many of these issues until we solve this. I will have questions for the Premier about what we're doing to solve this issue once and for all. Thank you.

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Member's Statement 1365-19(2): Cabins

Members' Statements

Page 5311

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake .

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Member's Statement 1366-19(2): Increasing the Population of the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 5311

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in December 2022, the NWT recorded the highest employment rate in Canada. But like the rest of the world, NWT employers, including the GNWT, struggled to fill many positions critical to our success. But our population growth is not keeping up with our needs. By the 2040s, our population is projected to grow by only nine percent while Canada's at 25 percent.

Madam Speaker, the bureau of statistics projects that by 2035, the population will decline in 18 of 33 NWT communities, including Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Whati, Fort Providence, and Tuktoyaktuk.

Sustaining and growing our population would benefit our economy and society in so many ways, Madam Speaker. It would help boost economic opportunities and growth. Employers, including our government, would be able to fill vacant positions and provide needed goods and services. We know we're facing acute labour shortages in the next decade. We will need almost 14,000 people for new job openings in the next decade, including 270 nurses and 140 other health occupations. Population growth will fill jobs and reduce the cost of living, Madam Speaker.

Higher population would also support more and better social programs. Federal transfers are directly linked to our population growth. More residents mean bigger tax base and making it more feasible to maintain and expand our social safety net and our infrastructure.

Population growth would also help address our mounting demographic challenges. We have a rapidly aging population. Many people, especially young people, leave looking for better opportunities elsewhere. A larger population would provide more opportunities for our young people to stay and work here. It's also about supporting residents of small communities to be empowered to stay in small communities.

The need and benefit of sustaining and growing our population is clear. That's why last June, this House, with the support of every Regular MLA, passed a motion calling on the GNWT to create a comprehensive strategy to match Canada's population growth. At present, the GNWT lacks the unified framework to address demographic challenges and opportunities. The GNWT's response tabled last fall was disappointing. It pointed to the failure of the GNWT's last population growth strategy and declined this Assembly's recommendation to develop a new unified strategy.

Our territory needs and deserves a better plan. Our incredible, culturally and mineral rich, diverse North has so much to offer, Madam Speaker. I hope we can share it with more of the world. Thank you.

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Member's Statement 1366-19(2): Increasing the Population of the Northwest Territories

Members' Statements

Page 5311

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave .

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Member's Statement 1367-19(2): Mining and Resource Development

Members' Statements

Page 5311

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Madam Speaker, the Northwest Territories has a resource-based economy. Mining has driven our development for decades. It has built roads and power lines, provided high paying wages, apprenticeships, and other opportunities for Northerners. Mining has also driven significant secondary business development throughout the territory, including within the service industry and through contracting. NWT communities benefit from socio-economic agreements, and Indigenous governments who have signed onto devolution share in the resource royalties our primary industry creates.

Madam Speaker, without resource development, the Northwest Territories would be a very dismal place, with little opportunity for residents to better themselves financially. It is with this in mind that I want to recognize and celebrate the mining companies that are driving business development in our territory. At every opportunity, we should be encouraging junior companies to continue exploring and help them to expand their operations.

In January, the GNWT, along with Indigenous governments and MLA Weyallon Armstrong, attended the AME Roundup conference in Vancouver. Roundup is a long-established conference that I attended way back when I was a student at UBC and continues to be one of the largest resource conferences in Canada. It is a great opportunity for the GNWT and Indigenous governments to build relationships, establish partnerships, and attract business in the NWT.

When I attended Roundup in 2020 as the Minister of ITI , I was thrilled to witness the partnership announced by Det'on Cho Nahanni Construction, a corporation owned by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and Cheetah Resources, to manage the operations of Nechalacho rare earth mineral project. This partnership was the first time in Canada that all mining operations were contracted to an Indigenous firm, enabling them to be miners on their own lands.

So today, Madam Speaker, let's recognize and celebrate the value of mining in the NWT. And especially the progressive and innovative partnerships that are emerging, showing a new way of doing business where Indigenous people are the decision-makers and the beneficiaries of the rewards.

And, Madam Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to wish MLA Weyallon Armstrong a happy birthday. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Member's Statement 1367-19(2): Mining and Resource Development

Members' Statements

Page 5311

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake .

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Member's Statement 1368-19(2): Midwifery Program

Members' Statements

Page 5311

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Madame la Presidente. That's a tough act to follow.

This is the 14th time I've raised midwifery as an MLA. Based upon an update received recently from the Minister of health, some good progress appears to have been made. Although I would say it's been a long road. Work on creating a full midwifery program began a decade ago in 2013. Here's a

summary of where I'm told we are now.

Work has gone ahead under the coordination of a territorial midwifery program implementation working group. Staffing has and continues to be a big challenge but, again, good progress appears to have been made. I'm told that a territorial manager is staffed and tasked with overseeing midwifery care through the NTHSSA regions and in cooperation with the Tlicho Community Services Authority and Hay River Health Authority.

A territorial midwifery specialist is staffed in Yellowknife, providing postpartum care through Stanton Hospital. The Yellowknife team has two of four midwives hired, also providing outreach services in Behchoko since 2022.

A lactation specialist was staffed in September 2022 with federal funding for one year, supporting Stanton Hospital and the regions.

Fort Smith was fully staffed with three midwives although a recent staff departure has cut service, with patients having to travel to Yellowknife.

Hay River has full services while recruiting continues.

The work of the implementation group is apparently being carried out under a project charter. That's news to me, and I'll have questions.

With these actions, I am told that full implementation of midwifery services for the NWT is moving into its final phase. One aspect of implementation that I don't see referenced is the rollout of program structure and design through consultation with the Midwives Association of the NWT. That group expressed concerns in late 2021 with the model of central nodes of midwife expertise providing remote services to clients and community health nurses, not midwifery services located in all regions. The update provided to me noticeably lacks references to midwifery service delivery in the Sahtu and Beaufort-Delta and I'll have questions there as well, Madam Speaker.

