Caroline Cochrane

No.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 29-19(2): Systemic Racism; and Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 717-19(2): Disaster Navigator Recommended for Flooded Communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the events that have caused us to be here today having this debate are unfortunate. I do not speak to the matter of the Member's conduct as it relates to the point of privilege lightly. However, I must stand and speak out about what has occurred and the impact it has on Members, including myself.

Mr. Speaker, we are a consensus government in the Northwest Territories and we must operate in a productive and professional environment. Will we agree at every step? Certainly not. Will some of these debates and discussions be passionate? Certainly, they will be...

Mr. Speaker, I welcome my colleagues back to the House for the resumption of the second session of the 19th Legislative Assembly. Despite this sitting being delayed as a result of the recent outbreak of COVID19 in the territory, I expect this has been a busy time for all of us as we focus on the important work that we have been elected to do by the people of the Northwest Territories.

It was almost 20 months ago that the World Health Organization declared the COVID19 pandemic, and since that time we have been able to limit the spread of the virus and protect the health and wellbeing of our...

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, whenever we do any submissions to Canada for such projects, we try to do an allofgovernment approach. Right now, currently, our departments are reviewing the Canada's engagement paper and will be consolidating and submitting a formal response to that. But I do want to highlight as well, is that's not the only chance that we get.

This government has taken a strong stance in building partnerships, relationships with the federal government. Every chance we get, Mr. Speaker, we are lobbying the federal government to increase our infrastructure, not only the amount...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 33, National Indigenous Peoples Day Act be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of the case studies that the Member is speaking of so I can't really speak on those studies per se. But what I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that the GNWT has learned very quickly to be very flexible in technologies. Climate change's impacting the North more than any other jurisdiction in the world. So with climate change, we're looking at all of our infrastructure, our oil fields, our housing projects, everything. And we bring those forward to the federal government at all asks, so. So we need to be flexible, Mr. Speaker. And we need to be aware of the impacts...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing was identified within our priorities at the beginning of this government. It's always been a priority of mine and many colleagues around the table, how housing was an issue for. I've heard housing over the last year and a half coming from the other side of the House constantly.

The pandemic actually, we had we didn't have enough housing before, and the pandemic brought it to the forefront that we don't have enough and we're moving backwards instead of frontwards. So, yes, absolutely, housing has become a priority for us. It's one of our main priorities. In fact...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document; Followup Letter for Oral Question 52019(2) ClientFocused Integrated Service Delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.