Debates of June 4th, 2021

This is page numbers 2867 - 2906 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

Update on Community Access Program

Senior Citizens Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day June 15

Community Housing Support Program

Mining Week 2021 and Initiatives

Dene National Memorial Walk

Current Events and End of Session

Graduation in Hay River

2021 Graduating Class

Intimate Partner Violence

Graduation and Session Reflections

Staffing Appeal Process

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Northwest Territories Art Sector

Eulogy for Stephen Squirrel

Intimate Partner Violence

Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Hay River School Bus Service

Staffing Appeal Process

NWT Arts Council

Income Assistance Emergency Allowance

Human Resources Issues

Northwest Territories Arts Program

Hay River Homeless Shelter

Tabled Document 429-19(2): Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the Period April 1 to March 31, 2021 Tabled Document 430-19(2): Project Charter for Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines COVID Recovery Working Group Tabled Document 431-19(2): Funding Support for Airlines

Tabled Document 432-19(2): Plain Languages

Summary for Bill 33, National Indigenous Peoples Day Act

Tabled Document 433-19(2): 2019-2020 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Equal Pay Commissioner Tabled Document 434-19(2): Addressing the Gender Wage Gap, Proactive Pay, and Equity Legislation, a publication of the Pay Equity Division of the Canadian Human Rights Commission Tabled Document 435-19(2): Electoral Boundaries Commission, 2021 Terms of Reference Tabled Document 436-19(2):

Summary of Members Absences of the Period February 3, 2021 to May 26, 2021

Creation of a Northwest Territories Food Security Strategy

Recorded Vote

Extended Adjournment of the House to October 14, 2021

Bill 35: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022

Bill 33: National Indigenous Peoples Day Act

Bill 35: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Performance Measures, Action Plan and Annual Reporting

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Annual Reporting on Revitalization of Official Languages

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Indigenous Language Proficiency in Hiring

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Inclusive Schooling Practices

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Equitable Learning Experiences

Committee Report 15-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Government Response to Recommendations

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Titled Land

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Policy and Program Barriers

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Financing

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Supportive Rental Housing for Vulnerable Populations

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Preventative Maintenance Program for Homeowners

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Repair Program

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Homeownership Programs with Person Centered Case Management

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Rental Allowance Portability

Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Homeowners, carried

Committee Report 150-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Homeowners Insurance

Committee Report 151-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Home Insurance Benefit Allowance

Committee Report 152-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Government Response to Recommendations

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Bill 25:

An Act to Amend the Education Act

Recorded Vote

Bill 35: Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022

Recorded Vote

Orders Of The Day

Members Present

Hon. Diane Archie , Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge , Hon. Paulie Chinna , Ms. Cleveland , Hon. Caroline Cochrane , Hon. Julie Green , Mr. Jacobson , Mr. Johnson , Mr. Lafferty , Ms. Martselos , Ms. Nokleby , Mr. O'Reilly , Ms. Semmler , Hon. R.J. Simpson , Hon. Shane Thompson , Hon. Caroline Wawzonek

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

---Prayer

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer

Prayer

Page 2867

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Good morning, colleagues. The Member for Monfwi has asked to address the Chamber, and I will give the floor to the Member. Member for Monfwi .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer

Prayer

Page 2867

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker -- [Translation] Masi, Mr. Speaker. Today is a special day; it's a huge day. Yesterday as I spoke, I spoke in my language. The reason I said it, I said it in my language. Today we have Mary Rose here in the audience from CKLB. I spoke with her, and they report on everything that we say and do in this House. When we represent the people, we need to talk for them, and we relay those concerns to the government.

Mr. Speaker, we've experienced a challenging year and a half from COVID-19 here in the Northwest Territories, in Canada, and also around the world. We have lost something dear and today we face a normal full of unanswered questions. And then, Mr. Speaker, comes devastating news last week from the former Kamloops Indian Residential School - news of a mass grave containing the bodies of at least 215 Indigenous children.

Mr. Speaker, challenging times like this tend to focus on person's thoughts, on what really matters. It gets you thinking about family, how very precious family is, and about the community and how precious that is. And this leads, naturally, to thoughts about your own life and what have you done with your time on earth that you've been given by Our Creator.

Mr. Speaker, that applies to me. That includes reflecting back on my 16 years - five terms as a Member of this Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, when I walked into this building in June 2005, my oldest son, Jade, was only 12 years old. Today, Mr. Speaker, my son, Jade, is 28 years old with a son on his own and a family on his own. My youngest Ty was only just born when I became a MLA. Now he is 16, studying for his driver's licence.

Mr. Speaker, we take our oath of office as a MLA. We sign on to a demanding parallel of life - an existence away from home, removed loved ones, and away from family. Mr. Speaker, while I sat in this chamber, my five kids grew up around me. During my 16 years here, I've missed so much childhood while they were growing up - so their rites of passage. Of course, not just for me, Mr. Speaker. How many babies first words, first steps, birthdays, soccer tournaments, laughters, cuts, tears of each of us - missed because of our duties as MLAs.

But, Mr. Speaker, on the flip side, there's always a -- it has also been a wonderful 16 years serving here in this Legislative Assembly, in this House. I've visited just about every community in the Northwest Territories, just every part of Canada as a Minister, and then later as a Speaker, travelled to promote NWT internationally.

Mr. Speaker, when I was approached 16 years ago to first run as a MLA for Monfwi Region, it was at prompting of the elders. Now, those same elders, at least the new generation of them, have approached me again. This time, Mr. Speaker, they're asking me to come home back to my region, back to the Tlicho. They want me to take what I have learned here and put it to work within the Tlicho government system.

As tradition demands, I consulted with my family. My family, which stood by me in my journey as a MLA, as a Minister, and also as a Speaker. My family says the elders' right. It's time for a new direction. It's time to go home.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, today I am giving notice to this House, to the Tlicho people, the NWT as a whole, that I will be resigning my post as a MLA for Monfwi effective today, Friday, June 4th, 2021.

In doing so, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to say a big masi cho to the Tlicho communities and the people, for the privilege of representing them for the past 16 years, for the past five terms. I'm humbled by the trust they placed in me. It makes a personal sacrifice more worth it. I love the Tlicho people and the communities. For their sake, I would do it all over again.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to masi cho to my former assistant Morgan McPherson who dedicated almost ten years to helping me in various elected roles. Without her, Mr. Speaker, I would have been lost. Thank you, Morgan, for your dedication and commitment, for being a friend that I could always count on. For that, masi cho.

Another constituent assistant, Mr. Speaker, is Richard Charlo. He has been my voice, my eyes and ears, in the Tlicho Region when it came to constituent issues. Thank you, Richard, for your enthusiasm, for your cheerfulness, hard work, and your dedication these past several years.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say masi cho to my family - my father, my sisters, brothers, aunties and uncles, for supporting me and encouraging me as I struggled to make a difference for my Tlicho people and my communities. During my 16 years here, I have lost so many close family. First my mother, 2014; then a year later, my grandma cho. Then just last year, my brother Troy. And this year, my loving auntie Therese. Their death made it more difficult in trying times but my family's love and support kept me going.

Mr. Speaker, that brings me to my immediate family. If I had an amount of success as a politician, it's them I have to thank. They get the credit. My son Jade, his wife Jessie, our grandson Aries. My daughter Cheyenne, my daughter Sahara, my daughter Dene, and our youngest Ty. Without their constant love and understanding, I'd be nothing. Then, Mr. Speaker, there is a super woman I married - Diane Marie Lafferty. In every challenge, every time, every defeat, she has been there by my side.