That said, it looks like the long road from 2013 has an end in sight, and I'll have questions for the Minister of health on what remains to be done and how we're going to begin evaluating what we do. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Member's Statement 1368-19(2): Midwifery Program

Members' Statements

Page 5312

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave .

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would also like to rise and recognize Daryl Dolynny who is my constituent of Great Slave. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madam Premier .

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to recognize the Manitoba interns who are going to be future politicians coming up. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North .

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'd like to recognize Georgina Lloyd. She is the assistant deputy minister with Northern Affairs for Crown Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. She is in Yellowknife this week and has meetings with the Aurora College transformation staff to discuss federal engagement opportunities relating to the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university, and we're happy to have her here. Thank you.

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Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 5312

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

I am pleased to recognize a group of legislature interns visiting us from Manitoba. They are here this week to learn more about our consensus form of government. With us today are

Cheta Akaluka

Bea Basaran

Hannah Drudge

Tayla Gudnason

Alina Hart

Dane Monkman, and

Dr. Kelly Saunders

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Replies to budget address, day 6 of 7. Member for Thebacha .

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Ms. Martselos' Reply

Replies To Budget Address

Page 5312

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the fourth and final budget for the 19th Assembly was delivered by the Finance Minister one week ago, on February 8, 2023. Overall, among the many issues we dealt with throughout this term includes the fragile fiscal situation that our government finds itself in right now.

According to this year's budget, the Government of the Northwest Territories' total debt for 2023-2024 is $1.47 billion, which is not far from our territory's debt capacity of $1.8 billion, although I will acknowledge that for the first time in the life of this Assembly, the GNWT's debt has reduced since last year's budget. However, Madam Speaker, for several years that has not been the case as our territory's debt load has been steadily increasing year over year for the last ten years.

Not since the 17th Assembly has the NWT seen a reduction of its overall debt load. It must be stated, though, Madam Speaker, that the high amount of debt that the NWT has continued to accumulate is not because of spending of the 19th Assembly. No. Our debt has climbed to where it is today because of the decisions made of previous MLAs from previous Assemblies, which is the Legislative Assembly by extension, the people of the NWT must now pay for.

Let me be clear and more specific, Madam Speaker.

I believe our present-day budget restraints are largely due to the decisions of the former Finance Minister from the 17th Assembly, who also happens to be the former Member of Thebacha from that Assembly as well. I say this because it was the Finance Minister who signed off at the 11th hour on the contract for the new Stanton Hospital building, which is the elephant in the room. I say it is the elephant in the room, Madam Speaker, because it was that project that put the Government of the Northwest Territories hundreds of millions of dollars into debt.

In fact, according to this budget, the Stanton Territorial Hospital project has a debt load of $120 million. What's worse is that at the end of the 30-year lease with the new hospital, the government would spend over $1 billion on this P3 project.

On that note, Madam Speaker, another mistake made with the old hospital building, now known as the Legacy building, is the fact that officially the Government of the Northwest Territories still owns that building yet for some reason our government signed a 30-year lease to rent that building to a third-party company, that's not even based in the Northwest Territories, called Dexterra. Why is that? Who made that decision? The answer is that the 30-year lease was signed by the Minister of Finance in the 17th Assembly.

Based on all of this, Madam Speaker, I'd say the former Finance Minister from the 17th Assembly has a lot to answer for, since it was the Stanton Hospital project and other related decisions that put the Government of the Northwest Territories into a weakened financial position we're in now.

One other issue with this is that the opening of the newly renovated Stanton Legacy building has been delayed multiple times. First, it was supposed to open by summer of 2021. Then again by spring of 2022. And now they're saying by the summer of 2023. Moreover, Madam Speaker, there are several other issues that have occurred throughout this Assembly which I want to address now.

For example, in 2020 during the pandemic, the Department of Finance amended some of the liquor regulations to allow people to order liquor to be delivered to their homes. This was known as "dial-a-bottle." I strongly disagreed with the decision at the time and I believe that was the wrong thing to do. To me, that decision was almost like government was encouraging our population to drink more alcohol. Those types of decisions have consequences which hurts vulnerable people the most.

Madam Speaker, another area the Government of the Northwest Territories needs to address is the disaster assistance policy, because the current policy is not sufficiently addressing the needs of the people of the NWT. As it's currently written, the disaster assistance policy is only applicable to people when a natural disaster occurs with damage so widespread that a significant number of people or properties are affected. There are holes in this policy and some residents have been falling through the cracks.

People, like my constituent who endured a tornado that destroyed his home, are excluded from the disaster assistance policy because it only affected his property. So just because there is only one casualty from the disaster, does that make it okay? That is not fair and it is not right, and it needs to be fixed.

Madam Speaker, another area I have taken issue with is the one-time recruitment and retention bonuses that were given to a select number of health and social services staff. The issue with this is that these bonuses were not eligible to all health staff, only certain positions who perform certain duties within health and social services. The bonuses were not distributed evenly among staff, particularly long-term staff.

In fact, I know of several nurses who have worked for the Government of the Northwest Territories for many years, some for nearly 20 years, yet they were not eligible to receive the retention bonus. There is something seriously wrong with that because it has created the unintended consequence of sowing division amongst new and old nursing staff. For our government to prioritize giving recruitment bonuses to brand new nurses, medical laboratory technologists and midwives, but not to long-term nurses who have lived and worked here for years, is not okay.

In addition, Madam Speaker, there is the issue of the exorbitant fee increases for residents who have cabins on land leases across the NWT. While this decision is another carryover from the previous Assembly, it is a decision that is affecting all leaseholders who renew their lease agreements and must pay the new $840 minimum cost with this. I have constituents, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who own cabins and they have told me these new costs do hurt. Many of these residents have asked to bring the Minister of Lands to my riding so they can discuss these changes with the Minister himself.

