Caroline Cochrane

I do have to use some notes for this. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and the Members know that this is not my strength. I'm using help. As the Information System Shared Services branch moves forward with developing, formalizing the GNWT's approach to delivery of services, consideration will be given to how we can make government documents available online. This work will be informed by the GNWT's open government policy and our obligation and responsibilities under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. In saying that, Mr. Speaker, I do have to acknowledge that all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member said in the 18th Legislative Assembly, there was a Minister appointed, just in that Assembly, for transparency. The Minister developed a policy, and in all honesty, the Minister got blamed for everything in that Assembly. In reality, it is that every department has a responsibility, and every Minister has a responsibility for transparency. However, in saying that, I know the federal government is doing that, as well. We're a small jurisdiction. We're 19, seven on Cabinet. I would have a portfolio and a Minister for everything if I had the resources, but I...

I do like to work with the Members. However, I would have to look into that. I can't make a commitment on the floor that I'll fix that in this Assembly. I have to look at what the legislation is and what we have going on. I will make a commitment that I will look into it, and I'll get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On our side, with EIA, our officials have had discussions with officials before COVID-19, in all honesty, on a regular basis. I also know that my Minister of ITI is also right now working on a pan-northern letter to the federal government, to Minister O'Regan, actually, with CanNor to actually advocate for that funding.

There are two things. One, of course, I just checked with my Minister of ITI. Absolutely, she will give you a copy of the letter that she is writing on behalf of it. The other thing I want to speak about wasn't really asked, but I'm going to go there, is that every week since the beginning of March we have been meeting with the Prime Minister. We've been talking at our what is called FMM, First Ministers' Meetings. We've been talking about COVID-19. The last meeting we had, the council, the federation, the premiers across Canada decided that we were, and we told the Prime Minister, that from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, the remediation from mine sites has always been a priority. I take ownership for some of that. Just recently, a drill was returned to my brother that was left from my father. My father has been gone for over a decade, but, in the 1960s, the mining and the drilling here was not okay. They were dumping things all over the place. There are huge issues within the territories, and there is a huge economic opportunity to clean that up. It wasn't based on rudeness; it was based on ignorance. They did not know better back in the day. Mining is different. My Minister...

At this point, I have not heard that having extra staffing at the border controls was an issue. We did know that, with the fire season, some of our public health officers had to go back to their positions in departments. We are actively looking for other recruitments in that area. I would love to be able to say that every person who came across, if we just took their temperature, they would be okay, and they could come in. My worry with doing that, in honesty, Mr. Speaker, is that sometimes people are asymptomatic. Not everybody will have a temperature. If we start taking that temperature...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Any person who enters the Northwest Territories and lands at either an airport or on a highway at the check points, the first thing you are asked for is a piece of identification to prove if you are a resident of the Northwest Territories. If you are not a resident of the Northwest Territories, then you are asked to provide a letter from an employer or a proof that you are an essential worker. If you are an essential worker, then we will allow you through because, if you are in the territories for more than 36 hours, you need to have a self-isolation plan. If you are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The chief health officer has the autonomy to be able to do the directions herself. She doesn't need to work with departments. She has been very, very nice to actually work with us as much as possible though.

Actually complying with the enforcement, that is our biggest fear. I am just going to put it out there. People have this misperception, and I need everyone to help me with this. Not only MLAs in this House; municipal governments have brought it up; Indigenous governments; we need everyone. People have this misperception, Mr. Speaker, that we're in a bubble, and we...

I hear the Member's concerns, and I have the same concerns about people. We have been doing as much as we can to try to make the public aware that we are not in a bubble; we are at risk, and it takes every individual to do this. What I worry about is that we are trying to deal with an issue that has been long-standing. It's the partying, it's the drug dealers, it's the people who aren't being good neighbours in apartment buildings, and we're trying to deal with all of that with COVID-19.

I'm not sure if that's the answer, if we even have the capacity to do that. What I will commit to, because...