Through every trying times, absence, every inconvenient business trip, every sitting of this Assembly, she was there covering me with the kids, reminding them of my love. If I have accomplished anything in life, it's on account of my love Diane. If my path leads to success, it will be entirely because of her.

Mr. Speaker, finally, I want to thank this institution - the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, and all their Members, past and present, I have had opportunity and privilege to serve with. Elected office is a true honour - a high calling. I will be grateful for the rest of my life for being given this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I will miss this chamber, the excitement, the debates as well. But new excitement beckons from outside this building, outside the city. They call me.

Mr. Speaker, it's been a blast. Mr. Speaker, good luck to all my colleagues around the room here. Continue to be the voice of the North. Do not forget who elected you. It's the people that you serve. It's their voice that should be heard in this House. So make a difference for NWT.

Masi cho and God bless.

---Applause

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer

Prayer

Page 2868

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi . Mr. Clerk, please note the Member's decision to resign on the record of the Legislative Assembly. The Member for Monfwi's seat is now vacant.

Mr. Lafferty , before you leave the chamber, I want to thank you for your 16 years of service to the Tlicho people, the residents of the Northwest Territories and to the Legislative Assembly. You have served as a regular MLA, Member of the Executive also known as Cabinet, and as Speaker.

Throughout your time in the Assembly, you have been a champion for the Indigenous languages. Mr. Lafferty , you were the longest serving Member in the 19th Assembly. You have served as part of four Assemblies, first being elected by by-election in the 15th in 2005. In the 16th and 17th Assemblies, you served as Deputy Premier , Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Minister of Justice, and the Minister responsible for Official Languages and for the Worker's Safety and Compensation Commission. In the 18th Assembly, you served as our Speaker. And it is in this chair where you left a legacy.

Your leadership reinvigorated the Assembly's use of Indigenous languages, expanding

interpretation services, your use of the Tlicho language in this chamber every day while in the Speaker's chair set an example for those who follow you.

On a personal note, it has been a pleasure serving with you the last ten years. I still remember the 'good ol' days' when we used to travel --

---Laughter

-- and our trip to Fairbanks to visit the University of Fairbanks to see how they teach the Gwich'in and Inupiaq languages so that we can adopt those teachings in our education system.

Mahsi cho, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Colleagues, we will take a short recess. Please join us in the Great Hall to say our farewell to Mr. Lafferty . Mahsi.

---Applause

---Recess

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer

Prayer

Page 2869

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Infrastructure .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 173-19(2): Update on Community Access Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2869

Diane Archie

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, I would like to update Members and the public on the Community Access Program administered by the Department of Infrastructure.

The Community Access Program provides contribution funding to communities across the Northwest Territories for the construction and rehabilitation of transportation and marine infrastructure. The program is application-based with a bi-annual intake of proposals. These projects support the development of a strong northern workforce through construction activities, economic and training opportunities. Mr. Speaker, our regional superintendents work closely with the communities to support projects that meet local priorities. I am pleased to report that communities take advantage of opportunity.

In 2019-2020, there were 22 projects were supported across all five regions. This resulted in over $1 million invested into transportation and marine infrastructure. Projects ranged from building and maintaining ice roads, community trails and access roads, to completing necessary marine facility upgrades. In addition to employment, the construction and maintenance of these projects provided valuable work experience in the operation of heavy equipment, modern road construction and environmental protection techniques, and project management.

Mr. Speaker, the benefits of this program extend beyond the construction phase. These trail and dock projects improve quality of life for residents by increasing access for on-the-land activities like harvesting and educational programming, allowing for more convenient community and regional road transportation access for residents, and furthering economic activity like tourism. There is also a sense of community pride and accomplishment that comes along with delivering and completing these community-based priority projects.

The Community Access Program provides funding for construction projects to meet specific community needs such as: access roads to hunting, fishing, wood harvesting and community recreational areas; trails connecting to the community for walking, hiking and traditional activities; docks and wharfs to support boating and marine activities, harvesting, and recreational uses; also winter and access to granular sources.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Infrastructure is doing its part to support the 19th Legislative Assembly's goal of increasing economic and training opportunities across the Northwest Territories through this Community Access Program. We have seen great uptake in communities, and we are continuing to work closely with leaders to identify future projects to be considered under the Community Access Program in 2021-2022. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 173-19(2): Update on Community Access Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2869

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 174-19(2): Senior Citizens Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day June 15

Ministers' Statements

Page 2869

Julie Green

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, June is the month when we make a special point of acknowledging and celebrating seniors for their contributions to our families and communities. Seniors are valued members of NWT communities and they contribute by working, volunteering, and passing on knowledge and traditions through teachings, stories, and ceremonies. Seniors also sit on advisory councils and engage with governments and non-government organizations helping to develop strategy and policy. Seniors fulfill many vital roles within our society that enhances our quality of life.

The NWT's population of seniors continues to grow. Our task is to work together to ensure we provide quality of life for them as they age.

Mr. Speaker, most seniors want to remain in their own homes or communities. We must ensure services and supports are available to them, including home and community care services, accessible and affordable housing, and transportation and supports for their caregivers to enable them to continue to age in place with dignity.

We are implementing recommendations from the Home and Community Care Review based on the Department's response to the review that was tabled at this time last year. We are implementing a comprehensive and internationally recognized system of assessment of vulnerable persons within home care programs early next year. This change will allow us to improve areas of service that have been identified as being inconsistent or inadequate.

This year, we are also expanding hours that home care services are available in Hay River, Behchoko and Inuvik. We will expand hours in additional communities over time. We are also engaging Indigenous governments to improve the responsiveness of home and community care program to the needs of Indigenous residents.

Mr. Speaker, when seniors are no longer able to stay in their homes with the support of home care, we must ensure that our long-term care facilities can provide quality care for them. We have updated our bed projections and determined we will require fewer beds than previously anticipated.

The department has engaged with stakeholders in Hay River and the Beaufort Delta Region to discuss the new projections. We have shared our plans and received feedback from community partners on how we can enhance services in home care and work with other government partners to enhance aging in place.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a mandate commitment to support seniors and as one, I am personally invested in. The department is collaborating with the departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Municipal and Community Affairs, and the NWT Housing Corporation to help advance this mandate work. Together, we can ensure seniors continue to get the services and programs they require in their communities. We are also developing a Northwest Territories Seniors Strategy that will reflect a whole-of-government approach and assist in coordinating programs and services for seniors.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day comes up on June 15th. We acknowledge that seniors are a vulnerable sector in society and can be at high risk for abuse and neglect.

To help address this prevalent issue, the department provides funding each year to the NWT Seniors Society which is specifically directed towards supporting the Network to Prevent Abuse of Older Adults. The NWT Seniors Society has taken the lead on elder abuse initiatives by providing awareness workshops in a number of communities and by providing the toll-free seniors information line. Furthermore, this fall we will be launching an elder abuse awareness campaign and planning is underway to increase training for GNWT staff to identify signs of elder abuse.

Mr. Speaker, we see where gaps exist in the services our government must provide to ensure seniors have good quality of life through the stages of aging, and we are working to address them to ensure seniors are able to enjoy comfortable and dignified lives in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 174-19(2): Senior Citizens Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day June 15

Ministers' Statements

Page 2870

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 175-19(2): Community Housing Support Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2870

Paulie Chinna

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Every community in the Northwest Territories is different and has different needs and priorities. I am pleased to say that our Community Housing Support Program recognizes these differences and puts the priorities of local people right in the center of the planning process.