I have tried numerous times now to coordinate a visit with the Minister, but it has not occurred yet. I am working on this with him, and he has committed to do a visit before the end of the Assembly, which I am looking forward to.

Madam Speaker, I also want to address a matter that is currently before this Assembly, and will be voted on very soon, which is the carbon tax. First of all, I want to be very clear that I am very much against this federally-imposed tax on carbon emissions. In fact, I've never been supportive of this tax since it was first introduced in 2018. And the reasons for my position are because this tax is harming regular people and businesses across the NWT.

The final implication of this tax is burdensome for seniors, for families, and for businesses of all sizes, and the financial burden is only going to get worse as time goes on since the tax is going to increase every year until 2030. As leaders, we need to do what's best for the territory and the people we represent. So for those reasons, I will be voting against the carbon tax bill that will be voted on in this session.

Moreover, Madam Speaker, I would like to talk about the polytechnic university and the transformation process of Aurora College. First off, I want to thank the Minister of education, again, for reiterating several times now, throughout this Assembly, that the headquarters of the future polytechnic university will be in Fort Smith. My constituents are happy that Fort Smith will continue to be the education capital of the NWT. However, there are two Fort Smith based college positions that are currently being borrowed by the Yellowknife campus, both of which must be returned to Fort Smith as soon as possible.

These are two senior management positions that were intended to be based in Fort Smith but for reasons beyond me, which I do not agree with, the positions are currently stationed in Yellowknife. So that is another area that needs to be adjusted by our government very soon.

Also, Madam Speaker, one other aspect about the college transformation that I do not agree with is the fact that our government is basing that process on a document that was written by a former assistant deputy minister of education who is now living in the Caribbean. Plus, that document, the Foundational Review of Aurora College, is from the 18th Assembly which is filled with old ideas and a hostile tone towards Fort Smith. Our government should not be following any reviews that do not make sense, nor ones that only favour further centralization to the capital.

Furthermore, Madam Speaker, I also take issue with how the Department of Finance has conducted the review of the affirmative action policy. Last week the GNWT announced its intention to replace the existing affirmative action policy with two new policies in its place, which the government has named the Indigenous employment policy and the employment equity policy.

The Indigenous employment policy mirrors the existing affirmative action policy, prioritizing the hiring of Dene, Inuit, and Metis people born in the NWT, which is good. However, Madam Speaker, the employment equity policy would give preferred hiring to Indigenous Canadians, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community and long-term Northerners. While there is some good in this second policy, such as providing preferred hiring to long-term Northerners, there are major aspects of it that I do not agree with.

Specifically, I don't agree with providing preferred hiring to Indigenous Canadians at-large. As I said in my statement last week, I have no issues with Indigenous Canadians who are not born in the NWT being employed by our public service. I just take issue with that group of people getting the same affirmative action status as the Dene, Inuit, and Metis people born in the NWT. In my view, these new policies do not resolve the issues with the affirmative action policy. It only widens the net for who qualifies as priority one hiring into our public service.

Therefore, I call on all Indigenous leaders to reject these two policies and for them to make that known to both the Finance Minister and that department.

Madam Speaker, as we embark upon the final year of this term, I think this is an opportune time to also discuss some of the 19th Assembly's mandate items. For example, decentralization is a key mandate item for this Assembly yet most of the new jobs created over this term have gone to Yellowknife instead of the regional centres or small communities. This is a mandate item that must be improved upon and must continue to be pursued into the next Assembly.

Madam Speaker, another aspect of our term's mandate has to do with the price and type of electricity generated in the NWT. We said we would reduce the cost of power and increase the use of alternative and renewable energy, and similarly, that we invest in the expansion of the Taltson hydro dam. Well, we did not manage to reduce the costs of power this term; in fact, it has only gotten more expensive with each year. So we must continue to work on that into the future. As for the Taltson expansion, this government and the federal government have made several strategic investments to advance this project forward.

While construction has not yet begun, pursuing this expansion would help the NWT succeed in our 2030 Energy Strategy. I am strongly in support of this mandate item, and I support the efforts of the Minister of Infrastructure with this undertaking. There are still some aspects of the project that need to be worked on with Indigenous governments so hopefully that work will conclude before the end of this Assembly.

Also, Madam Speaker, one point I want to make regarding the mandate item to create a polytechnic university is that the former residential school building, that is currently being used by Aurora College in Fort Smith, must be removed. That should be the first thing done to the new Fort Smith headquarters university campus. I also want to see in that future facility a university-size gym, a theater for the arts, along with a new single residence, a modern cafeteria, and a student lounge. I also think the new building should have an Indigenous accent to it.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, another priority of this Assembly was to increase mental health and addiction programs, including aftercare. I have said several times through this term that a new territorial aftercare facility should be situated in Fort Smith because I believe that's an ideal location for it, and I think the former Trailcross Treatment Centre building would be a good location to consider this. I say this because I think placing an aftercare facility in a non-industrialized location, that's not too far for the NWT residents to travel to but is far enough away from the familiar environments of peoples' addictions, can be very beneficial for our people.

Madam Speaker, enabling seniors to age in place with dignity is another priority of this Assembly, which I am unsure how we've done to address. Nonetheless, one suggestion to advance this item is exactly what I said in my statement yesterday, which is for Housing NWT to create and implement a seniors' housing strategy. As part of that strategy, we should implement a flat-rate single-fixed cost system that determines the rent for seniors regardless of income level, race, or which part of the NWT they live.

