Frieda Martselos

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on December 9th, 2021, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to February 2nd, 2022, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that this House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than the scheduled resumption of the House, the Speaker may give notice and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we conclude a busy session, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my colleagues, including you, Mr. Speaker, and all staff of the Assembly, a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I wish everyone, including all the people of the NWT, a safe and restful winter break. A special thanks, as well, to my amazing constituents of Thebacha. It continues to be an honour serving the amazing community of Fort Smith. I also want to wish a Merry Christmas to my special community team. They know who they are. I thank my family for bearing with me while I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm all about economic growth, always have been. Very pro-business. A long-time resident. Born and raised here, you know, and I wish I would when we were going through the capital estimates to cost this budget and see by community. And when I see two MLAs from Yellowknife get up and I bet you I bet you 75 percent of these capital estimates is for the capital. And you have two MLAs from Yellowknife making those kind of comments.

I did not do that because I think if we're going to have economic recovery, Mr. Speaker, this is the way to go. I think they have to be more...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, two weeks ago, the Premier also mentioned a working group being created to help increase regional decision-making authority. Can the Premier elaborate and explain who sits on this working group, how they were chosen, and when is their work expected to be done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, within the life of the 19th Assembly, can the Premier tell us if she has received any encouragement from regional centres, small communities, or Indigenous governments to do more than just staff training to promote regional decisionmaking authority in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of the 19th Assembly is to increase regional decisionmaking authority. That is something that I have always been a strong proponent of. I believe that decentralization of government, wherever possible, is a good thing. In fact, that's what we should be doing. Our government needs to continue to empower the regional centres and small communities with greater autonomy to make their own decisions.

Mr. Speaker, devolution is a well-known concept in this Assembly. On one hand, there is a delegation of powers and responsibilities from the...

I just want to make a comment on his comment. In that benefit agreements to Indigenous governments, the money comes, the money goes. I think that the only way to go in future with any kind of industry, especially large industry like mining or anything else, they have to have ownership. Indigenous governments should have ownership in the projects. So I just want to make that comment. And you know what, we have to I know there was the comments made by and I know he's very you know, I respect his views, although I don't always agree with them, and I respect anybody in this House views. We are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during question period two weeks ago, the Premier mentioned a contractor being hired to go into the communities and ask what was needed to increase regional decision-making authority. Can the Premier elaborate on that statement? Who is the contractor that was hired and what are the terms and length of their contract? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of the 19th Assembly is to increase regional decisionmaking authority. In the 20192023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories document, there's a commitment by the government to train its workforce to ensure they are aware of their decision-making authority.

Can the Premier tell us if there's any other potential commitments were considered in this area by the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs in addressing this mandate item? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Caucus chair, I must address a very important issue which is affecting everybody in this building, the Legislative Assembly, as well as all people across the NWT. The issue I am referring to is to the need to maintain proper confidentiality of certain sensitive matters that are before the Assembly and the need for more unity, cohesion, trust and professionalism as MLAs.

This Assembly has been plagued by constant and ongoing leaks of various confidential and sensitive information. These leaks have had damaging effects on proper function of our government...