We recognize the local people that have clearest understanding of their needs and often of the best solutions. For this reason, the Housing Corporation works in partnership with Indigenous governments and community agencies to develop an innovative community-driven housing projects of their own design. This helps ensure local priorities are met with a variety of support options such as grants and other contributions such as -- may also be in the form of policy and program design, material packages, technical expertise, land management, or surplus units when appropriate.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken about this program in the past in the Legislative Assembly and would like to provide an update today. Previously, I spoke about this program adding affordable housing in Salt River First Nations, implementing a repair program in Fort Good Hope, and a log project in Colville Lake among other successes.

Today I would like to note even more recent successes for this program. The K'atlodeeche First Nation has used the Community Housing Support Program to implement a repair program for homes in the community. Programs like this give the community the ability to locally prioritize any repair work they want to get done.

Mr. Speaker, the hamlet of Aklavik has used funding through this program to connect to biomass heating systems. Innovative, forward-thinking, locally-driven projects like this are why we believe this program is very valuable to the communities across the NWT.

In Inuvik, the Community Housing Support Program has been accessed by Teepee Housing in order to renovate multiple buildings. Being able to modernize affordable housing units is another example of the program being used to turn local ambition into reality.

Mr. Speaker, one of my priorities as Minister is partnership, and this program is a great example of how by listening to each other and working together, we can make progress towards many of our shared goals. We all look forward to seeing these new projects being provided in accordance with community aspirations and recommendations.

I look forward to speaking about the Community Housing Support Program in later sitting of this Legislative Assembly, sharing even more success stories. I also want to acknowledge and thank the hard work of the staff of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation for implementing this program and being able to develop a community-driven program and their aspects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 175-19(2): Community Housing Support Program

Ministers' Statements

Page 2871

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 176-19(2): Mining Week 2021 and Initiatives

Ministers' Statements

Page 2871

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, today's mineral resource industry in the NWT is innovative, collaborative, environmentally conscious, and has the highest standards of safety. It collaborates with the GNWT and with Indigenous communities to enhance resources for capacity building and supports Indigenous participation in, and benefits received from, the mining industry.

The resource sector directly employs over 3,000 people in the Northwest Territories and contributes over $800 million in spending each year. It accounts for nearly a third of the Northwest Territories' gross domestic product. A healthy and vibrant mineral resource exploration and development sector is critical for the Northwest Territories, its people, and our future prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has a mandate item to increase resource exploration and development, and I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the initiatives underway to support this anchor industry.

As with other industries, mineral resource exploration has experienced a downturn in activity and investment over the last year. The department has provided mineral tenure support and has acted as a liaison for industry with the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer to ensure the industry was able to continue its planning and operations during the pandemic.

The Work Credit Program provided a one-year one-time relief on work requirements for 189 mineral claims in 2020-2021. We also provided a one-year deferral of mineral lease rent payments for mineral tenure interest holders. This enabled 39 clients, with a total of 548 leases, to defer payments until 2021-2022.

We continue to hear concerns from industry, and in response I am pleased to announce that mineral tenure relief will also be available in 2021-2022. This will provide additional relief for those claim holders that are unable to work their claims as the pandemic continues.

The Mining Incentive Program was also adjusted in 2020-2021 to accommodate the impacts of the global pandemic. Most of these changes are being continued for the 2021-2022 year. Changes implemented include: An increase to the maximum funding of corporate projects to 60 percent of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $240,000; Northwest Territories expenses related to self-isolation, expediting, and program logistics are eligible for MIP funding; and, the reporting deadline has been further extended for some projects that were significantly delayed due to the pandemic.

As of January 2021, 12 prospector and seven corporate 2020-2021 projects were funded in the North Slave, South Slave, and Sahtu Regions for a total of $1,094,000. From its launch in 2014 to 2018, the Mining Incentive Program directly leveraged $11.8 million in company and prospector exploration spending in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, there are some bright lights on the horizon in mineral resource development. After a tumultuous 2020, the Ekati Mine has reopened under the new ownership of Arctic Canadian Diamond Company, and recalled its workers. Gahcho Kue, under De Beers Canada and Mountain Province Diamonds, continues operation and has established itself as one of the top diamond mines in the world. In December 2020, a 157.4 carat diamond was discovered at this mine.

Cheetah Resources and Rare Earth Minerals Projects at the Nechalacho site is in the demonstration phase as it advances to be the first rare earth mine in Canada with innovative environmental standards, comprehensive training programs, and strong partnerships with the Indigenous groups in the area. The anticipated outputs are extremely promising, with the potential for a multi-generational operation providing materials for the clean energy economy.

As well, in the past few weeks, Arctic Star has confirmed five kimberlites discovered around Lac de Gras on its Diagras diamond project, concluding its spring exploration. Their ongoing activities will include assessing diamond content and the ongoing testing of targets.

Mr. Speaker, this is exciting news and only scratches the surface of the Northwest Territories mineral potential. There is a wealth of resources in the North, and as new projects successfully move into production, we can expect increased exploration and renewed investor interest in Northwest Territories mineral resources.

In anticipation of this, the established Polar Bear Diamonds trademark has a new, polished look as it works to reintroduce branded Polar Bear Diamonds into the global marketplace. A 2018 review determined that the brand remains highly recognizable in the market, and reflects a unique, authentic, and ethically-sourced product.

We will be highlighting some of these recent successes and continue to further build public awareness and interest in the sector during this year's Northwest Territories Mining Week in July. I look forward to sharing the plans for what will remain a largely virtual program this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 176-19(2): Mining Week 2021 and Initiatives

Ministers' Statements

Page 2872

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 177-19(2): Dene National Memorial Walk

Ministers' Statements

Page 2872

Caroline Cochrane

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, today, Northwest Territories residents will come together to march through the streets of Yellowknife to honour the 215 Indigenous children found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School last week. This is an important opportunity for all of us as residents of the Northwest Territories to come together and show our support for people during this difficult time. It has brought to the surface painful memories for many, and with the strength of the community we will get through this, together.

In a show of solidarity, two Members of Cabinet and two regular Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly will be attending the memorial walk, fire feeding, and water ceremonies.

I want to thank the Dene Nation for organizing this memorial. It's important that we all stand together as a territory for those whose lives were impacted by the residential school system, and those who never came home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister's Statement 177-19(2): Dene National Memorial Walk

Ministers' Statements

Page 2872

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, honourable Premier . Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Current Events and End of Session

Members' Statements

Page 2872

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I'd like to thank what Madam Premier just brought up about the Dene Nation walk for the 215 that we lost there in Kamloops. Our thoughts and prayers are with them from Nunakput. And, you know, as a third generation survivor as yourself, myself, Diane and Paulie, we're all in residential school in Inuvik and it's just like a sister- and brotherhood, you know, when you see them. It's a special thing, that bond you have with them. And we'll get through it. And we're still standing.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to -- let people, you know, up since the last month for the flooding and, you know, from Jean Marie River to Simpson everything, our thoughts and prayers are with them and hope everything works out. I know our government will work hard to get you where you have to get to get your lives sorted out. I know it's a mess now but we'll get -- you'll get through it. And I know our government is there for you.

Mr. Speaker, also, again yesterday I brought up my graduates and, you know, I'm really excited for them, and I'd really like to make sure that graduation day, be safe, make sure you're letting your parents know what's happening. And I'm pretty proud of them for Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, also people hunting and fishing back home because winter just doesn't want to let go. And people are out fishing in Husky Lake and hunting on the coast right now, getting our geese for the summer and that, and harvesting so just be safe. In Ulukhaktok, they're hunting on the floe edge for ducks so just be safe out there and look forward to seeing everybody.

And, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank our frontline staff, all the hard work that they're doing in our small communities and thank them for all the hard work that they do.

For all those who lost loved ones this past few months, again, Mr. Speaker, thoughts and prayers for you and all your families. And to the Members, you know, it's -- summer's coming and spend a little bit of time with your family and enjoy it, and look forward to seeing my family here shortly. To my constituents, have a safe spring. And when summer starts, fishing and whaling will be safe and God bless you all. And thank the mayor and councils in our communities for all what they do for us in our community corps and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Thank you for what you do for our communities.

And I'd like to just say to Mr. Lafferty , who left the House today. 16 years service, he did so much for the Tlicho people and I'm proud to call him a colleague of mine. And he's been not only a colleague but a good friend and a big support of Nunakput, and I know his future endeavors, whatever he's going to do, he's going to do a good job. I just want to thank him for his service and a lot of good memories with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Current Events and End of Session

Members' Statements

Page 2873

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput . Members' statements. Member for Hay River South .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Graduation in Hay River

Members' Statements

Page 2873

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate each of those students from Hay River, Enterprise and Katlodeeche First Nation who are graduating from Ecole Boreale, Diamond Jennesse Secondary School, Chief Sunrise Education Centre and Aurora College. I know that each of these graduates will not forget the year they graduated, nor will they forget the unique events of the COVID-19 pandemic surrounding their graduation. Nor will they forget that they are posed to be the last to ride a school bus in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, we all appreciate and the bounds of commitment, sacrifice, and hard work these students put in to achieve their status as graduates. These students started their educational journey as young children and now have finished as young adults. That

chapter has now closed, and it is time to take that next step, whether it is to further their education, join the work force, or, pending travel restrictions, travel the world. It is only the beginning of life's journey.

Mr. Speaker, the only advice I would offer each student is show respect and compassion for others, always be open to new ideas; and, most importantly, follow your dreams and your passions. This is your time.

Mr. Speaker, for the graduates to achieve the success each celebrates today, we must recognize the parents, caregivers, family, and those teachers who supported and encouraged them to succeed. One day, each graduate will look back and understand the importance of this achievement and hopefully convey that importance to their children and others.

I will also ask each student, as they walk across the stage to accept their diploma, to remember and never forget the suffering of those young students who were taken from their homes and now lay in unmarked graves.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I congratulate the graduates of 2021 and wish them all success for the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Graduation in Hay River

Members' Statements

Page 2873

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

2021 Graduating Class

Members' Statements

Page 2873

Lesa Semmler

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the East Three Secondary graduating class of 2021, and all the graduates of Class 2021 in the Northwest Territories on achieving this milestone through a pandemic, as they had to spend their entire final school year under COVID restrictions. I wish you luck on the next

chapter of your lives.

I would also like to congratulate the college, university, and trade students from my community and the Northwest Territories who will or have graduated this year. Like I said, the pandemic has put a real twist on learning not just in the Northwest Territories but the entire country and possibly the world.

Mr. Speaker, you know, I'm very afraid of how this will be in the future. Our students have missed many days of school. Our attendance rates are lower than they have been, and this was already a problem. I just wish that, you know, that when we move forward after with all the restrictions that there is going to be a plan in place, Mr.

Speaker, for our students to be able to be supported to be caught up so that this last 15 months was not a waste of their schooling, because we all know that moving forward, you know, you want to move on with your students, you want to move on with your classes, you want to graduate, you have future goals. I'm sure these grade 12 students have future goals but are all going to be put on hold whether or not they can attend university, whether or not they can, you know -- these are all things that we're going to be facing in the fall.

So I just wanted to recognize that and congratulate all the hard work of all the students in the Northwest Territories, right from all the little junior kindergartens right up to our post-secondary.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize that June is National Indigenous History Month, and Saturday is the 37th year of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement when it was signed, and there will be some COVID-restricted celebrations going on in my community, and I'm sure throughout the Inuvialuit Region. So I just wanted to recognize and hope to be -- to make it home to celebrate with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

2021 Graduating Class

Members' Statements

Page 2873

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes . Members' statements. Member for Great Slave .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Intimate Partner Violence

Members' Statements

Page 2874

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, according to StatsCan's 2019 Family Violence Report, the Northwest Territories has the second-highest rate of all types of family and domestic violence amongst Canadian territories and provinces. Many Northerners have experienced or know someone who has been a victim of domestic violence. The NWT also has the highest rates of sexual violence in the country. Females comprise the majority of those experiencing sexual violence and males represent the majority of perpetrators. Family-related sexual violence is more than five times higher for women and girls than men and boys.

In the Northwest Territories, the rate of family violence reported to the police in 2019 was 9.9 times the national rate and was the second highest in Canada only to Nunavut. We also saw a 28 percent increase in the rate of intimate-partner violence in the Northwest Territories from 2018 to 2019, and I can only imagine that due to the stress from the pandemic, this rate is continuing to rise. Family violence is a crime. While many vital supports are in place, I believe we could take it one step further by adopting Clare's Law in the NWT.

Clare's Law provides people who feel at risk of domestic violence a way to access information about their partners so they can make informed choices about their safety. Clare's Law is named after a young woman in England, Clare Wood, who was murdered by her ex-partner who had a history of intimate-partner violence and was known to the police. Clare's Law has been adopted by many provinces in Canada, and most recently came into effect in Alberta.

Clare's Law, generally known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, provides several ways for police officers to disclose a person's history of abusive behaviour to those who may be at risk. It is intended to reduce intimate-partner violence and could prove a useful tool here towards increasing safety for our people.

In the NWT, domestic violence situations are compounded by the remote location and lack of services in many of our communities; unaffordable, substandard housing; socioeconomic conditions; and a harsh climate where mental health issues, like Seasonal Affective Disorder, are aggravated. When I think of myself and the women I know in the North, it's rare to know someone who hasn't experienced some form of family or domestic partner violence. It is unacceptable that this has become the norm in the Northwest Territories therefore I urge this government to work harder on improving this situation for our people and they can start by adopting Clare's Law. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Intimate Partner Violence

Members' Statements

Page 2874

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Graduation and Session Reflections

Members' Statements

Page 2874

Frieda Martselos

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to take a moment and wish all the graduates from PWK High School in Fort Smith a big congratulations for concluding their high school studies. I was not able to attend the grad ceremony in person due to our session taking place here at the legislature. I did send some remarks which were read at the ceremony last Thursday. I want to thank all the parents, the teachers, the families and friends of the students, and the entire community for helping our students achieve their goals.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to wish all the graduates of Aurora College Thebacha Campus, and all the colleges in the North, a big congratulations as well. The convocation ceremonies this year will include graduates from both the class of 2020 and 2021. I know these last 15 months have been difficult. But these challenges will only make them stronger before the better. I wish all graduates of both schools all the best with their future endeavors.