Doing this would help reduce the amount of rental arrears incurred by seniors and provide them with far more less financial stress. I think Housing NWT needs to lead these efforts and work in partnership with Indigenous governments and seniors' organizations to help craft an effective seniors' housing strategy.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I believe that this Assembly has succeeded in advancing several of the mandate items that we created at the beginning of the term. However, I think we all know that as MLAs, more work still needs to be done to help improve the quality of life for all the people of the NWT. And as the MLA for Thebacha, I will continue to fight to achieve the priorities that I outlined today. With that, I'd like to thank all the amazing constituents of Thebacha for their continued support in me as their representative.

I also want to thank my family, including my husband Peter, my sons Gerry and Mickey, and my dog Rambo, for their steadfast support in whatever I do. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Ms. Martselos' Reply

Replies To Budget Address

Page 5313

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Replies to the budget address. Member Yellowknife North.

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Mr. Johnson's Reply

Replies To Budget Address

Page 5313

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do share the view that it's clear that our problems started with the 17th Assembly, Madam Speaker, but I will address my comments today to the Minister of Finance for the 19th Assembly.

Firstly, I believe this budget is lacking in two areas. One is more money for NGOs. I know this budget contains some increases for our nongovernment organizations, which was a result of the last budgets negotiations, and I thank the Minister of Finance and all the departments for their work on that, but I am concerned that this is simply set out to be a one-time funding. I spoke with many NGOs who had contribution agreements with no increase for over a decade, Madam Speaker.

And I think what we are looking for here is a permanent policy, a change to the stock contribution agreement form, multiyear funding, and an inflationary increase built forward so that this is solved going forward for all Assemblies, Madam Speaker, not just a one-time top-up.

The second point I would like to emphasize in order for me to support this budget is more funding for our communities. We have heard that multiple times in this House, and I think from day one there was some uncertainty and a bit of a tension in the budget of whether reducing the funding gap by $5 million meant $5 million total or it meant reducing the gap $5 million plus the inflation that gets built up over the time. It's clear the government is proposing that it's just $5 million fixed.

At the very least, we need to see carbon tax revenue shared that is revenue neutral for those communities so that we are not actually passing a budget and a carbon tax that further puts our communities behind.

As well, Madam Speaker, I've made this point before. I think the budget is a time to open up some policy asks that are purely political. The GNWT doesn't like to do anything without a thorough review, without talking to everyone, without the strategy, the “what we heard” report, and then the legislative proposal. But I think everyone once in a while -- and I think budgets are a great time to pick out one thing and just announce that you're going to do it. In my last two budget addresses, I suggested that we introduce five paid sick days for workers.

Our pandemic taught us that forcing people to choose between missing pay, where they struggle to buy groceries or going to work sick, is putting their coworkers at risk and it's ultimately hurting the economy. I once again make this plea. That is a simple change we can make. I know there has to be a grand review of the Employment Standards Act and we have to talk to everyone in the world about it, but sometimes you can just pick something out and get it done, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, once again, I know I am asking for money, and I will not be remiss to say that we have to make hard choices. Some things I am willing to do on the revenue side, one is to create a high-income tax bracket. Presently in the Northwest Territories, under GNWT tax once you make over $147,000, you pay the same tax rate whether you're making $150,000 or $500,000. Almost every other jurisdiction in Canada has a tax bracket above 147. The Department of Finance estimates creating additional brackets, depending how they look, is somewhere between $800,000 or $3.5 million.

Secondly, I am willing to increase our corporate tax rate by one percent. We have one of the lowest corporate tax rates in Canada. We're largely always kind of pegged to Alberta, because we have this concern what Alberta's doing, but I'll note the Yukon next door has a much higher corporate tax rate and their economy's doing a lot better than ours, Madam Speaker. One percent on a corporate tax is approximately $3 million, Madam Speaker.

I made this plea in all my budgets - I think we got to end the contracts for all fax machines. I budget this at about $100,000 in savings. As well there's been a number of proposals over the year for a completely paperless GNWT. We still rely on a whole lot of printing and a whole lot of paper. Estimates have shown that can save governments and our government up to $1 million. I know there are a number of efficiencies to be found.

I am convinced that by creating a service GNWT model, with government service officers in the capital whereby income assistance, housing, many of these social assistance programs can all be dealt with by one person and one form, we will save money. There's some different ways you can make that work but I think the work to get E-services online has really been lacking. Right now, the only things you can do are your fishing license, your healthcare card, and some DMV services.

I know there's plans to roll out more, but it seems clear we are years and years away from bringing the social envelope into E-services which would free up a lot of time for our already overworked officers, such as income assistance officers.

Madam Speaker, I want to express my disappointment that government renewal did not bring more effects to our budget in this Assembly. And I think one of the ironic things is a lot of the things that our government renewal was actually trying to do, trying to fix, is one of the reasons we didn't get it through fast enough. The government renewal, quoting from the Minister of Finance's own proposals, want to look at our process and do away things that are unnecessarily complicated, wasteful, or inefficient.

They wanted to do away with getting rid of multiple application forms for a single programming or having unnecessarily complex internal approval processes. I am very convinced that the Department of Finance ran into its unnecessarily complex approval processes in order to implement government renewal where there were just simply too many voices at the table and direction cannot be provided to departments to clean up their processes. In the government renewal plan that the Minister initially presented, there was things like having its software that is intuitive and cross-compatible with other systems.

Madam Speaker, our software does not talk to each other.

We heard yesterday the Minister of Housing say in one community she estimates that the housing waitlist is somewhere between three and seven years. The housing corporation doesn't even know what their wait lists are. They don't even know the state of their units. They don't have any coherent reporting on their maintenance. They have little to no software let alone some sort of software that would be compatible with all the other departments and all of the other work we need to do on our infrastructure and our capital planning.

Similarly in this vein, I think we need to do a lot more for digital government. One of the principles of E-government that I love is the once-only principle. This is a principle where a government can only ask for a piece of information once, Madam Speaker. If you provide your 2019 T4 to the government, you can only do that -- they're only allowed to ask once. And then it is shared with all of the other departments. This applies for birth dates, your address - once only.

