Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to welcome Members back to the Legislative Assembly as we resume the second session. I look forward to working together as we endeavor to keep residents safe from COVID-19, support industry and residents, and make progress on our mandate commitments.

Mr. Speaker, when I delivered my first sessional statement in the House last December, no one could have predicted what the future was going to hold. This pandemic has been like nothing many of us have ever experienced. Over 37 million people worldwide have contracted COVID-19, and over a million people have died...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents: "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT;" "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT;" "Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 340-19(2): Domestic Violence." Thank...

When I first began here a year ago, I said that I wanted to engage with stakeholders more, businesses or stakeholders, a sector. I do believe that Ministers, again in the beginning, were engaging, out there talking to businesses, doing the best they could, and then COVID-19 hit, and everybody went into lockdown, right across the territory. That impacted our communications, no doubt.

However, now that we have a little bit of knowledge on where we are going, the systems we need in place to deal with COVID-19, all Ministers have been back at it and trying to engage more with stakeholders. It's not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do agree with the Member that communication has been difficult over the last few months. Once COVID-19 hit, lots of us could not be -- usually, we are in the House all the time. There were workplace things that had to be done. There were a lot of issues that came up. Communication is one of the hallmarks of consensus government. Before the pandemic hit, it was common to see Ministers and Members in the House on a regular basis, and both sides of the House would walk the floor and talk to Ministers or MLAs, not only about issues but just building that relationship and...

Again, like I said, rushing, all of departments rushing, all of us rushing to try to figure out what we needed to do to keep our people safe, I dropped the ball on communications. Again, I did not realize how important it was. The secretariat, the issue with the secretariat brought it to the forefront. It told us that we need to do better, and so, like I said, our communications team is doing the best they can with the resources they have. However, we took the time. We stepped back after that, and we took the time. We have met with our communications team and all of Cabinet, in honesty, and we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the mover of the motion, I want to make some closing comments.

Today was a challenging day as we dealt with an important issue. It is the authority of the Legislative Assembly to remove a Member from the Executive Council, and we will know that decision shortly. As Premier, I exercised my authority under the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act in removing the Minister's portfolios. That authority is further described in the Members' Handbook.

The issue before us is a question of confidence in Minister Nokleby. I set out today the issues of professionalism...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS pursuant to Section 61(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the Legislative Assembly recommends to the Commissioner the appointment of Members of the Executive Council;

AND WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 61(2) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the persons appointed hold office during the pleasure of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Assembly, pursuant to these powers, has chosen the Honourable Katrina Nokleby to sit as a Member of the Executive Council;

NOW THEREFORE, I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for...

Mr. Speaker, the events that have caused us to be here today are unfortunate. My revoking of the Minister's portfolios, and this motion, were decisions not made lightly, but they are necessary ones. The inability to work with and have confidence in the professionalism and integrity of Minister Nokleby ultimately made the decision clear. As set out in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, and in our Members' handbook, the Premier has the authority for the overall management and direction of the Executive branch and the responsibility to take disciplinary action with respect to the...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, I will move the following motion: Now therefore, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Assembly formally revoke the pleasure of the Assembly from the appointment of the Honourable Katrina Nokleby as a Member of the Executive Council; and further, that this Assembly recommend that a new Member be chosen to be a Member of the Executive Council. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I would seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.