I want to thank the staff for their resilience knowing that we are now the headquarters of the future polytechnic university. And I want to welcome all future students who attend school in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to acknowledge and thank all front line and essential workers, teachers, and of course all of my amazing constituents of Fort Smith. I wish all the Indigenous leaders and the municipal governments, and all the peoples of the Northwest Territories, a safe and great summer. I want to wish a safe summer for all my colleagues and for you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Graduation and Session Reflections

Members' Statements

Page 2874

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha . Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife North .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Staffing Appeal Process

Members' Statements

Page 2875

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I bring up my concerns about human resources today, I want to acknowledge that the vast majority of GNWT hiring is fair, it succeeds in getting the best candidate for the job, and that our HR staff are hard-working and do care about increasing -- creating an inclusive public service. Human resources is not an easy profession, and I thank the staff for their work. However, Mr. Speaker, as an MLA, people don't complain to me about successful hiring. They come to me with HR processes that fail. And, Mr. Speaker, our human resources program must be about building trust.

It must be about building trust within the public service, and to the public, that we continually run a fair, open, and transparent process.

Mr. Speaker, I have some suggestions on how we can improve HR processes.

Mr. Speaker, we have to stop advertising jobs for less than one week. When a job is posted on a Friday and closed on a Monday, it is sending a message that we already know who we're intending to hire, and we're not giving the public a fair chance to apply on it.

Mr. Speaker, we need to stop coming up with excuses on why we want to screen people out. HR looks for key words and doesn't use common sense when looking at the descriptions. Mr. Speaker, I've heard all sorts of complaints from people. And instead of saying they have human resource experience in the process, they said they managed a team and HR applied the process too strictly. It's as if they are training people to speak in bureaucratic doublespeak because they know that's how the GNWT operates.

Next, Mr. Speaker, please stop using the STAR interview technique, especially for P1s. The STAR technique, which requires a person to first talk about a situation, then a task, then an action, and then a result, and if you fail to do that in that precise order, you do not get full scored on that question, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is not how people talk. It is a way that we all have to learn how to interview for government jobs. How about we set up our interviews for people, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, people have stopped appealing HR jobs because they know there is no point to it. This week in the House, the Minister admitted that the appeals process is not about competencies. It is not about reviewing the job description. It is about making sure the collective bargaining and the processes are followed.

Mr. Speaker, consistent complaints have been made that the staffing appeals process leads to no hope of getting a clear answer of why you did not get the job. I'll have questions for the Minister. Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Staffing Appeal Process

Members' Statements

Page 2875

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Members' Statements

Page 2875

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Most recently, the department has embarked upon a, quote, "analysis of charging admission to the museum, an analysis of current revenue streams, and the identification of potential sources of revenue", end of quote. With no significant action on the physical defects and the ten-year strategic framework approaching its end, the narrow focus on revenue seems a wasted effort. We need to roll all this work up, stop studying the problems, and act. We can't even do something as basic as changing the name of this facility to reflect its northern reality.

A recently completed tourism 2025 road map to recovery clearly states that when COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted, we need to concentrate on product development activities. To me, that's exactly what the museum also represents for visitors. We need to start making those investments in this facility now. I'll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the future of the museum, how we can give it a modern name, and protect our heritage for future generations while ensuring tourists have something more to do and learn. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Members' Statements

Page 2876

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Northwest Territories Art Sector

Members' Statements

Page 2876

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, our ability to foster art preservation, creation, celebration, and sales is key to our territory's success. Art is far more than a thing of beauty. It connects people to themselves, one another, and tradition. Art is vital to our well-being and our shared and individual histories.

According to the NWT art's website, there are 912 registered artists across the territory. The pre-COVID estimated economic value of NWT arts is a mere $7.2 million. Comparably, the Yukon arts generated $12.9 million and, inspirationally, BC generated $2.6 billion.

The GNWT currently spends $2.8 million on various investments to the arts community through marketing, film, and entrepreneur funding through ITI and grants for performers, arts organizations, and the NWT Arts Council through ECE. And just like you can't put Baby in a corner, Mr. Speaker, you can't put the arts in a bureaucratic box. The arts need the creative space to grow, evolve and empower. It needs fluidity and autonomy from the government.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is not meeting its full potential to grow the arts, and art isn't just about sales. Art promotes intellectual, emotional and spiritual enrichment. It is a healer, a mental health tool, a historian, a dreamer, and placing value in art is reconciliation in action, Mr. Speaker. If the government really wants the NWT arts sector to soar, it needs to be prepared to let it fly. Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Northwest Territories Art Sector

Members' Statements

Page 2876

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Eulogy for Stephen Squirrel

Members' Statements

Page 2876

Shane Thompson

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I do the eulogy for Steven Squirrel, I'd just like to thank -- congratulate the grads from Echo Dene and Fort Simpson and I will hopefully be able to go in there and join their celebration next week. So I look forward to that with Echo Dene and Fort Simpson as well.

Mr. Speaker, Steven Squirrel was born in Fort Simpson on Tuesday, June 1st, 1954. He was the only child to his parents of the late Victor Squirrel and the late Corrine Grossetete. Unfortunately, his father Victor passed away when he was a young boy. A few years later, his mother -- his mother met Franklin Grossetete and they had additional six kids - Gerald, Michael, Robert, Allan, Darlene and Ronald. Corrine and Franklin raised Steven and his six siblings in Fort Simpson.

When Steve was a young man, he met his wife, Loretta Ann, in Wrigley and Fort Simpson. After a few years, they were married on September 7th, 1979. Together, they had -- raised five children - Brett, Jacinda, Jonathan, Courtney, and Stephanie.

Steve was the best husband and father to his family and for -- his wife and children could ever ask for. They had the privilege growing up watching their father work hard each day, not only for his family but the community he loved and cherished.

Steve was always known as a generally friendly person who dropped what he was doing to help any way he could. He worked for many years with the Village of Fort Simpson as the water treatment plant operator. Very dedicated, 47 plus years to the Village of Fort Simpson, ensuring that they all had clean drinking water and the community's waterlines were taken care of.

When he first looked at retirement, he was excited to do other things. However, about a week later, I saw him at the bank with his work clothes on. I asked him what special project was he working on. With a little smile, he said the water plant. I asked what he meant. And he said he is back at work for the community. This was Steve - always caring about the people.

The family want to thank the following: The Fort Simpson Health Centre, YK Stanton staff, LKFN, and many community and family members that have been there for them during this difficult time. He will be sadly missed by all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Eulogy for Stephen Squirrel

Members' Statements

Page 2877

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh . Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community at this time. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the galley. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, in my statement, I was talking about a law that's been enacted in other parts of our country, and I'm curious to know, does the Minister know if there are any such laws or regulations around -- sorry, that are in place in the NWT, and if so, could she elaborate on what they are? Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave . Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, to my knowledge, there is no equivalent legislation in the Northwest Territories akin to the Clare's Law system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm curious to know what the Minister's take is on a law such as Clare's Law. I know that the Minister in her prior life was a criminal defense lawyer so I know she has a lot of experience in this area, as well has done a lot in her volunteering time with women's groups. So I'm curious to know what her thoughts are on a law like Clare's Law and would it work for us here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, of course we sort of shed our past lives a little bit as Ministers. So, you know -- but I can speak to the issue from the perspective as a Minister responsible for the Status of Women. And certainly I know the Member appreciates, this is an area that it involves obviously the Minister of Justice . It would involve potentially Health and Social Services as they do work with women's shelters as well as other ministries across the government.

The challenge with a proposal such as a Clare's Law, which certainly could well fall within my responsibility to promote, is to strike the balance between empowering women by giving them the information -- women or others, to empower them with information about an abuser or a potential abuser or potential situation, while at the same time not putting the onus on a victim of violence or their family to be the ones that have to go and seek out the information and to not then allow others to say, well, if you had the information, you ought to have acted differently. So there's a lot of policy issues at play.