I can't even imagine how many times people, in addressing social assistance, apply the same forms and the same documents over and over and over again. We hear these stories and I think, you know, there are lots we can do in that digital government thing.

So just to quote the Minister of Finance , you know, words back at her, I really do believe in value-based budgeting and priority-based budgeting, and I think this year over year incremental budgeting that the GNWT does, where each department goes away, comes forward with their proposals, and we get this mishmash without clear centralized coordination, is not working for us. We don't have a clear picture of what programs are giving us value for money. And I guess I just express disappointment that we did not get far enough in this government and that this budget is not doing it. And I hope that in the remaining time we can make some progress on that.

But ultimately, Madam Speaker, I've shared a number of solutions of things we can do. I've shared my two funding priorities, which, is at the end of the day our non-profits are delivering the best value for dollar. I don't need a government renewal to tell me that. And they need a little more help. And our communities as well, Madam Speaker, they need a little more help. I've provided a few ways in which I am willing to fund that and make some hard decisions. I look forward to our continued budget negotiations. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Mr. Johnson's Reply

Replies To Budget Address

Page 5314

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Replies to the budget address. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5314

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

I think I need some sick days.

Madam Speaker, many of us understand why the affirmative action policy was first implemented 30 plus years ago, and still we seem unable to reach our target for Indigenous hires. Why is that? Is it because of the education levels? Because of the type of positions available? Because of location of potential Indigenous employees? Because we have a young population not of working age? Is it because we have settled claims and people are working there instead? Is it because of the buddy system that we often hear about? Is it about racism? Is it about hiring the committee bias as well?

Whatever it is, we need to know what those barriers are prior to developing something that we may or may not need.

So, Madam Speaker, will the Minister confirm what research and measures, if any, were used to determine the success or failure of the current affirmative action policy? Thank you.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5314

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance .

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5314

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I might draw your attention back to the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework. This was put out I now believe back in December of a couple of years ago. That was the fruit of much research and consultation at that time, looking at a number of barriers across a number of areas that we were going to start to address. You now see, and you'll see in the main estimates, there are targets being set for each department.

There are also in addition to that in order to set those targets, there was a labour force statistical analysis conducted in June of 2022, and that has provided a basis by which we can begin to have those targets. And now continuing with the work that we're in to evolve the public service, to be more representative, we've come forward to make good on the promise to review the affirmative action policy. So there's been much research done. The affirmative action policy has been looked at and reviewed multiple times.

There's never been the will to get it over the line and to make it better, to try something better, to try to fix it. It hasn't delivered, very simply. We all know it hasn't delivered because the needle hasn't moved. It's not only because of this policy; I completely agree. But that's where we get into that recruitment and retention framework that does some of that work. This is one more step that's going to refocus attention on the hiring of Indigenous Northerners while also ensuring that there's other groups, including long-term Northerners, who also will be benefitting from an employment equity policy.

So a lot of research went into all these pieces, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I've been getting a number of calls like this lately just because of the meetings that are happening in the communities, and people are very concerned. You know, what we seem to be doing is pitting Indigenous people against Indigenous people and others as well.

So, Madam Speaker, will the Minister confirm the rationale and the criteria used to support the need for this review and potential replacement of the current policy with two distinct policies, being the Indigenous employment policy and employment equity policy, when the whole intent is to increase the number of Indigenous people into the government sector? Thank you.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, under the current policy, the affirmative action policy, there is still this ranking system that goes on, what everyone knows as the P1s, P2s, but within that you have P1A, P1B, and all these different sorts of ranking depending upon the position, depending upon who's in the position. So there's already complexity within there that categorizes people under different ways depending on the job and then creates this priority listing.

Madam Speaker, what we're actually doing now is separating that out so that it is very clear that first there is the priority on the Indigenous employment policy that would take preference for the Indigenous Canadians in the Northwest Territories, within the boundaries of the Northwest Territories, while not losing the fact that we -- the Northerners, the long Northerners are also arguably subject to wanting to ensure that we continue to have them prioritized for the public service. But within that, Madam Speaker, there are other equity groups in Canada that we would like to see as members of the public service.

There's not a flood of people coming to the Northwest Territories. If there were, I think that would be a good problem to have quite frankly, but there's not. The employment equity policy operates as a secondary policy to the Indigenous employment policy, and it matches numbers. So instead of just this blanket ranking, we're now going to say if there's positions, and we know that our labour market has ten people available and we have positions available, we can start to fill up our positions with the folks that we know are here. The Indigenous employment policy, again, comes first. The other one comes second.

We're matching targets numbers now, not just ranking people. So this is actually a much more targeted way of going about it. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Supplementary. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yeah, you know, in the beginning, like I said last year I think in a statement, is that when this policy was first implemented, I think it was targeted towards Indigenous people and they had to add in the P2s I think to get it passed, and after talking to some of the drafters anyway. So I just want to make sure that we get it right.

So, Madam Speaker, will the Minister confirm if there was any consideration given to do away with the affirmative action policy or keep it or replace it with other forms of support or programs such as an Indigenous and northern training and recruitment policy, an Indigenous and northern post-secondary student hire policy, Indigenous and northern internship policy, or using a majority Indigenous hiring committee to support Indigenous hires? Thank you.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Madam Speaker, I think my first two answers were already long so I'm going to try and get this one shorter, but this one could be longer than the last two.

I'm happy to say that really, we have a lot of those policies. And I certainly wouldn't want the fact that we are now at the next stage of really developing our attention on Indigenous hiring, and of being a representative workforce, to lose sight again of the fact that we do now have the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework. In that, there are action items, and within all of that as well and in conjunction with that, we still have the internship program that does operate, and which would apply these equity programs just as it does now with the affirmative action policy.

We have the internship approach that we use. There is, of course -- there is, in fact, a proposed increase for the secondment program for Indigenous governments to be working together with the GNWT to have capacity building on both sides. There is the career gateway program. So, again, no shortage of programs that are looking at each of the individual different barriers, targeting some of those individual barriers whether at a student level, whether within community capacity, to try to bring up the hiring.

So I do think we need to look at all those things, I agree completely, and we do have a number of those programs already employed. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South .

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. You know, I understand that we have -- like, we have this policy already in place. We have all these programs in place. And I guess I ask myself why haven't we been able to meet that target? And, you know, I look at one of the areas that I -- you know, I think that hasn't been mentioned is the lack of accountability of DMs and management. Like, they are the ones there that have to make sure that those policies are being followed. And when I talk to people, I don't think that's happening. But anyways, Madam Speaker, residents are concerned that the notice of meetings in the communities have been left wanting.

So will the Minister confirm what level of notice and consultation has or will take place with Indigenous governments, communities, NGOs, and residents during this review? Thank you.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

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Page 5315

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So, Madam Speaker, there was a letter sent out to Indigenous governments back in October of 2022, and I know I've heard back directly myself from some, and others I know, or I believe are going to be participating in the community consultations. There's two months' worth of community engagement sessions happening now through to the end of March. And, Madam Speaker, I just want to also note I had also heard that some people of course can't necessarily make it to a specific date.

I've asked that we had a virtual session towards the end which would hopefully capture folks who were unable to attend in person at some of these. And, of course, as is the usual practice with the GNWT, there is an open portal on the GNWT finance website around receiving feedback. And, Madam Speaker, certainly most of us are easily to find by way of email if people simply want to write in. Madam Speaker, I'm happy to take people's recommendations and comments in that regard as well. So there are a lot of -- a number of ways that people can submit their feedback, and I hope that they do that.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1373-19(2): Affirmative Action

Oral Questions

Page 5315

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave .

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI . I've been looking through Canada's critical mineral strategy that was announced I think a couple years ago now. And like a lot of government documents, it's full of a lot of "we should do this" and "we're going to improve the economy by doing things such as this," but there really isn't a lot of sort of tangible actionable items in the plan.

Given that the Northwest Territories contains a lot of those critical minerals needed for Canada's green energy strategy, can the Minister speak a bit more about when we actually will see things happening under this critical mineral strategy, has the government indicated that they are going to deal with our infrastructure deficit -- or sorry, in our energy deficit that is mentioned as a key barrier to northern development? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5315

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister for ITI .

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the final version of the critical minerals strategy is still fairly new. I think it was only within the last year they've been doing some consultations on it. And obviously it's difficult for me to say precisely what we hope the federal government may or may not do. What I can say, Madam Speaker, is at this point we have put ourselves in position to be at the second round of tables. They are conducting national resource energy tables right now, "they, the federal government. And we were not initially on round two but we are now.

And that process has just gotten underway early this year. That's an opportunity for us to help to define exactly what the Member's getting at - where is that money going to be spent, how is it going to be spent, and what can we do to ensure that it's being spent, frankly, right here in the territory? I look forward to that process taking place. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5315

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I appreciate the Minister's comments. I guess I'm a bit concerned that we weren't engaged earlier on in this given, you know, the topics that we've been discussing here around the carbon tax, and a lot of this critical mineral strategy is about transitioning Canada off of fossil fuels and into a greener energy economy. So I guess I'm a bit frustrated by that. But I do know that this Minister is well positioned to be that voice at the table.

Can the Minister speak a bit then about how do we become innovative when we're working with the federal government? We have our own regulatory system that's quite, you know -- I want to say, like, strenuous a bit at times, and then if we're going to now add on another layer of government bureaucracy with the federal government, how do we actually go about making sure that we're creating one that works together versus two that are on top of each other creating further barriers? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, certainly we don't want to create government barriers or bureaucracy, particularly in a context where some of the criticism we get is that our regulatory systems already have quite a lot of layers to them.

Certainly what we found in the last recent while is that there's a shift internationally recognizing the value of having a robust regulatory system, one that involves and engages Indigenous peoples from the very beginning so that when a project goes through that process, they know that it's certain, they know that it's secure, and they know that it respects environmental, social governance, and Indigenous factors. And that is what we have here in the North.

What we are trying to do is ensure now that the different parties at those tables, the federal government and the Government of the Northwest Territories, are aligned. I can say, as an example for the Member, Madam Speaker, is the Mackenzie Valley operational dialogue is happening right now. That's an opportunity to bring all these parties together to have conversations to ensure that the way we apply our policies, comply our regulatory processes and work them, is efficient and is aligned and it makes sense to work all together. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I'm glad to hear that the Minister is speaking about efficiencies and such. I guess I rise with a bit of a concern that when we look at other areas where the federal government has come in with this great idea or they've made election promises that they want to see fulfilled, and I'll pick on ECE with the Daycare Act. You know, not a lot of flexibility for us to actually do anything or make our own northern or made-in-the-North imprint on it. So how is the Minister, I guess -- and maybe this is going to be a hard one to answer.

How can the Minister ensure that that northern voice is being heard at the table and, if anything, that we're not just the afterthought in this conversation but that rather we are leading the conversation and one of the drivers? And when I look through the critical strategy -- and I encourage everybody to do so -- a lot of it is applying to the North. It's reconciliation with Indigenous people, it's lack of infrastructure, it's critical minerals that are needed. This strategy is about us and so how will the Minister ensure that we are leading instead of just following? Thank you.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this touches on finance as well because this is an area that's going to potentially drive our future economy.