But at the same time, the fact of having the question of what we can do to fundamentally empower women in those situations is really the discussion to be had. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's response. It's so easy to get caught up sort of in a black and white idea of things and then every time I have a great idea and I go talk to someone, I realize the multitude of reasons why it potentially isn't going to work. And so we always have to find that middle path so I do appreciate that.

I know, again, that this is probably likely in other departments as well but I'd like for the Minister to maybe speak a little bit around family shelters or intimate-partner shelters. It's my understanding we only have those in Yellowknife. And perhaps maybe the Minister could speak to how she is working with the staff and others to establish safe places for families and women and children in communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2877

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate having a sense of where some questions go because it gives a chance for those of us working multi-departmentally to have some conversations and thanks to the folks at Health and Social Services, I can note there are in fact five territorial family violence shelters across different regions of the Northwest Territories.

And I'm also pleased to note that given that these are territorial resources, that travel can be provided for women and children who live in communities outside of one with a shelter and no one should ever think that not having a shelter in their community would take away the opportunity to travel. It certainly makes it harder, Mr. Speaker, but I want to encourage that there are resources to support people who need to use those resources.

On a similar note, Mr. Speaker, we have recently filled the position of a family violence coordinator which will help support further development and coordination in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2878

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2878

Katrina Nokleby

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was going to leave my last question to sort of mull over what the Minister had responded and then ask her something based on that. So instead I'm just going to get in some favour with my colleague here from Thebacha and ask her, is that position a position in Yellowknife, or is it one that's been located outside of the capital? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2878

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that as a confirmed. I expect it is likely a Yellowknife position, Mr. Speaker, although, again, I'm not entirely certain. It is joining in the sense of being a coordinator position and one that certainly will have to work interdepartmentally with a lot of departments and will certainly be expected to be coordinating work across the regions. Again, I'll have to confirm but that's the expectation I have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 766-19(2): Intimate Partner Violence

Oral Questions

Page 2878

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2878

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment . I'd like to follow up on questions I had yesterday about the GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID-19 recovery working group.

Mr. Speaker, I raised the issue of how these notes from these meetings seem to show that our government is helping the Chamber of Mines draft correspondence, and I want to cite a couple of examples.

On page 14 of the document I tabled a couple of days ago, this is in a June 23rd meeting, this is a direct quote, Mr. Speaker, "GNWT is willing to assist in the editing of the letter from industry if that would help".

From the context of that quote, Mr. Speaker, the letter appears to be going to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, and it's a request for relief from monitoring requirements for environmental licences and permits. And, of course, when Alberta did this during the pandemic, there was a lot of issues. Mr. Speaker, there's another place where an individual's actually named as assisting with the editing of letters. Can the Minister explain why our staff are helping the chamber of mines edit letters to co-management bodies? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2878

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Colleagues, please keep the

preamble short; just ask the questions. Minister of Finance .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2878

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

I would gladly defer the question to another Minister, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

Minister, thank you, and thank you for that question. Mr. Speaker, I know the Member mentioned the idea of context, and challenge of having minutes to work off of, and I acknowledge the Member is working off of minutes that have been redacted, is that, in fact, you don't necessarily have the full context. I have gone back to the department and specifically ask about this.

I would agree that I certainly was concerned to read that there might be inappropriate assistance happening. I was reassured, and I'm happy to be reassured, that again in the context -- the context of the meetings, that I was not at, is that in fact, they are -- they were meetings in the context of developing pandemic relief and pandemic assistance. This of course being back right early after the lockdown in June of 2020, so when the situation of identifying ways of relief and recovery was really very fresh and very new.

And so what in fact was occurring and what may not be reflected in fulsome notes in terms of meeting minutes is that when the industry is writing to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board or other co-management boards, the purpose and goal, from the perspective of the department, is to ensure that they know what exactly the position is that's being taken, that they understand the issues that are being faced, that they can engage with other departments in fact if we need to be formulating a position to respond, and may well be able to give some advice, which may or may not ever be taken by the Chamber of Mines but to be able to say, you know, look, you're going down a path that simply is unlikely to bear fruit or you're going down a path, you know, where we may be able to -- we would have to go back and make our own response to, so.

That, as I understand, is the context of what occurred but, again, I appreciate, I have followed up with the department about this. And there's a line between supporting industry, any industry supporting any outside body and certainly doing that in the context of still maintaining our independence and the role that we have as government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2879

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for confirming that assistance is provided in drafting letters by the Chamber of Mines.

There's another set of minutes from July the 15th, and I want to read a direct quote, Mr. Speaker: "GNWT will discuss interim land withdrawals and how they can be addressed to facilitate mining activities."

Mr. Speaker, this would appear -- and this is GNWT -- this is not ITI. It appears to be a whole-of-government approach. I'd like the Minister to explain how this GNWT work on allowing mining activities and land withdrawals is consistent with our priorities and Cabinet's mandate to settle and implement Indigenous land rights. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2879

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to say this again very clearly on behalf of my own responsibility in the areas of the department that any statement about the government's position on land withdrawals on anything that is multi-departmental, that doesn't come from a single official like this. It has to be multi-departmental. It has to be whole-of-government. So, yes, this is, again, minutes which is reflective of the ITI department's staff that were attending minutes.

And I, again, went back to them to say let's be very clear that when we attend these meetings, we don't -- we have to always be there mindful of the role and the position that is taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

I am reminded, of course, that land withdrawals are not only about necessarily lands being withdrawn for the purposes of Indigenous land negotiations and land settlements. There may well be a variety of other withdrawals taking place for protected areas, parks for example.

And the purpose and the context here was in fact to be discussing that whole of process for all land withdrawals and all different types of land withdrawals and to be able to raise -- to be able to raise it in the perspective of industry with our colleagues at -- across the different departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories so that we can engage as a government internally on the kinds of discussions and the kind of balance that needs to be taking place within this -- within the territory of all the various interests at hand.

But, again, the position, it should never be -- it should be very clear from what I hope I've said yesterday and today that there is one position and it's taken on behalf of the government and that receiving stakeholder ideas, impressions, and reactions is but one part of what formulates the position of the government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2879

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. Thanks to the Minister for that. I think she needs to talk to her staff about getting the whole-of-government position correct.

But, Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister was trying to compare the Business Advisory Council to this Chamber of Mines working group. And the Business Advisory Council has a public terms of reference. It's multi-stakeholder. There's a web page that the department keeps where the correspondence and recommendations from the council are publicly available. And I'm just wondering if the Minister can make a commitment to ensure that the -- or post the un-redacted meeting summaries from this working group to a similar page so that we can have a little bit more transparency here, Mr.

Speaker, and make sure the public understands what's actually happening in this working group, and Regular MLAs as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2879

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the items that were redacted were redacted in keeping with the ATIPP process, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Many of those redactions were in fact mandatory. They are not discretionary. If it is information that pertains to another individual, and there's been a name -- a person that is named alongside other information, such as their place of employment, then that is I believe -- and I'm not the ATIPP coordinator here, Mr. Speaker, but I believe that that would then be mandatory. So other elements may be discretionary.

Had I known back in I guess April or March when these initial requests were being made, I may have been able to assist with some of the more discretionary elements. But even then, they're discretionary to apply the conditions of ATIPP to documents such as -- well, to any document that's going out under ATIPP. So I can certainly go back. There's probably some elements in there that we could un-redact. There's a lot that I would prefer to un-redact, to give a better sense of the context, to give a better sense of the understanding of the work that was happening.