I have to say we did have the opportunity to comment on the federal critical minerals metals strategy before it was final, and I would suggest there are a lot of elements in there that I think reflect exactly on the submission that we made and reflect exactly on what we wanted to see in terms of being a strategy that is now high level. The next step, obviously, proof is in the pudding - where are they going to spend their dollars? Those conversations are ongoing.

And as far as what I can do, or what any other member of this government can and what we are doing, is getting ourselves out, being at the table, being at the conferences, being at the speaking events, meeting with other Ministers. I am quite fortunate that I had the opportunity to speak on a panel at critical minerals about the competition and the competitiveness of the North when I was there. You know, the fact that we were invited to that I think shows that there is an awareness now that we are going to be in this space.

The line in the strategy itself saying that minerals extracted in the territories could be processed in the prairies and supply manufacturing in other parts of Canada. There is a recognition that the value chain for the future of economy, for a greener economy, can start in the North and involve all of Canada. And that, I think, is an important shift of thinking that we want to capitalize on. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave .

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And it doesn't sound like much has changed in the conversation at Roundup since I went in 2020, which was the same things that I heard from the mineral resource sector. They liked our robust regulatory system. They wanted to invest in the North. And a key piece I think that we need to also remember is that when we go to seek investment, we can tell people that their money spent in northern Canada will actually benefit people. You will literally create life-changing projects as we've seen in Imperial Oil up in Norman Wells.

So I do think that that is a key piece that we need to keep driving home. Our competitors are places like China. There are places that are in developing countries where the law is not as strict, and I think that is really a key message that we need to be driving home as a territory as well. And I know the Minister will do so. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1374-19(2): Critical Minerals Strategy

Oral Questions

Page 5316

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. And I didn't hear a question in there, so I'll take that as a comment.

Members and Ministers, just a reminder that we have a limited time for oral questions, and Members should have their opportunity to participate. Please keep your questions and answers short and to the point. We've gone through two Members, and we've used up 18 minutes. Thank you. Next on my list is Member for Nunakput .

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just yes or no answers from the Minister then. Thank you.

So, Madam Speaker, in regards to, I've been always bringing up in the House since 2007 in regards to my elders that are being brought out of the communities of Ulukhaktok, Paulatuk, Sachs, and Tuk, having to be brought out to Inuvik to long-term care. Families not able to see them, elders getting homesick, and it just draws too much hardship on my elders.

Madam Speaker, I have private monies to use from business, a local business in the Delta wanting to build these units in the communities of Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk. Is the Minister willing to work with that company on looking to get these, I guess level two elders facilities done? Is the Minister of Housing willing to work with us. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for Housing NT.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I'm always looking for innovative ideas, especially when they're coming as community-based projects and working with Indigenous governments. Yes, I would be open to be having those discussions with the Member and with his leadership. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Can I get that in writing? No, I'm just joking.

Madam Speaker, so the Minister's committed to that. And what I'll do is I'll reach out to my community leadership of the communities and work together with them to invite the Minister to the community to work on a go-forward basis for elders' facilities in Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk. And can the Minister recommit to that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Absolutely. I think, you know, the way that we need to address the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories is absolutely through partnership, and we need Indigenous governments at the table. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

No, I just want to make a comment. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for that, and I look forward to working with her department to get this done in short order, within a couple of months, not years. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1375-19(2): Long-Term Care Facilities for Elders

Oral Questions

Page 5316

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. I'll take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho .

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. My questions related to my Member's statement on the 2014 Devolution Agreement.

Can the Premier explain the role of the Deh Cho and the Akaitcho First Nations in current legislative development process? Mahsi.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5316

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Madam Premier .

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So I believe that the Member is talking about the Intergovernmental Council, about the land and resources legislation. That is done, like you said, through devolution at the Intergovernmental Council table. For those governments that aren't part of that table, they're always welcome to joint that table but if they're not part of it, then there still is a consultation process that happens if the land and resources is in their areas, and they're still invited to sit on working groups to provide support for those legislative initiatives going forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Is there any financial support to allow non-devolution partners a seat at the Intergovernmental Council table? Mahsi.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5316

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Every member of the Intergovernmental Council does receive financial support to take

part in that table. Any Indigenous government that signs on to the Intergovernmental Council devolution agreement will also get funding to sit at that table. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. And mahsi to the Premier for that answer. The Deh Cho First Nations have not signed on to devolution, nor do they have an agreement in principle or a final agreement regarding their land, resources, and self-government. Given those circumstances, does that lessen or weaken their authority of land management in their region compared to IGC members in their respective regions? Mahsi.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Having a concluded modern treaty is not required to join devolution or the Intergovernmental Council. However, though, having a finalized agreement does answer questions within their agreement surrounding land management and authority. So we're optimistic, and we're really glad that the Deh Cho is back to the negotiations table, and we're hopeful that their negotiations will advance quickly.

But as I said earlier, Madam Speaker, all work at the Intergovernmental Council consults with all Indigenous governments, whether they're at the table or not, on areas that may be applicable to those governments, and they're always welcome to sit on the working tables. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho .

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Has the Premier ever considered that conditional membership into the IGC, based solely on signing onto devolution, is viewed by some leadership as exclusionary and as a tool to try to divide Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I have heard those arguments before. During my tenure as Premier , I actually reached out to the Indigenous governments that aren't part of the devolution agreement, trying to talk to them about what their concerns were, trying to express the benefits of being at that table. But I do respect that they don't want to sign on. I also brought their -- because, again, they asked if they could be part of that table, share in the resources without being a member -- being part of devolution. I did bring that forward to the Intergovernmental Council.