And I'll go back and do that and we'll see if we can perhaps table something that has more information. But, again, I am not the ATIPP coordinator. The point is to have a person that does this so that there's consistency when there's ATIPP redactions taking place. I'm happy to try and get more information out about the work that's been done. As I said yesterday, there's good reason for these organizations to meet and the work that they engage in should be well known. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2879

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Short supplementary. Member for Frame Lake .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2880

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that very helpful and long answer. And I look forward to a much greater transparency on these meetings. But, you know, Mr. Speaker, if these meetings were actually happening in almost any other jurisdiction in Canada, they would be regulated under lobbyists registration or lobbyists legislation. Mr. Speaker, we are one of two jurisdictions in Canada that does not have lobbyist legislation. And I think that's increasingly important, especially in the post-evolution world where we have responsibilities for billions of dollars of resources.

So can the Minister tell me whether our government is prepared to bring forward a bill legislation for lobbyist registration in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2880

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure that that type of legislation would necessarily fall under ITI.

The idea of having some sort of registered -- the idea of having some sort of public awareness, I see certainly no harm from that from the perspective of the -- as the ITI minister. In my view, Mr. Speaker, it would be beneficial for everyone in the industry to know of the work that is going on, to know of the extent of the efforts by officials, as well as by my office, to meet across the board with different industries, different stakeholders, individual businesses, all the different regions. Having that and having people know the efforts that we go into to do that engagement, in my view is only helpful.

The kind of meetings we have should be known, and I certainly don't see any harm in that. Again, Mr. Speaker, that's probably not to take this suggestion forward, it's probably not one that would fall under ITI necessarily. But, again, I've certainly given some reasons why that would potentially be to the benefit of ITI. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 767-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories - NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines Working Group

Oral Questions

Page 2880

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2880

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to go back and question the Minister of Education on the Hay River student busing. This is a major issue for our community with over 500 students and some having to travel up to 25 kilometers one way just to get to school.

Mr. Speaker, I have provided the Minister several days to come up with approximately $70,000 to assist the Hay River District Education Authority to continue student busing. Therefore, I'd ask the Minister if he has a cheque for me to take back and drop off to the Hay River District Educational Authority, or that he at least has a promise that funding is forthcoming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2880

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South . Minister responsible for ECE .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2880

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated last time, if this was as easy as cutting a cheque we wouldn't be here. This issue would be dealt with. The fact is we have an education system that is built on equality, not on -- not about being equitable; it's about being equal, so. And if I pay for busing in Hay River, I'd have to pay for busing in Fort Smith, and Yellowknife, in Inuvik, in Simpson. It doesn't matter if the communities need or not; we have to give them the money. I am working towards an equitable system where money goes where it's needed but currently, we have an equal system.

So that being said, I don't have a cheque. However, clearly, people want the Minister to be accountable. You know, it might not be how our legislation is set up, but that's what people want. So I'm seeing what else I can do. I'm working with the department who has reached out to the superintendent of the district education council to try and ensure that we do get students bused to school so they can actually show up in school and learn.

I assume that, you know, at the upcoming DEC meeting that the superintendent will have done this work on ways to possibly make this happen and bring forward some, you know, reasonable and cost effective solutions for the education council to mull over and hopefully approve. But failing that, I'm also going to offer the services of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to the Hay River DEA to help them perhaps look at the books again and figure out if there's a way to move things around, although I know that is not a palatable option.

There's a reason we're in this position, and it's because, you know, they've done that over and over again, year after year after year, and just don't see what other program they should cut in order to -- in order to have busing. So short answer, no. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2880

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's seven Cabinet Members on the other side and if we divide $70,000 by seven, we've got only $10,000 from each department. So maybe you can get some help there.

Mr. Speaker, the community of Hay River has seen a decline in student enrolment in the last several years; however, we still have over 500 students and if the South Slave Divisional Education Council is not going to advocate for Hay River and find the funds for busing, then -- and then continue to -- continue cutting of staff and programs and services is no answer, because that's kind of the answer the authority has been getting.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister if, again, if he will consider having the Hay River District Education Authority operate outside and independent of the South Slave Divisional Education Council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I have limited tools at my disposal to remedy this. But some regulatory changes is one of those tools and splitting the Hay River DEA from the South Slave DEC could be done through regulation. So I've asked the department to look into that process, what the costs would be, you know, how we could go about it. Ideally we want everyone to work together. I mean, it's a simple solution. This is a -- there isn't a nuclear option, you know, for a very simple problem. But I have started looking into that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think he answered my question number 3 there, that there is a process and he's working through it.

So I'll go to question number 4 here, and, Mr. Speaker, a move such as this would require dividing the current funding between the South Slave Divisional Education Council and the Hay River District Education Authority. So, Mr. Speaker, based on the current South Slave Divisional Education Council budget and the number of student enrolments in Hay River, can the Minister confirm what the split would be and what impact would it have on this -- both the South Slave Divisional Education Council and the Hay River District Education Authority? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it would be a lot of work, for one thing. There would have to be consultation with the education authority and obviously the district education council. The district education authority would have to make it very clear that this is what they wanted, and I haven't received that -- you know, there's been no resolution passed by the authority that I'm aware of. But the Hay River DEA comprises of about 42 percent of the student population of the south slave.

So -- but probably close to $10 million that goes to the SSDEC would then be removed and allocated to a new DEA, a standalone DEA if that's what happened. There would also be a transfer of funds for administration. So there would be probably around a $400,000 reduction in administration funds to the South Slave EDC. And the way they work their funding, I think this year they're also transferring about half a million dollars from the Hay River DEA's budget to the DEC. So they might be close to about a million dollars less in funding to the DEC. So there's some significant impacts all around.

And like I said, it's a simple problem. It's a simple solution. I think that the parties can get together, look at the numbers. If $70,000 doesn't work, well, I'm sure that we can move some numbers around. It doesn't have to be $70,000. Maybe it's $50,000. Maybe you get it down to $30,000. Like, it's not an impossible task. We just need everyone to get around the table and do what's best for the students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

Rocky Simpson

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it might be a hundred thousand. But, Mr. Speaker, there's a simple solution to it, but we have to push the fact that students may be without busing, and, you know, as part of, you know, our responsibility to make sure that students have access to an education and to get to school. And, you know, it's -- we can say that if we pay for Hay River, we've got to pay for everybody. But that's not a bad thing either if it's allowing students to go to school.

So, you know, what I would encourage the Minister is to push the council and the education authority and meet with them and hopefully they'll come up with a solution fairly quickly, because this also impacts businesses in Hay River. You know, we'll have a business that provides busing services. They're going to have no work. Their drivers are going to have no work. You know, and it just goes on and on so I think -- and you know, it may be small, but it is important to Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No question.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service

Oral Questions

Page 2881

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, taken as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2881

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance . I want to begin by focusing on the staffing appeals process. And I've read the staffing appeals process guidelines a couple times, and as far as I can tell, they are so narrow that the vast majority of applicants don't even have access to an appeal. So my first question is, what percentage of people who apply on GNWT jobs are eligible for an appeal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2881

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North . Minister responsible for Finance .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think I've heard what percentage of people who apply. Mr. Speaker, I can say any employees of the GNWT who apply would certainly be eligible to file an appeal. So there's a hundred percent of someone who's already an employee. Obviously not everyone would necessarily self-disclosed as being an employee at the time that they make an appeal or make an application. Similarly, Mr. Speaker, anyone who has staffing priority under the Affirmative Action Policy also has a right of appeal.

And, again, it's not necessarily obvious that everyone would self-identify as being a candidate under the Affirmative Action Policy. So it's difficult to necessarily to say exactly the percentage ofapplicants who would necessarily have that right of appeal if they aren't self-identifying as such.

What I can say as well, though, Mr. Speaker, in 2021, 16.5 percent of all applicants who applied on positions with the GNWT's, to our knowledge, were eligible to appeal. Just knowing that there's some limitation depending on people's self-disclosure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So of those 16.5 percent of people who applied for GNWT jobs who were eligible to appeal, when I look and try to figure out exactly what the grounds of an appeal could be or within the process, I have a hard time let alone those people who just didn't get a job, Mr. Speaker. So my question for the Minister of Finance is what information is provided to an unsuccessful candidate who would be eligible for appeal, at 16.5 percent, to help them formulate and understand the grounds of an appeal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, an unsuccessful candidate eligible for appeal is able -- would be provided with the staffing appeals information guide, the staffing appeals brochure, and the staffing appeals application. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to note while I wasn't here back in 2018, at the time then standing committee had provided some recommendations to the Department of Finance to improve those materials, and I understand in some inquiries here that indeed some materials have been made more plain language and there has been an effort to at least -- to improve the nature of the information that's being provided to those eligible to lodge an appeal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and the Minister is correct. In 2018, the Standing Committee on Government Operations recommended that some plain language documents would be provided. And I'm glad to hear that committee recommendation has been followed through with. So thank you to the department for that.

Mr. Speaker, when I was looking for the last major analysis on the GNWT's human resources practices, I had to go back 20 years to Grant Thorne, a law office, and the consultants then found that the appeal process is perceived as not conducive to an independent and fair hearing and it leads to a finding -- and it does not lead to a finding of greater openness, transparency or independence. Mr. Speaker, I tend to agree with that 20-year-old analysis of our staffing appeals process. And to my view, not much has changed.

My question for the Minister of Finance is has the GNWT ever had its process independently reviewed to determine if it is procedurally fair? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in hearing the Member's statement, I have been trying to go back to just see if, in fact, something has happened. Obviously, I have not been here for a particularly long time. To my best knowledge, I don't know that there's been a recent complete overall or complete review of the process of human resources.

Certainly, part of the work that's happening right now with respect to the Indigenous recruitment retention framework as a significant framework that's meant to apply to all departments and be a major part of human resources work, that that doesn't entail and involve a review of the processes of human resources to ensure that some of the -- some of the tension points and pinch points that I know the Member has already raised do not become barriers and are not barriers.

So, again -- and although I'm not -- and I will say too, though, that the appeals process does involve staffing review officers who are independent from the human resources team. So, you know, while again simply put, no, there's not been a thorough or complete review in my time or in my recent awareness. There are some efforts underway to continually improve that process, the human resources process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2882

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the 2019-2020, the most recent public service annual report, 82 of the 82 appeals that were filed were denied, Mr. Speaker. Previously, the department has used this to say there's no problems with the staffing process; it's working out just fine; all the appeals, you know, are denied. Mr. Speaker, I would say that this is a fundamental problem with the appeals process in -- and people are giving up hope on appealing if there's no hope of actually being successful, regardless of whether an independent officer is reviewing it.

So furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the end of the appeals process is sometimes, you know, the job competition goes out, sometimes it's just even if you are successful, a notation that, you know, perhaps some processes were not followed. I actually am not aware of anyone who is -- after going through a successful appeal, which there were none last year, been offered the job.

So my question for the Minister of Finance , has anyone who has ever appealed a decision actually been after -- actually been offered the job once appealed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2883

Caroline Wawzonek

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the complete history of all hiring. I can say in 2017-2018, and I suspect the Member has this information already, as it went through to the last committee review. But that it was at around 1 percent and that 2018-2019, again, that it was five of 71 where the appeals were upheld. As far whether those individuals go on to get employment or choose to get employment or choose to seek further employment with the government, I can't say. That's not necessarily a stat that would even be possible to garner, again not knowing whether or not the individual themselves may want to self-identify.

But, Mr. Speaker, you know, I certainly don't take the view that just because we've had, you know, no successful appeals means that the process itself is perfect. I've certainly dealt with many questions in the House over the last year and a half about human resources and certainly get a lots of inquiries to my office about the work of human resources.

There is a lot going on right now in human resources to ensure that it is modern, to ensure that it is responsive, to ensure that it is contextual to the Northwest Territories and to the fact that we are a 50 percent Indigenous Canadian community in the Northwest Territories. So I appreciate the Member's opening remarks, acknowledging that there's good people doing work. There are good people doing work. And there is always room for improvement, and we're getting there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 769-19(2): Staffing Appeal Process

Oral Questions

Page 2883

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment . Would the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment support the NWT Arts Council as an independent arts organization? Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake . Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the Member for Frame Lake asked these questions not long ago, I gave the answer that I would look in to the viability of creating an independent arm's length arts organization in the territory, and that is still the plan. We are going to look into this, what would it look like, what would it cost, and what could it do. So we're beginning that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm wondering about timelines. I like to have timelines. So since the department recognizes that the 181.5 million federal dollars flowing to the Canada Arts Council -- for the arts, sorry, is not accessible to the territorial government, when will the department commit to reviewing the organizational structure for the NWT arts so that we can make it an arm's length organization. So I know they're looking into it right now. We've just come off of almost two years of the department reviewing an arts strategy. So I'm wondering what kind of timeline are they working towards.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the work to determine when that happens is underway. We are going to do a full review of arts funding programs across the territory. This isn't something that can be done in isolation, just creating an arts council. We need to take stock of what we're doing, how much are we spending, and how effective is it, and how can it be improved by the creation of something like an arm's length arts council. So that work is happening over the coming years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

Caitlin Cleveland

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has the capacity to complete this work during the length of the 19th Assembly? Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Depending on what you prioritize, you can get a lot done in the next couple years. That being said, there is a lot of work that, like I just mentioned, we want to do in conjunction with this. And that is reviewing the programs that we have, how effective they are, determining if there's better places we could put our money, and one of those things we're going to look at is the arts council and what it could look like in the future.

So I'd like to say that we could just get it done, but I also want to make sure that we research it, we look at what's happening in other jurisdictions, and then we do something that's right for the territory given our specific circumstances, because I don't want to create an organization that is set up to fail. I don't want to create an organization that is going to be very costly and not produce results. So we have to do all of this work before just moving ahead with something. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 770-19(2): NWT Arts Council

Oral Questions

Page 2883

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 771-19(2): Income Assistance Emergency Allowance

Oral Questions

Page 2884

Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. Sometimes I don't say enough good things about my colleagues across the floor. So I want to congratulate the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for increasing income assistance for some of our residents in the flood-impacted communities. I think that was a really good move on the part of his department. But I'd like to know which communities are receiving the top-up. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 771-19(2): Income Assistance Emergency Allowance

Oral Questions

Page 2884

The Speaker

Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake . Minister responsible for ECE .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Oral Question 771-19(2): Income Assistance Emergency Allowance

Oral Questions

Page 2884

R.J. Simpson

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the income assistance regulations, the department can issue an emergency allowance to income assistance clients when there is an emergency. And in this instance, there -- the emergency allowance was issued to income assistance clients in Fort Simpson and zones 1, 2, and 3 in Fort Good Hope. There are no income assistance clients in Jean Marie River, otherwise we would have supported them as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a