In fact, I brought it forward twice during my tenure. I'm only one member of ten on the Intergovernmental Council. We all have equal seats. And it was very firmly said that membership has benefits and that they're more than welcome to sign on but if they don't sign on, then those benefits will not be shared. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1376-19(2): Devolution

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Madam Premier . Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I have some questions for the Premier , if I could. I'm reading today, right now, on Cabin Radio, a news story about how they broke the story about how the Northwest Territories is going to get $8 million a year under a new ten-year federal funding arrangement for all the provinces and territories, and there's supposed to be a special fund set up for the Northwest Territories for $5 million for the next five years.

I'd like to ask the Premier why am I reading about this on Cabin Radio instead of getting this kind of communications directly from the Cabinet? That's not the way consensus government is supposed to work, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Honourable Premier .

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The health minister would like that deferred to her. Thank you.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Minister of Health and Social Services .

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. This morning the Premier , the Finance Minister , and I met with our federal colleagues, the Minister for intergovernmental affairs and the Minister of health. We had some questions about what we had been offered at the -- the Premier had been offered at the Council of Federation last week.

What I can tell you is that the net new money available to the NWT is $12 million. That includes a $2.9 million increase to the territorial health initiative fund which is spent partly on medical travel and partly on bigger picture items like health sustainability.

There are four areas in which there are tailored -- what they call tailored bilateral agreements. They're worth $7 million a year for the next ten years. There is a $2 million top-up to the CHT which will be for hospital services. It's a one-time only. There will also be some money for the escalator, the CHT escalator which is tied to inflation at this point so we don't have a firm figure on that. The personal support workers wage subsidy, we don't have information on that. The health equity fund for Indigenous people, we don't have information on that. So there are some considerable loose ends.

It was our intention to communicate all of this to the Members by the end of the afternoon. The meeting just happened this morning, and I had a subsequent meeting that ended at 2:30. So the information is coming to the Regular MLAs, and there will be a news conference tomorrow in which we will answer questions. Thank you.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the health minister for that. I'd like to know why I'm reading about this on Cabin Radio instead of getting the information from the Minister or the Premier . This is just not the way that consensus government is supposed to work. Why am I reading it on Cabin Radio first? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I can't control who the federal ministers decide to talk to in media interviews. I didn't know that they were going to do that. I learned when the Member learned, and I was probably just about as happy. Thank you.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Yeah, I actually sent three Ministers an email about this while I was sitting here, before I had even read the Cabin Radio story, saying you guys are doing a media briefing tomorrow, you haven't told us anything? So why are you doing a media briefing instead of talking to us and telling us this news? Thanks, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. Just to say again we met with these Ministers this morning. They choose to do their own media engagement. We decided to do ours tomorrow. We have in the works a message to Regular MLAs. We have provided them with advanced notice of a media release -- or a media advisory. There will be advanced notice of a media release. So we are not working as quickly as the federal government is but we are prepared to answer any questions that may arise, whether it today or tomorrow after the news conference. Thank you.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake .

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. So is this the kind of precedent -- like, this is the way that we used to get communications in the last Assembly; I can tell you that. But is this the way that we're going to continue to get information moving forward, is through Cabin Radio instead of communications directly from our colleagues on the other side of the House? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

The Member for Frame Lake can rest assured this is not a new way of communicating. I've already explained that the federal government is doing its own communications. We don't have any control over that. I've told him what we're doing. And, you know, that is what we are going to stick with. I think I already said, but I will say again, I wasn't best pleased either to read on Cabin Radio that coming out of that meeting, apparently somebody had -- Minister Duclos had done an interview with Cabin Radio about the health agreement. We didn't have a specific embargo in place, so we have to go with the flow. Thank you.

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Question 1377-19(2): Communications Protocol

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake .

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5317

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment .

So I'm wondering if the Minister can explain why we're not hitting our quotas and tell us what his department is doing to fill the quota and provide guidance if this week's newest immigration pilot will help us actually hit that quota? Thank you.

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5317

The Deputy Speaker

Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment .

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5317

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

And to the other part of the question, what are we doing? Well, we have done quite a bit. We're developing resources. We've created a welcome to the NWT booklet for potential and actual immigrants to the territory. We've updated and modernized the nominee program website. We've made the application accessible online. We've introduced a Francophone stream recently. We've made changes to our nominee program. We continuously make changes to make it more accessible for employers. We are working to implement a new stream focused on in demand occupations. We are participating in an economic pathways pilot to attract skilled refugees from abroad.

And to the Member's third question in that series, we expect that there -- well, hopefully some modest increases, maybe five or ten applicants through that stream. But if we keep chipping away at this, those numbers will continue to go up. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5318

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the success that has happened over the course of this term, but there's still room for us to grow and there's still room for us to welcome more people to the Northwest Territories. One of the things that I like to do in this job is pick up the phone and call people. And I've had the opportunity to speak to people working in the immigration sector from other jurisdictions who have literally said, why aren't you guys getting closer to your quota? So I think there's room for us to grow.

Madam Speaker, the department's response to the Assembly's motion indicated that ECE's immigration strategy is up for renewal. The strategy concluded in December, and it's not clear what the next steps of this government are. So can the Minister tell this House the status of the review, including who will be consulted, what the scope is, and when it will produce a new strategy? Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5318

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So the strategy was from 2017 to 2022. Part of that strategy -- or included with that strategy was a performance measurements plan. So the department is now reviewing the data, reviewing the administrative records and reaching out to stakeholders to complete that work and conclude that report. There have been discussions between ECE and ITI about the overall future of the program. And so those discussions, while they're ongoing, I expect that near the end of this Assembly/the beginning of the next Assembly, they will ramp up again when we have that capacity to do so.

And a determination on, you know, perhaps how the GNWT internally deals with immigration will help inform a future strategy as well. So that work is on the way. I don't expect that we'll be seeing a new strategy during this term, but it is underway. Thank you.

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Question 1378-19(2): Increasing Population through Immigration

Oral Questions

Page 5318

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this time last year when I asked the Minister to create an immigration advisory council, the Minister informed me that, quote, "